Month guide
Sri Lanka in December
Dry season opens in the west and hills, the east stays wet, and the 20th splits the month into two different holidays.
The verdict
Go west and up. Come early in the month if you can.
December turns the west coast, south coast, hill country and Cultural Triangle dry while the east coast takes its monsoon. The real December decision is the calendar, not the map: before the 20th you get peak-season weather at shoulder-season calm; from the 20th, the year's biggest crowds and prices arrive with the Christmas charter flights.
- Best regions
- West & south coasts, hills, Cultural Triangle
- Skip
- East coast, Sinharaja rainforest
- Sea for swimming
- West and south
- Crowds
- Calm until ~20 Dec, then the year's peak
- Book ahead
- 2-3 months for the Christmas-NY window
Region by region
The weather in December, honestly
Rainfall swings year to year, so figures are typical ranges. Temperatures barely move: coastal Sri Lanka stays warm every December.
| Region | Temperatures | Rainfall | Call it |
|---|---|---|---|
| Colombo & west coast | 23-31°C | ~115-175mm typical | Dry season begins |
| Galle & south coast | 24-30°C | ~120-175mm, easing through the month | Beach season opens |
| Kandy | 20-28°C | ~205mm, still showery | Fine with a plan B |
| Nuwara Eliya | 12-19°C, cold nights | ~185mm | Pack proper layers |
| Cultural Triangle | 23-30°C | ~225mm, tail of the NE rains | Good, not yet driest |
| Trincomalee & east | 24-29°C | ~340mm | Deep monsoon, skip |
What the month is good for
In season in December
Genuinely in season
- Southwest surf season underway (Weligama, Hikkaduwa, Midigama)
- Mirissa whale watching enters its peak window
- Kalpitiya's winter kitesurfing season begins mid-month
- Yala fully open; strong December safari conditions
- The full classic route: Sigiriya, Kandy, tea country, south coast
Skip or reconsider this month
- East-coast beaches: Trincomalee and Arugam Bay in their wettest stretch
- Sinharaja rainforest: November-December is its heaviest-rain window; go January onwards
- Anything unbooked between 20 December and early January
The Kandy-Ella train, this month
As of our September 2026 check, the Kandy-Ella train is not running end-to-end from Kandy: only the Nanu Oya-Ella-Badulla section operates, following Cyclone Ditwah damage. The Kandy-Nanu Oya stretch is expected to reopen around the end of 2026 or early 2027, which may or may not have happened by your December travel date; check current status before counting on it. We arrange the road-to-Nanu-Oya workaround either way.
Dates that shape the month
Festivals and holidays
- Unduvap Full Moon Poya
- Wednesday 23 December 2026. Nationwide: alcohol sales paused, temples busy and beautiful
- Christmas & New Year
- Not public holidays across the island, but the tourism high point of the year on the coasts
Poya-day rules apply island-wide: no alcohol sales, many shops close, temples fill. We plan drives and dinners around it.
Crowds and money
One month, two price tags
Until about the 20th, December is a quiet bargain: peak-season weather at pre-peak prices. From 20 December to early January, south-coast rooms have been reported at double or more their November rates, Galle Fort, Mirissa, Unawatuna and Sigiriya run at maximum crowd, and the whale boats sell out. For that window, book hotels 2 to 3 months out; for early December, relax.
Quick answers
December questions
Is December a good time to visit Sri Lanka?
Yes, for the classic west-and-hills route: December opens the dry season on the west and south coasts and in the Cultural Triangle. The east coast is the exception; it is deep in its own monsoon (Trincomalee sees around 340mm), so December trips should stay west and south.
Is early December different from late December?
Meaningfully. The 20 December to early January window is the busiest and most expensive of the whole year, with popular south-coast hotels reported at double their November rates; book that window 2 to 3 months ahead. Arriving 1 to 15 December gets near-identical weather with far fewer people and normal prices.
Where should I avoid in Sri Lanka in December?
The east coast (Trincomalee, Pasikudah, Arugam Bay) is in its wettest stretch, and Sinharaja rainforest is in its heaviest-rain window in November-December, so save that trek for January onwards. Everything west, south and upcountry is in play.
Is the Kandy to Ella train running in December 2026?
Not end-to-end from Kandy, as of our September 2026 check: only the Nanu Oya to Ella to Badulla section operates after Cyclone Ditwah damage, with the Kandy side expected back around the end of 2026 or early 2027. We arrange the practical version: road to Nanu Oya, ride the scenic remnant, driver meets you with the luggage.
Weather figures are typical ranges; festival dates are confirmed for 2026-27 where listed. Updated September 2026.
Travelling in December? We plan around its weather, not against it.
Private car and driver, routes matched to the month, and one all-inclusive quote before you commit.