Visiting Sri Lanka in July

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The weather is still best across the north and east coast of Sri Lanka this month, although the country gets busier as school holidays begin. You’ll still find whales off the coast at Trincomalee, one of the top places to enjoy some time at the beach this month, along with Pasikudah and the surf breaks at Arugam Bay.

And July sees the start of one of Sri Lanka’s most unusual natural sights this month, with hundreds of elephants making their way to find water at the Minneriya tank in Minneriya National Park – the largest meeting of Asian elephants anywhere in the world. The weather at Wilpattu and Yala national parks make them a good option to see leopard as well.

It’s still hot and relatively dry in the Cultural Triangle too, although it can be windy, as well as being a good time to discover Tamil culture and heritage in Jaffna.

By the end of the month, the rain is starting to lessen in the west and south of the country, but it’s hard to predict when the monsoon will end, so you might find tropical downpours along with those sunny days.

Festivals: The famous Esala Perahera in Kandy starts at the end of the month, lasting for 10 days, with thousands of dancers and drummers taking part in a giant procession to celebrate the sacred tooth relic of the Buddha, kept in the Temple of the Tooth in Kandy. You’ll find smaller events across the country celebrating the festival too.

Best for: Elephants at Minneriya, whale watching at Trincomalee, east coast beaches, Jaffna

Region	Jan	Feb	Mar	Apr	May	Jun	Jul	Aug	Sep	Oct	Nov	Dec
North / East	● 28°C 🌤️	● 29°C 🌤️	● 31°C 🌤️	● 33°C ☀️	● 35°C ☀️	● 35°C ☀️	● 35°C ☀️	● 34°C ☀️	● 34°C ☀️	● 32°C 🌦️	● 29°C 🌦️	● 28°C 🌦️
Central	● 19°C ☀️	● 21°C ☀️	● 22°C 🌤️	● 22°C 🌦️	● 21°C 🌦️	● 19°C 🌤️	● 19°C 🌤️	● 19°C 🌤️	● 20°C 🌤️	● 20°C 🌧️	● 20°C 🌧️	● 20°C 🌦️
South / West	● 30°C ☀️	● 30°C ☀️	● 31°C ☀️	● 31°C ☀️	● 30°C 🌧️	● 29°C 🌧️	● 29°C 🌧️	● 29°C 🌧️	● 29°C 🌧️	● 29°C 🌧️	● 29°C 🌧️	● 29°C 🌤️