Voyaggora
Top sights in Colombo, Sri Lanka
- Galle Face Green – Urban park in Colombo, Sri Lanka
- Gangaramaya Temple – Buddhist temple in Sri Lanka
- Pettah – Suburb in Western Province, Sri Lanka
- Independence Memorial Hall – Sri Lankan national monument
- Viharamahadevi Park – Public park in Colombo, Sri Lanka
- Lotus Tower – Telecommunications tower in Colombo, Sri Lanka
- Beira Lake – Lake
Well-known landmarks, each checked against Wikidata (CC0), which also supplies the one-line descriptions. The bookable tours below are the second layer: guided ways to see them.
Top-rated tours in Colombo, Sri Lanka
See all things to do in Colombo, Sri Lanka → More tours on Viator →
Planning your trip to Colombo, Sri Lanka
Best time to visit
For the best weather, visit Colombo during the north-east monsoon season, including the driest months from December to March. There is also a shorter drier period in July and August.
Climate and seasons
Colombo has a tropical monsoon climate, bordering on tropical rainforest, so it is warm or hot all year with temperatures usually around 25 to 30 °C, and wet during much of the year.
Getting around
Three-wheelers (tuk-tuks) are the most convenient way to get around. Some have meters; where there is no meter, always negotiate and agree a price before the trip. It is best to hail a metered taxi traveling in your direction rather than hire one from a stand.
Staying safe
Colombo is not as dangerous as one would think, but tourists should be vigilant: many first-time visitors fall victim to scams and touts. Be on guard against unsolicited directions or advice, and take with a grain of salt anything a taxi or auto driver says about a place being closed, dangerous or non-existent.
Summarised from Wikivoyage: Colombo (CC BY-SA 4.0).
Where to stay in Colombo, Sri Lanka
Hotels and vacation rentals around Colombo, Sri Lanka with live prices from the big booking sites. Pick your dates on the map to compare.
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Best time to visit Colombo, Sri Lanka
The most comfortable months in Colombo, Sri Lanka are January to March and December, with average daytime highs of 85 to 88°F (29 to 31°C) and 12 to 21 rainy days a month. February is the hottest month, averaging 88°F (31°C), and August the coolest at 83°F (28°C). May sees the most rain, around 30 days, while February is the driest with about 12.
Jump to a month: Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec
| Month | Avg high | Avg low | Rain (about, mm) | Rainy days | Verdict |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | 86°F (30°C) | 73°F (23°C) | 80 | 14 | Best: 14 rainy days |
| February | 88°F (31°C) | 74°F (23°C) | 70 | 12 | Best: 12 rainy days |
| March | 88°F (31°C) | 75°F (24°C) | 120 | 18 | Best: 18 rainy days |
| April | 88°F (31°C) | 76°F (24°C) | 230 | 23 | Shoulder: 88°F (31°C), 23 rainy days |
| May | 86°F (30°C) | 78°F (26°C) | 220 | 30 | Avoid: among the wettest, 30 rainy days |
| June | 84°F (29°C) | 78°F (26°C) | 140 | 29 | Avoid: among the wettest, 29 rainy days |
| July | 84°F (29°C) | 77°F (25°C) | 100 | 29 | Avoid: among the wettest, 29 rainy days |
| August | 83°F (28°C) | 77°F (25°C) | 110 | 30 | Avoid: among the wettest, 30 rainy days |
| September | 83°F (28°C) | 76°F (24°C) | 160 | 30 | Avoid: among the wettest, 30 rainy days |
| October | 83°F (28°C) | 75°F (24°C) | 290 | 29 | Avoid: among the wettest, 29 rainy days |
| November | 84°F (29°C) | 74°F (23°C) | 300 | 26 | Shoulder: 84°F (29°C), 26 rainy days |
| December | 85°F (29°C) | 73°F (23°C) | 180 | 21 | Best: 21 rainy days |
Average daily high and low, and days with rain (a day with at least 1 mm), from Open-Meteo ERA5 records for 2019-2024. Highlighted rows are the pick above. Verdicts use only these numbers.
Rainfall: NASA POWER monthly normals. Sea temperature: NOAA daily satellite data.
Plan the rest of your trip to Colombo, Sri Lanka
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Is it safe to travel to Sri Lanka right now?
Official US, UK and Canada travel advice for Sri Lanka, side by side, with each source and the time it was checked. See today's advisory for Sri Lanka
Colombo, Sri Lanka: common questions
- When is the best time to visit Colombo, Sri Lanka?
- The best time to visit Colombo, Sri Lanka is January to March and December, when average highs run 85 to 88°F (29 to 31°C) with 12 to 21 rainy days a month. February is the hottest month at 88°F (31°C) on average, and August the coolest at 83°F (28°C).
- What is the rainiest month in Colombo, Sri Lanka?
- May, with roughly 30 days of rain. The driest is February, with about 12. A rainy day is a day with at least 1 mm of rain; figures are averages from 2019-2024 records.
- How warm does it get in Colombo, Sri Lanka?
- Temperatures barely change through the year: average daytime highs stay between 83 to 88°F (28 to 31°C). The bigger seasonal difference is rain: May is the wettest month, with around 30 rainy days.
- What is the rainy season in Colombo, Sri Lanka?
- The wettest months in Colombo, Sri Lanka are April to November, with 23 to 30 rainy days a month. February is the driest.
- Is it safe to travel to Sri Lanka right now?
- Voyaggora shows the official US, UK and Canada travel advisories for Sri Lanka on one page, with the source and the time each was last checked. Open the live advisory for Sri Lanka before you book.
- What other places are near Colombo, Sri Lanka?
- The closest Voyaggora guides to Colombo, Sri Lanka are Maldives (480 miles), Mumbai (960 miles), Phuket (1,270 miles).
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