Sri Lanka · Sri Lanka
November
West coast improving as NE monsoon hits the east — the south circuit begins re-opening while Arugam Bay closes for the season.
Worth considering
#12 of 12 months
There are better months for Sri Lanka — see the full ranking below.
See when to go instead →Climate
High
30°C
Low
24°C
Rain
315mm
Sun
6hrs/day
30-year climate normals · Open Meteo ERA5
How November scores in Sri Lanka
Weather
Average
Value
Good
Crowds
Good
Events
Average
Atmosphere
Good
What you gain in November
- ↑The west and south coast is emerging from the SW monsoon — by late November, Galle Fort and the south coast beaches are becoming viable again and early-season prices are considerably more moderate than the December–March peak
- ↑The Cultural Triangle is fully accessible and beginning to see the return of good weather — Sigiriya at dawn in November is a dramatically different experience from the mid-season crowds
- ↑Yala National Park opens and begins its best safari season — the dry conditions post-monsoon and water levels in the park concentrate wildlife in ways that make November surprisingly good for leopard sightings
What you sacrifice
- ↓The NE monsoon has arrived and is hitting the north and east coast hard — Trincomalee, Arugam Bay, and Jaffna are all in their wet season; the east coast is now firmly closed for beach activities
- ↓November still carries 315mm of rainfall nationally — the west coast is improving but not yet reliable; early-month visitors may experience frustrating weather before the seasonal switch completes
- ↓Prices are rising from the October trough as the season visibly approaches; the best value window is narrowing
How November compares to July (best month)
| Factor | November | July ★ |
|---|---|---|
| Weather | 4 | 5 |
| Value | 6 | 7 |
| Crowds | 6 | 7 |
November in other destinations
Lisbon (16.8°C)Barcelona (16.5°C)Tokyo (16.6°C)Bali (30.8°C)Santorini (17.5°C)Paris (10.5°C)New York (11°C)Marrakech (21.3°C)Amsterdam (9.2°C)Maldives (30°C)Rome (15.5°C)Bangkok (30.2°C)Istanbul (13.8°C)Vienna (7.8°C)Seoul (10.4°C)Dubrovnik (15.4°C)Rio de Janeiro (28.8°C)Kyoto (16.9°C)Phuket (31.7°C)Cape Town (23.7°C)Prague (7°C)Amalfi Coast (16°C)Mexico City (22°C)Medellín (27°C)Fiji (29°C)London (11°C)Sydney (24°C)Iceland (4°C)Tulum (29°C)Dubai (29°C)Singapore (31°C)Hoi An (27°C)Chiang Mai (29°C)Miami (27.2°C)Florence (13.6°C)Queenstown (18.5°C)Madrid (13°C)Porto (17°C)Edinburgh (9°C)Copenhagen (8°C)Budapest (9°C)Kraków (6°C)Tbilisi (11°C)Palawan (30°C)Hanoi (25°C)Osaka (16°C)Goa (32°C)Cusco (21°C)Buenos Aires (26°C)Mykonos (17°C)Zanzibar (30°C)Costa Rica (25°C)
Climate data: 30-year normals (1991–2020) from Open Meteo ERA5 reanalysis. Scores compare months within Sri Lanka, not across destinations. Methodology →