Kandy is a UNESCO World Heritage City which is situated in the central province of Sri Lanka. Not only is it the capital of the Central Province. The distance to Kandy from Colombo is 116km and from Dambulla is 72km. It is a mountainous city, with an elevation of 447m above sea level. The River Mahaweli flows near the city. It is a beautiful place to visit as a traveler. There are so many places to visit around Kandy.
Kandy is well known for the Temple of the Tooth Relic. It is a significant place for all Buddhists in the world. They believe the tooth relic of the Lord Buddha has been placed there. A large number of devotees annually visit Kandy to visit the Temple of the Tooth Relic. As well, the city is historically important in Sri Lanka’s history. It was the capital of the last Sinhala kingdom, the Kandyan Kingdom, which was laterally captured by the British in 1815. The Kingdom survived for almost 350 years.
Considering the climate and weather patterns, the city also has its best and worst months to visit. If you are a person who loves to do hiking, trekking, and other activities, then these facts will help you consider your best time to visit Kandy.
We have divided the 12 months of the year into 3 parts and then discussed the best and worst facts from those periods.
This is considered the best time to visit Kandy. There are very few rainy days in those time periods. Therefore, it is the perfect time to go hiking and trekking in the area. January and February are fairly cold. But you can expect much higher temperatures in the March and April months. With winter coming to Europe, you can see many tourists coming to the city in this period.
This is not the best time to visit Kandy. The South-West monsoon is active in the country, and the city and surrounding areas receive much higher rainfall. The rainy days are high in most months. It is not a suitable time period for both hikers and trekkers. However, there are so many tourists who come to the city in August because of the Kandy Procession. It is one of the most must-see cultural festivals in Sri Lanka.
This is not a bad or perfect time to visit Kandy. But you can expect a few rainy days in every month of this period. It is the time when the city receives rainfall from the North-East monsoon. The monsoon brings rainfall to a lot of areas of the country. As well, this is not a good time period for hikers and trekkers.
As we mentioned earlier, the city is situated on a hilly terrain. So, the temperature is a bit lower when compared with the coastal cities of the country. The average annual temperature is around 24’C. Both January and February are the coldest months. However, you can expect much higher temperatures in the months of March, April, August, and September. But don’t expect such a large difference as a city in the northern hemisphere.
The Kandy area receives rainfall all around the year. The average annual rainfall is around 2000mm. It receives rain from both the North-East and South-West Monsoons. April, July, October, and November months receive much higher rainfall than the other months. Therefore, you should be concerned about this fact if you are doing hiking or trekking. Wind speed is very low in the surrounding areas throughout the year. All in all, we can say that the area has a very friendly climate for living or traveling. Climate is not a huge factor when considering the best time to visit Kandy.
Kandy is a city which belongs to the Sri Lankan Cultural Triangle. Therefore, there are so many cultural and historical places to visit in the surrounding areas. As well, you can find so many spots for hiking, trekking, and camping. Also, you should note that you can find a few beautiful waterfalls within a few kilometers of the city. If you are looking to visit inside places of the city, then our Kandy Day Tour will also be ideal for you sure!
Here is the list of the best places to visit in the Kandy area:
Kandy is a mountain city in Sri Lanka. It is situated in the central area of the country. The city receives rainfall annually and has friendly temperatures year-round. August is a busy month due to the Kandy Procession. There are also so many nice places to visit. For visitors, our conclusion is that the January–April time period is the best time to visit Kandy.