Sri Lanka in November means rain over most of the island, easing in some regions and peaking in others. The Department of Meteorology places October and November in the second inter-monsoon, when Bay of Bengal depressions can bring heavy rain in a short time. Its north-east monsoon, which mainly wets the north and east, follows from December (Department of Meteorology). In the 1991 to 2020 averages, November is the wettest month of the year at Trincomalee and Anuradhapura. Galle and Kandy are past their October peak but still see rain on about 15 to 17 days (WMO climate normals).
Key takeaways
- Of 20 Sri Lankan stations in the WMO’s 1991 to 2020 normals, 10 are wettest in November and 8 second-wettest. Only Galle (third) and Ratnapura (fifth) rank it lower.
- Galle, Colombo, Kandy and Nuwara Eliya are a little drier than in October. The north and east get wetter, and so do Badulla and Hambantota in the south-east. Arugam Bay’s season is over: Wikivoyage says most of its hotels and restaurants close until March.
- Deepavali falls on Sunday 8 November 2026 and Il Full Moon Poya on Tuesday 24 November 2026, which is an islandwide dry day.
- When we checked on 19 October 2026, no one train covered Kandy to Ella, so our 10-day route goes by road.
- A reopening of Yala’s Blocks 1 and 2 was announced for 16 October 2026, and bookings for its lodges and campsites were due to open on 1 November. Check before you book.
Sri Lanka weather in November, station by station
The table uses the World Meteorological Organization’s station averages, 1991 to 2020 (WMO climate normals), and it counts any day with 1 mm or more as a rain day.
| Station | Rain in November | Days with rain | Average high / low (°C) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Galle, south coast | 283 mm | 14.9 | 29.9 / 24.2 |
| Katugastota, Kandy | 269 mm | 16.5 | 28.8 / 20.5 |
| Nuwara Eliya, hills | 226 mm | 17.6 | 19.8 / 12.3 |
| Anuradhapura, Cultural Triangle | 281 mm | 17.2 | 30.8 / 23.3 |
| Trincomalee, east coast | 376 mm | 17.9 | 29.8 / 24.0 |
What the November figures mean for a trip
The WMO’s Sri Lanka set has 20 stations. Ranking each one’s twelve months by rainfall, we found November the wettest at ten: Trincomalee, Pottuvil, Jaffna, Mannar, Vavuniya, Anuradhapura, Maha Illuppallama, Puttalam, Hambantota and Badulla. It came second at eight: Colombo, Katunayake, Ratmalana, Kurunegala, Katugastota, Nuwara Eliya, Bandarawela and Batticaloa. Galle put it third and Ratnapura fifth (WMO climate normals). That said, a rain day can be a short shower. Only about half of Galle’s 15 rain days bring 10 mm or more (WMO climate normals).
November between October and December
| Rain (mm) | Oct | Nov | Dec |
|---|---|---|---|
| Galle | 345 | 283 | 176 |
| Katugastota | 303 | 269 | 204 |
| Nuwara Eliya | 247 | 226 | 183 |
| Anuradhapura | 259 | 281 | 225 |
| Trincomalee | 216 | 376 | 339 |
At Galle, Kandy and Nuwara Eliya, November is a step down from October, and December is drier again. The north and east are heading the other way, as are Badulla and Hambantota: Trincomalee climbs from 216 mm in October to 376 mm, its peak of the year (WMO climate normals). If your dates can move, Sri Lanka in October and Sri Lanka in December set out the months either side.
Averages also smooth over bad years. Cyclone Ditwah struck in late November 2025, and Wikipedia describes heavy rain from then into early December (Wikipedia). Wikivoyage says the storm damaged 70% of the railway network (Wikivoyage). The latest change to GOV.UK’s Sri Lanka advice, on 21 September 2026, added a warning. Heavy rain in the inter-monsoon season has made flooding and landslides more likely, and transport can be disrupted. GOV.UK tells travellers to contact their travel provider and to do as local authorities advise (GOV.UK).
The sea in November
GOV.UK’s page, last updated on 21 September 2026, was still marked current when we read it on 19 October 2026. Its “Swimming safety” section, quoted exactly: “Many beaches in Sri Lanka have dangerous surf or rip tides at certain times of the year. Get advice from your hotel or tour operator before going in the sea.” Beneath those two sentences sits a pointer to the Royal Life Saving Society’s advice (GOV.UK). For its October to November season, Sri Lanka Tourism’s weather page says “Seas can be rough” (Sri Lanka Tourism).
Where to go in Sri Lanka in November
The south coast: Galle and Weligama
Further up the coast from Galle, Colombo averages 346 mm over 16 rain days in November (WMO climate normals). On Sri Lanka Tourism’s calendar, the south-west coast’s peak tourist season is December to February (Sri Lanka Tourism), so November is the month just before it. UNESCO lists Galle Fort as a World Heritage Site (Wikipedia). Its clock tower, built in 1883, overlooks the Moon Bastion (Wikipedia).
From Weligama beach, Galle Fort is 45 minutes to an hour away by car (OpenStreetMap).
Kandy and the hill country: cool and often wet
Katugastota, the weather station for Kandy, averages 269 mm over about 17 rain days in November, with highs close to 29°C (WMO climate normals). Kandy’s Temple of the Tooth, the Sri Dalada Maligawa, stands in the old Kandyan kings’ palace complex (Wikipedia). The Royal Botanic Gardens at Peradeniya lie about 5.5 km west of the city, over 147 acres that include an avenue of palms (Wikipedia).
Higher up, Nuwara Eliya averages about 20°C by day and 12°C at night, with rain on about 18 days (WMO climate normals). Near Ella, Badulla records its wettest month of the year in November, with 286 mm over about 19 days (WMO climate normals). We’d put viewpoints and walks first thing in the day and leave a spare half-day in the hills.
Trains to Ella in November 2026
When we checked on 19 October 2026, no one train covered Kandy to Ella, and we found nothing to suggest the gaps had been closed. Colombo trains returned to Peradeniya and Gampola in early October but stopped short of Kandy, because the Mahaweli bridge beyond Peradeniya was unfinished (Sunday Times). On 2 October the Colombo Times said work was still going on along two stretches: Gampola to Nawalapitiya, and Hatton up to Nanu Oya (Colombo Times). However, the Nanu Oya to Badulla stretch, which includes Ella, reopened to passengers on 20 June 2026 (Sunday Times).
None of the dates floated so far covers November. News 1st reported on 1 October that Sri Lanka Railways was planning a January restart for Colombo to Kandy services (Newsfirst). The railway’s chief engineer, speaking in May, hoped for the whole line to Badulla by mid-2027 (Newsfirst). So plan the hills by road, and read our Kandy to Ella train guide for the section that reopened in June. Sri Lanka Railways has the latest notices.
The Cultural Triangle: its wettest month
Anuradhapura averages 281 mm over about 17 rain days in November, with highs near 31°C (WMO climate normals). Sigiriya, a 5th-century royal rock fortress, is on UNESCO’s World Heritage list (Wikipedia). Love Sri Lanka ties the elephant gathering to the dry months from July to October, peaking in August and September, so don’t plan November around it (Love Sri Lanka). If the ancient cities are your reason to come, we’d still go, but with two nights and early starts.
The east coast and Arugam Bay: season over
Trincomalee averages 376 mm in November, and Pottuvil, 4 km from most guesthouses in Arugam Bay, 308 mm. November is the wettest month at both (WMO climate normals). Arugam Bay surfs from April to October by Wikivoyage’s reckoning. The wet months stop surfable waves forming, so from November to March most of its hotels and restaurants shut (Wikivoyage). For the months when it’s worth the drive, see our Arugam Bay guide.
A 10-day Sri Lanka itinerary for November
This route starts in the hills and finishes on the south coast: of the five stations in our table, Galle’s rainfall drops most by December. It leaves out the east coast and the Cultural Triangle, both at their wettest. We ran each road leg through the OpenStreetMap route planner, which assumes clear roads, so every range below starts above its time.
| Nights | Base | Getting there | Plans |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 and 2 | Kandy | Airport to Kandy: 2.5 to 3.5 hours (route) | Temple of the Tooth, Peradeniya |
| 3 | Nuwara Eliya | 2.5 to 3 hours (route) | Tea estates |
| 4 and 5 | Ella | 2 to 3 hours (route) | Morning walks |
| 6 | Udawalawe | 2.5 to 3 hours (route) | Jeep safari at dawn |
| 7 to 9 | Weligama | 2 to 2.5 hours, after the safari (route) | Galle Fort, beach, whales |
| Day 10 | Airport | 2.5 to 3 hours (route) | Flight home |
That is nine nights and about 14 to 18 hours on the road, not counting a day trip to Galle. Udawalawe comes before the coast because, in our view, a dawn drive is easier from a night beside the park. Wikipedia says a herd of about 250 elephants is thought to live there all year (Wikipedia).
Three ways to change it:
- Add Sigiriya. Spend nights 1 and 2 there (the airport drive is 3.5 to 4 hours, route), then one night in Kandy, 2.5 to 3 hours on (route). Take the extra night from Weligama.
- Ride part of the way. If Nanu Oya to Ella trains are running on your day, skip the drive from Nuwara Eliya and catch the train at Nanu Oya, which Wikipedia lists among Nuwara Eliya District’s stations (Wikipedia).
- Cut it to a week. Our 7-day Sri Lanka itinerary fits Sigiriya (two nights), Kandy (one), Ella (two) and a last night near Galle, stopping at Udawalawe for elephants on the coast-bound day.
For other dates or interests, our Sri Lanka itinerary planner works through nights, regions and drive times.
What’s on in November 2026
Deepavali and Il Poya
The Central Bank’s 2026 list gives Deepawali Festival Day as Sunday 8 November and Il Full Moon Poya Day as Tuesday 24 November, both public and bank holidays (Central Bank of Sri Lanka). Ada Derana’s report of the government’s 2026 calendar shows the same dates (Ada Derana). In 2027, Deepavali falls on Thursday 28 October and Il Poya on Saturday 13 November (Central Bank of Sri Lanka).
Il Poya is also a dry day, with alcohol sales banned across the island, on the 2026 list the Excise Department published in February. The hotel-guest exemption announced with that list covers only the Sinhala and Tamil New Year holidays and Christmas Day (Daily Mirror).
Whales off Mirissa
On Love Sri Lanka’s whale-watching page, the season runs from November to April. The same page names Mirissa’s best months twice, once as December to April and once as November to April, and warns that a sighting can’t be guaranteed (Love Sri Lanka). Boat operators, rules and timings are the subject of our whale-watching guide for Mirissa.
Yala and Udawalawe in November
From 14 September 2026, severe dry weather kept visitors out of Yala’s Blocks 1 and 2. On 13 October Newswire reported that the Department of Wildlife Conservation had announced a reopening for 16 October (Newswire). Lodges and campsites could be reserved from 1 November, Ada Derana said (Ada Derana). We searched again on 19 October and found nothing confirming that the park had reopened, so ask before booking.
November isn’t among either park’s best months on Love Sri Lanka. It rates Yala best from February to July (Love Sri Lanka) and Udawalawe from May or June until October (Love Sri Lanka). Ada Derana, reporting the closure, said Yala’s busiest visitor months usually run from August to March (Ada Derana). The Hambantota station also has its wettest month in November (WMO climate normals). For park fees, rules and which animal suits which park, see our Sri Lanka safari guide.
How busy is Sri Lanka in November?
Busier than October, quieter than the peak. SLTDA, the tourism authority, counted 212,906 arrivals in November 2025, against 165,193 in October. That made November the fifth-busiest month of 2025, behind December, January, February and March (SLTDA). These are national totals, not a guide to how full any one town or hotel will be.
Planning for rain
The National Building Research Institute, which was the NBRO until a 2025 Act, posts landslide early warnings on its website, naming the districts they cover. In its account of Cyclone Ditwah, it says its first yellow warning went out on 17 November 2025, amber on 21 November and red on 26 November (NBRI). Sri Lanka Tourism’s weather page also asks visitors to check the Disaster Management Centre’s alerts before travelling (Sri Lanka Tourism).
Before you land, you need an Electronic Travel Authorization (ETA), whatever your passport. The 40 countries whose citizens have had it free since 25 May 2026 include Australia, the United Kingdom and the United States; it covers 30 days and allows two entries (official ETA site).
Pack a rain jacket, plus a warm layer for Nuwara Eliya’s nights of about 12°C (WMO climate normals). At Buddhist temples, GOV.UK asks visitors to cover legs and shoulders and take off shoes and hats, and it says not to pose for photos standing before a statue of Buddha (GOV.UK).
Questions about Sri Lanka in November
Is November a good time to visit Sri Lanka?
It’s workable if you accept rain. November is the wettest or second-wettest month at 18 of the 20 Sri Lankan stations in the WMO normals (WMO climate normals). Galle, Kandy and Nuwara Eliya are easing off from October, so the south-west coast and the hills around Kandy make the better base. Skip the east coast.
Is early or late November better?
Several of the travel guides we read say the south-west improves towards the end of the month. Monthly normals can’t show that. What they do show is that Galle’s average falls by more than a third between November (283 mm) and December (176 mm) (WMO climate normals). In our view, end the trip on the coast rather than start it there.
Where is the weather best in Sri Lanka in November?
No region is dry. Among the five stations in our table, Nuwara Eliya gets the least rain at 226 mm, and Galle has the fewest rain days at about 15 (WMO climate normals).
Can you take the train from Kandy to Ella in November 2026?
Not as one journey, as far as we could find on 19 October 2026. The Ella end of the line, from Nanu Oya to Badulla, reopened on 20 June 2026 (Sunday Times), and the Colombo Times described it as running normally on 2 October (Colombo Times). Look at Sri Lanka Railways notices before you go.
Plan your November trip
Weligama is where we plan our private car with driver trips. That page sets out one car and one driver for the whole trip, from Bandaranaike arrivals to check-in for your flight home. The plan is made before you fly and can be reworked once you’re here, with about ten hours’ rest for the driver between days on the road. Message us your November dates from that page, and we’ll shape the route around the rain.
Sources on this page were read on 19 October 2026. A thirty-year average is not a forecast for your week, and train, park and holiday notices move, so check them again just before you travel.
