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Use our Travel forum for recommendations on everything from day trips to the best family-friendly holiday destinations.

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Original poster

sri lanka - best time to go

19 replies

oxocube · 04/06/2006 07:51

Every website I check or book I read gives different information re the monsoon season. It would be great if we could go last couple of weeks in August but would October be better (means taking kids out of school)? Also, to any mumsnetters who have been to 'tropical countries', is going in monsoon season so bad after all? Does it rain constantly or it is just several downpours each day? Thnx everyone.

OP posts:

lapsedrunner · 04/06/2006 19:23

I'll bump this for you as I am also interested

PanicPants · 04/06/2006 19:35

I went to SriLanka in August a few years ago and it was supposed to be at the tail end of the monsoon season.

Yes I'm afraid it did rain, nearly every day but the showers were short lived (although very, very heavy) then the sun would come out again and you'd carry on sunbathing. It was always hot, whether it rained, was cloudy or sunny, so the temperature wasn't affected by the rain.

We used to jump in the pool when it rained!

One day we decided to go for a long walk down the beach (about 2 miles and utterly deserted) when we set off it was bright blue sky, and after we'd walked a couple of miles the sky clouded over suddenly and the skys opened. We were in our swimming costumes and ran all the way back being pelted with rain, the wind was blowing a gale and driving the sand staight at us. For a few moments I didn't think we'd make it back (Yes I know very melodramatic!!)

But other than that we had a fantastic holiday and I'd really go back again, even in August.

I think the best time to go is around November.

Where are you going? We stayed at the Tritan Hotel at Ahungella. I'm not sure but I think all that side was destroyed by the tsunami, but I guess they will have repaired and rebuilt things by now.

TheDullWitch · 04/06/2006 20:05

December to April is best. Cooler, less humid and not so rainy. Sri Lanka has two monsoons a year, so this is optimal slot to avoid both. Been 3 times, my favourite coutnry.

WestCountryLass · 04/06/2006 21:36

Oooo, PanicPants, we got married at the Triton - it was wonderful! We went at the end of October and the weather was fab and we had some magnificent lightening shows in the evenings but with no rain.

Original poster

oxocube · 05/06/2006 07:28

Sounds very dramatic Panicpants! Thanks for the information. We haven't planned all the details yet but basically want to do a tour of the South of the island, staying about 3 weeks in total with a mixture of cultural stuff, Kandy and elephant orphanage, tea plantations and a fair amount of beach relaxation. We are looking at a couple of specialist tour operators who tailor the holiday to your interests and organise car and driver as well as pre-booking hotels etc. Last couple of weeks in August is because of kids and school and also would be difficult to do later in year. Having a lovely time planning and researching this!!

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WestCountryLass · 05/06/2006 08:33

Would deffo advise, arriving in Colombo, staying in that area to do tours you want to do and then moving to beach hotel for the duration. It is quite a drive backwards and forwards due to condition of roads etc.

We went to our beach hotel and then did tours etc and then went back to beach hotel and it was a bit of a faff.

Soooooo jealous! Really fantastic country, lovely people, you will have a ball! We are hoping to go back when our youngest is 5 but as we are TTC at the mo this is a long way off :(

Original poster

oxocube · 05/06/2006 18:04

just read foreign office advice that travel to Sri Lanka is advised 'only if essential'. Am rather of the opinion that this is a knee jerk reaction to the recent Tamil troubles (travel to Thailand is also not advised apparently, for different reasons) but friends have suggested we are being irresponsible to plan a family holiday there at this time. What do others think? We are planning to get in touch with a friend of a friend who has family in Sri Lanka and travels there frequently to get a more local opinion, before we book. I have set my heart on this holiday

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CountessDracula · 05/06/2006 18:06

oxocube we went at a time when it was advised against. There was a bomb while we were there and more worryingly a massacre in the next village to where we were staying one night, but we came out unscathed! I guess you have to think about the reality of it, how would you feel if it all started kicking off when you were there. We went before dd so it was only us to worry about

nothercules · 05/06/2006 18:06

They have a civil war there at the moment. The ceasefire is in name only.

CountessDracula · 05/06/2006 18:06

oh also the reason you get conflicting advice re best time to go is that the east and the west have different monsoon times.

nothercules · 05/06/2006 18:06

REally dont go.

bushytail · 05/06/2006 18:08

Dh has just won a holiday for 2 in Sri Lanka later this year and we are keen to go, but not keen to die :). Will be leaving ds with his grandparents. Looking at the Foreign Office site, we felt that the south west of the island (near Colombo) where our holiday is would be OK as the area they are warning about is the north east (where the terrorists are). However I'm not an expert - all I know is from the FO website - so very interested to hear what others have to say! :)

CountessDracula · 05/06/2006 18:10

yes true but there was a bomb near colombo and a massacre in the south when we were there so it is not confined to these areas. Obv you would not go on day trips to Trinco or Jaffna!

nothercules · 05/06/2006 18:11

or where the Tamil people are being killed...

nothercules · 05/06/2006 18:11

There are also bombs in Colombo.

PanicPants · 05/06/2006 18:35

Ooo westcountrylass I got married at the Triton too. I loved it, the best holiday I've ever had. We toured too, we went to the elephant orphanage, the tea plantations and spent a few nights in Kandy.
When did you get married there? We were in 1999. Everyone is so friendly and it's so cheap.
Was the Elephant still there? Was she called Baby Nona? (or maybe Nola?- can't remember!)

We also went to the sirigiria (sp) the huge rock fortress place which was amazing, even more so because all the other tourists were other Sri lankens and Indians!

However, a few weeks after we got back, there was an attack on the airport with a couple of planes being blown up - quite scary when when you think about it. So I don't know if I'd go at the moment - although I always understood that the trouble with the Tamils was mainly in the North west of the Island while most of the resorts are in the south west.

WestCountryLass · 05/06/2006 21:07

Panicpants, yes, deffo the best holiday we have ever had too :) Did you take family with you? We just went on our own and became friendly with another British couple who were on honeymoon and they were our witnesses. It was a really lovely resort, stunning, did you get married in the grounds by the big lily pond or on the beach?

Yes, the elephant was still there, she was gorgeous, Did you ride her in your wedding dress?

We only did the tea plantations, the elephants and a water safari because when we arrived I had a chest infection and was on antibiotics and feeling really poorly and I wanted to rest before the big day as was really rough.

Really nice to find another Triton wedding bride :o

PanicPants · 05/06/2006 21:14

We went on our own too, and the other guests we got friendly with were our witnesses and we were theirs!

Don't suppose your a teacher are you? I am and nearly everyone there was as well!

Yes I did ride the elephant in my wedding dress, and then a few days later we rode down the beach on her and bathed her in the river. It was lovely.

But incidently I'm now divorced!! But still on good terms (at least now we are) with ex dh, and he's bought a house up the road!

WestCountryLass · 05/06/2006 21:40

No, not a teacher, and I forgot to say we tied the knot in 2000.

Lucky you. getting to bathe the ele :) Won't mention the divorce...

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