Sri Lanka
Colombo in March
🌦️ Shoulder (showers)Hot, humid and some showers. Watch for hazy air.
🎒 Pack: light, breathable clothes & sunscreen · compact umbrella or rain jacket · quick-dry fabrics · N95 mask for hazy days
Why March scores 7.5What goes into the score
How it works- Weather comfort7.2
- ✓Hot (32°C highs / 25°C lows)
- !Very humid/sticky (dew point 22.9°C)
- !Wet: ~103 mm rain, ~3 heavy-rain days
- Air quality5.5
- !Elevated (PM2.5 ~36 µg/m³)
- Seasonal hazards10.0
- ·No notable seasonal hazards
- Safety baseline7.5
- ·Increased caution
| Mar | Jan | |
|---|---|---|
| Score | 7.5 Very good | 8.0 Very good |
| Season | 🌦️ Shoulder (showers) | 🌦️ Shoulder (showers) |
| High / low | 32° / 25° | 31° / 23° |
| Rain | 103 mm | 80 mm |
| Humidity | dew pt 23° | dew pt 22° |
| PM2.5 | 36 µg/m³ | 26 µg/m³ |
Typical-month data: NASA POWER (MERRA-2 reanalysis) 2015–2024 (modelled, not a forecast). Temperatures: Colombo weather-station normals. Rainfall: Colombo weather-station normals (national met service).
Holidays & crowdsMarch 2027
No long holidaysNo long public-holiday weekends this month. School holidays aren't counted, so check those if you want to avoid family crowds.
No national public holidays in Sri Lanka this month.
National holidays only; regional holidays and school breaks aren't included. Source: holidays (open-source public-holiday calendar).
Explore ColomboEvents, sights, food & souvenirs
Check event dates locallySri Lanka's largest city and commercial capital, a busy port with colonial buildings, temples, markets and a seafront promenade.
No major events on our calendar for March.
Coming up later
Sinhala and Tamil New YearDate variesUsually 13–14 April
The traditional New Year with family rituals and festive food.
Why go: Many shops close for several days.
Where: Nationwide
VesakDate variesFull moon in May, date moves each year
The Buddhist festival with lanterns, decorations and free food stalls (dansal).
Why go: Evenings are the best time to see the lanterns.
Where: Citywide
Navam PeraheraDate variesFull moon in February, usually
A procession of elephants, dancers and drummers.
Why go: Streets around Beira Lake fill up.
Where: Gangaramaya Temple area
Gangaramaya Temple
A Buddhist temple complex with an eclectic museum collection.
Seema Malaka
A small temple on a lake, designed by Geoffrey Bawa.
Galle Face Green
An oceanfront promenade popular in the evening with food stalls.
Pettah
A busy market district with the red-and-white Jami Ul-Alfar Mosque.
National Museum of Colombo
Sri Lanka's largest museum of history and art.
Independence Memorial Hall
A monument in Independence Square commemorating independence.
Hoppers (appa)
Bowl-shaped rice-flour pancakes, often with an egg cooked inside.
Kottu roti
Chopped flatbread stir-fried with vegetables, egg or meat on a hot griddle.
Rice and curry
Rice with several curries, sambols and papadum.
Lamprais
Rice and curries baked in a banana leaf, from the Dutch Burgher community.
Isso vadai
Prawn-topped lentil fritters.
💡 Galle Face Green food stalls
Ceylon tea
Tea from Sri Lanka's highlands.
💡 Tea shops and supermarkets
Spices
Cinnamon, cardamom and curry powders.
💡 Pettah markets and supermarkets
Batik and handloom
Hand-dyed batik and woven textiles.
💡 Craft shops