Sri Lanka
Kandy in December
🌧️ Rainy seasonPleasant, a little humid and often rainy.
🎒 Pack: compact umbrella or rain jacket
Why December scores 8.2What goes into the score
How it works- Weather comfort7.7
- ✓Comfortable temperatures (27°C highs / 18°C lows)
- !Humid (dew point 19°C)
- !Wet: ~196 mm rain, ~7 heavy-rain days
- Air quality8.6
- ✓Good (within WHO guideline) (PM2.5 ~14 µg/m³)
- Seasonal hazards9.5
- !Flood: ~7 heavy-rain days in an average December
- Safety baseline7.5
- ·Increased caution
| Dec | Jan | |
|---|---|---|
| Score | 8.2 Very good | 9.0 Excellent |
| Season | 🌧️ Rainy season | ☀️ Dry season |
| High / low | 27° / 18° | 27° / 18° |
| Rain | 196 mm | 79 mm |
| Humidity | dew pt 19° | dew pt 19° |
| PM2.5 | 14 µg/m³ | 11 µg/m³ |
Typical-month data: NASA POWER (MERRA-2 reanalysis) 2015–2024 (modelled, not a forecast). Temperatures: Kandy weather-station normals. Rainfall: Kandy weather-station normals (national met service).
Holidays & crowdsDecember 2026
Long weekendThere's at least one long weekend. Domestic travel picks up and popular spots get busier over those days.
- Christmas Day 25–27 Dec · 3 days off in a row
Other public holidays: Unduvap Full Moon Poya Day (23 Dec)
National holidays only; regional holidays and school breaks aren't included. Source: holidays (open-source public-holiday calendar).
Explore KandyEvents, sights, food & souvenirs
Check event dates locallySri Lanka's hill capital, set around a lake, visited for the Temple of the Tooth Relic, gardens and as a gateway to tea country.
No major events on our calendar for December.
Coming up later
Sinhala and Tamil New YearDate variesUsually 13-14 April
The traditional New Year, celebrated with family rituals and games.
Why go: Many shops and businesses close for several days.
Where: Nationwide
VesakDate variesUsually May, on the full moon
Buddhist festival marking the Buddha's birth, enlightenment and death, with lanterns and free food stalls.
Why go: Alcohol sales are restricted on Poya full-moon days.
Where: Across the city
Esala PeraheraDate variesUsually July or August, around the Esala full moon
A ten-night procession of elephants, dancers and drummers honouring the Tooth Relic.
Why go: Hotels book out and prices rise; reserved seats along the route are sold in advance.
Where: Streets around the Temple of the Tooth
Temple of the Sacred Tooth Relic
Sri Lanka's most important Buddhist temple, housing a relic of the Buddha.
💡 Wear white or modest clothing covering shoulders and knees; remove shoes.
Kandy Lake
An artificial lake in the city centre with a walking path around it.
Royal Botanic Gardens, Peradeniya
Extensive gardens known for orchids and a giant Javan fig tree.
Kandyan dance performances
Evening cultural shows of traditional drumming and dance.
Bahiravokanda Vihara Buddha
A large white Buddha statue on a hill overlooking the city.
Rice and curry
Rice with several vegetable, lentil and meat or fish curries.
💡 Local restaurants across town
Hoppers (appa)
Bowl-shaped fermented rice-flour pancakes, sometimes with an egg.
💡 Street stalls and eateries, usually in the evening
Kottu roti
Chopped flatbread stir-fried with vegetables, egg or meat.
💡 Street stalls and casual eateries
Ceylon tea
Black tea from the surrounding hill country.
💡 Tea shops and tea factory visits
Kiribath
Coconut milk rice, often eaten with spicy lunu miris relish.
💡 Breakfast spots and festive occasions
Ceylon tea
Loose-leaf tea from nearby estates.
💡 Tea shops and factories
Spices
Cinnamon, cardamom and other spices.
💡 Spice gardens on the Matale road and city markets
Batik
Hand-dyed batik textiles and clothing.
💡 Craft shops
Kandyan brass and lacquer work
Traditional decorative crafts from the Kandy region.
💡 Craft shops and government handicraft outlets