Visit Yala National Park
Yala National Park is one of the most popular tourist destinations in Sri Lanka. It attracts wildlife enthusiasts and photographers. The national park is a hotspot for spotting Sri Lankan leopards. Apart from leopards, the park is also a well-known habitat for animals like sloth bears, elephants, crocodiles, monkeys and deer. The park also conducts jeep safaris that will take you deep inside forested land. Witness as the fauna hides from the rain or dances in the glory of the downpour. The safaris take place twice a day, early in the morning and afternoon.
A Temple Visit to the Sacred Tooth Relic
Temple of the Tooth is a Buddhist temple that is known to preserve the relic of the tooth of Lord Buddha. It hosts the popular Vesak festival every May. The best day to visit the temple is on a Wednesday when the relic is worshipped with a symbolic bath. It was declared a world heritage site by UNESCO in 1988. The inside of the temple is carved with gold, silver, ivory and bronze, enhancing its appeal. During monsoon, the temple gets more charming as the encompassing greenery turns a dark emerald and the mystic ambience becomes more magical.
Celebrate Festivals in July
As Sri Lanka gets refreshed from the downpour, a celebratory environment sets in. The month of July witnesses three major festivals across the country - Vel Festival, Kataragama Esala Festival and Kandy Esala Poya Perahera. The Vel Festival commemorates the war god ‘Skandha’. Kataragama Esala Festival creates a religious fervour where everyone indulges in piercing others. The Buddhist festival Kandy Esala Poya Perahera is dedicated to the sacred tooth relic.
Kaudulla National Park
Kaudulla National Park is heaven for nature and wildlife lovers. The park has a reservoir that attracts elephants and is a popular sighting area among tourists. It is home to hundreds of elephants, crocodiles, monkeys and leopards. In the rainy season, as the downpour washes the grasslands, the animals come out to taste the fresh water. And if you are lucky enough, you can also spot a peacock dancing in the rain!
A Trip to the Beaches
For every thalassophile, Sri Lankan beaches are the perfect landmarks to visit during the monsoon season. Sri Lanka is home to a number of prominent beaches like Weligama, Kokkilai Lagoon, Nilavel, Hikkaduwa and Unawatuna. You can relax at one of the shacks as you enjoy the blissful downpour that showers on the beaches. When the climate conditions are less severe, you can also experiment with water sports activities like snorkelling, boat tours, swimming, fishing, kayaking and more.
