Polonnaruwa
Sri Lanka UNESCO World Heritage Site
Polonnaruwa is a human settlement and a UNESCO World Heritage Site in the North Central Province of Sri Lanka. It is one of the most looked-up sights in the country on English Wikipedia, ranking 7th, and is one of 23 sights in Sri Lanka featured on this site.
Planning a visit
The driest months to visit are June, July, and August, which see between 7 and 10 rainy days. The hottest months are May, June, August, and September, when daily highs reach 35 °C. The most rainfall occurs between October and December, with November being the wettest month with about 277 mm of rain and approximately 26 rainy days.
Polonnaruwa is located 166 km from Sri Jayawardenepura Kotte. The nearest airport is China Bay Airport in Trincomalee, which is 70 km away, while Bandaranaike International Colombo Airport is 149 km away. Travelers can also visit nearby sites such as Sigiriya, which is 26.6 km away, or the Dambulla cave temple, located 39.6 km away.
Weather by month
The warmest month is May, with an average high of 35 °C. The wettest is November, with about 277 mm of rain.
| Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average high, °C | 28 | 30 | 33 | 34 | 35 | 35 | 35 | 35 | 35 | 33 | 30 | 28 |
| Average low, °C | 21 | 21 | 22 | 24 | 26 | 26 | 26 | 25 | 25 | 24 | 23 | 22 |
| Rainfall, mm | 142 | 81 | 62 | 106 | 67 | 23 | 38 | 35 | 71 | 187 | 277 | 235 |
| Rainy days | 14 | 12 | 12 | 20 | 20 | 7 | 8 | 10 | 14 | 25 | 26 | 22 |
Temperatures and rainfall: 1981–2010 averages for this spot (4 km grid), from CHELSA. Rainy days: 2015–2024, NASA POWER.
