Sri Lanka is a year round destination with an abundance of sunshine all year round. The average temperature is around 27°C – 30°C in most parts of island. The temperature gradually drops as the land rises towards the hill country, with some parts of the highland as low as below 10°C at night. The island has two wet monsoon seasons: briefly between May and July in the south-west region and between December and January in the north-east. However, clear blue skies and bright sunny days are usual even during the wet season, when tropical showers and storms don’t last long. Sri Lanka is 51/2 hours ahead of GMT (Greenwich Mean Time), 2½ hours behind Singapore and 4½ hours behind Australia EST (Eastern Standard Time).