Public Holidays in Sri Lanka
Statutory public holidays in Sri Lanka, with the dates that give people the day off, how the calendar is set, and what it means for travel, cities and culture.
Sri Lanka at a glance
Sri Lanka has one of the world’s most generous holiday calendars, with full-moon Poya days each month plus Buddhist, Hindu, Muslim and Christian festivals. Many Poya days are also public holidays.
The Sinhala and Tamil new year in mid-April is the biggest celebration, and the lunar-based Poya dates shift each Gregorian year.
Sri Lanka public holidays 2025
Sri Lanka has 12 public holidays in 2025 – the statutory days off. The table below lists those public holidays; observances and other non-statutory dates are not part of the total.
| Holiday | Date | Type |
|---|---|---|
| Tamil Thai Pongal Day | Jan 14Tue | National |
| Independence Day | Feb 4Tue | National |
| Maha Sivarathri Day | Feb 26Wed | National |
| Eid al-Fitr | Mar 31Mon | National |
| Day Before Sinhala and Tamil New Year | Apr 13Sun | National |
| Sinhala and Tamil New Year | Apr 14Mon | National |
| Good Friday | Apr 18Fri | National |
| International Workers' Day | May 1Thu | National |
| Eid al-Adha | Jun 7Sat | National |
| Prophet's Birthday | Sep 5Fri | National |
| Diwali | Oct 20Mon | National |
| Christmas Day | Dec 25Thu | National |
Showing 12 of 12 public holidays for 2025.
Major cities in Sri Lanka
The urban centres that anchor most trips to Sri Lanka.
Colombo
A coastal city of colonial districts, markets and a reclaimed waterfront.
Kandy
A lakeside city holding the Temple of the Tooth and the last royal capital.
Galle
A Dutch colonial fort town on the southwest coast, with galleries and cafes.
Jaffna
A Tamil cultural centre with a fort, temples and a distinctive cuisine.
Nuwara Eliya
A cool tea country town of colonial bungalows and rose gardens.
Ella
A small village of tea slopes, waterfalls and the famous Nine Arch Bridge.
Top attractions in Sri Lanka
The places that draw most visitors to Sri Lanka.
Sigiriya
A 200-metre rock fortress with frescoes and lion-gate stairways.
Temple of the Tooth
Kandy's temple, said to house a relic of the Buddha's tooth.
Galle Fort
A 17th-century Dutch sea fort with a lived-in grid of streets inside.
Dambulla Cave Temple
Five cave shrines holding 150 Buddha images and painted ceilings.
Nine Arch Bridge
A stone railway viaduct arching through tea plantations and cloud forest.
Yala National Park
A dry-zone park with one of the highest leopard densities in the world.
Festivals, food and getting around Sri Lanka
What the calendar looks like on the ground, and how to move through the country around it.
Festivals behind the holidays
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🎉
Duruthu Full Moon Poya Day
Falls on Jan 13
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Tamil Thai Pongal Day
Falls on Jan 14
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National Day
Falls on Feb 4
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🎉
Navam Full Moon Poya Day
Falls on Feb 12
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🎉
Valentine's Day
Falls on Feb 14
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Mahasivarathri Day
Falls on Feb 26
Food & drink
Getting around
Trains are slow but spectacular, especially the hill country line; tuk-tuks handle almost every short journey.
Travelling around Sri Lanka’s holidays
What the dates mean once you are there.
Book around the peaks
Transport and hotels in Sri Lanka tighten around major holidays; reserve early for the busiest weeks.
Check opening hours
Museums, banks and government offices usually close on statutory holidays, and often on the nearest Monday.
Carry local currency
Small vendors and rural businesses frequently take cash only, especially on holidays when banks are shut.
Expect crowded transport
Long weekends produce the year's heaviest road, rail and air traffic. Build in extra travel time.
Confirm the official list
Sri Lanka's holiday dates are confirmed by government announcement; check the year page for the final arrangement.
Plan the long weekends
Pairing a holiday with adjacent weekends gives the longest breaks of the year — and the busiest.
Sri Lanka public holidays: common questions
How many public holidays does Sri Lanka have?
Sri Lanka has 12 public holidays in 2025, counting every date typed National, Substitute or Bank in our calendar. Observances, religious dates and regional holidays are listed separately and left out of the total, because they are not days off across the whole country.
Where can I find the full 2025 list?
The complete 2025 calendar for Sri Lanka is on the year page, with every recorded date in order.
Are Sri Lanka's public holidays paid?
Statutory national holidays are generally paid leave for employees. Observances and commemorative days are usually not.
Do holidays move if they fall on a weekend?
Where a holiday falls on a weekend, Sri Lanka typically observes it on the nearest weekday. Check the year page for the confirmed arrangement.
Are there regional holidays in Sri Lanka?
Some holidays are observed only in certain regions or by certain communities. The year page lists what applies nationally.
Which years are covered for Sri Lanka?
Calendars are published for 2025.
School holidays in Sri Lanka
School term dates in Sri Lanka
School calendar data last updated 10 Sep 2026. Dates come from education ministries and local education authorities; always re-check with the school before booking travel.