Public holidays
Sri Lanka: 25 public holiday dates in 2026 (25 days off) and 0 in 2027 (0 days off), with 245 working days in 2026 and 261 in 2027. National holidays only: regional ones are not included.
| Date | ISO week | Holiday | Day off |
|---|---|---|---|
| Saturday 3 January 2026 | 2026-W01 | Duruthu Full Moon Poya Day | Yes |
| Thursday 15 January 2026 | 2026-W03 | Tamil Thai Pongal Day | Yes |
| Sunday 1 February 2026 | 2026-W05 | Nawam Full Moon Poya Day | Yes |
| Wednesday 4 February 2026 | 2026-W06 | Independence Day | Yes |
| Sunday 15 February 2026 | 2026-W07 | Maha Sivarathri Day | Yes |
| Monday 2 March 2026 | 2026-W10 | Medin Full Moon Poya Day | Yes |
| Saturday 21 March 2026 | 2026-W12 | Eid al-Fitr | Yes |
| Wednesday 1 April 2026 | 2026-W14 | Bak Full Moon Poya Day | Yes |
| Friday 3 April 2026 | 2026-W14 | Good Friday | Yes |
| Monday 13 April 2026 | 2026-W16 | Day Before Sinhala and Tamil New Year | Yes |
| Tuesday 14 April 2026 | 2026-W16 | Sinhala and Tamil New Year | Yes |
| Friday 1 May 2026 | 2026-W18 | International Workers' Day | Yes |
| Saturday 2 May 2026 | 2026-W18 | Day Following Vesak Full Moon Poya Day | Yes |
| Thursday 28 May 2026 | 2026-W22 | Eid al-Adha | Yes |
| Saturday 30 May 2026 | 2026-W22 | Adhi Poson Full Moon Poya Day | Yes |
| Monday 29 June 2026 | 2026-W27 | Poson Full Moon Poya Day | Yes |
| Wednesday 29 July 2026 | 2026-W31 | Esala Full Moon Poya Day | Yes |
| Wednesday 26 August 2026 | 2026-W35 | Prophet's Birthday | Yes |
| Thursday 27 August 2026 | 2026-W35 | Nikini Full Moon Poya Day | Yes |
| Saturday 26 September 2026 | 2026-W39 | Binara Full Moon Poya Day | Yes |
| Sunday 25 October 2026 | 2026-W43 | Vap Full Moon Poya Day | Yes |
| Sunday 8 November 2026 | 2026-W45 | Diwali | Yes |
| Tuesday 24 November 2026 | 2026-W48 | Il Full Moon Poya Day | Yes |
| Wednesday 23 December 2026 | 2026-W52 | Unduvap Full Moon Poya Day | Yes |
| Friday 25 December 2026 | 2026-W52 | Christmas Day | Yes |
| Date | ISO week | Holiday | Day off |
|---|
| Month | 2026 | 2027 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| January | 21 | 21 | 0 |
| February | 19 | 20 | +1 |
| March | 21 | 23 | +2 |
| April | 18 | 22 | +4 |
| May | 19 | 21 | +2 |
| June | 21 | 22 | +1 |
| July | 22 | 22 | 0 |
| August | 19 | 22 | +3 |
| September | 22 | 22 | 0 |
| October | 22 | 21 | −1 |
| November | 20 | 22 | +2 |
| December | 21 | 23 | +2 |
| Q1 | 61 | 64 | +3 |
| Q2 | 58 | 65 | +7 |
| Q3 | 63 | 66 | +3 |
| Q4 | 63 | 66 | +3 |
| Year | 245 | 261 | +16 |
Weekdays by the local weekend (Sunday and Saturday), minus the public holidays most people have off.
Poya is the monthly Buddhist holiday of Uposatha, held on every full moon, and in Sri Lanka it is a civil and bank holiday. A practising Buddhist visits a temple for religious observances. There are 13 or 14 Poyas a year, and each has its own name; when a month has two, the second is called Adhi ("extra").
At work: Welcome to mention. A civil and bank holiday, so banks and offices are closed.
Thai Pongal is observed on the first day of the Tamil month of Thai and usually falls on 14 or 15 January. It is the main day of Pongal, a multi-day Hindu harvest festival celebrated by Tamils over three or four consecutive days.
At work: Welcome to mention, especially among Tamils. A day off.
Poya is the monthly Buddhist holiday of Uposatha, held on every full moon, and in Sri Lanka it is a civil and bank holiday. A practising Buddhist visits a temple for religious observances. There are 13 or 14 Poyas a year, and each has its own name; when a month has two, the second is called Adhi ("extra").
At work: Welcome to mention. A civil and bank holiday, so banks and offices are closed.
Marks 4 February 1948, when Sri Lanka (then Ceylon) became independent from the United Kingdom.
At work: Very welcome to mention. A day off.
Maha Shivaratri is a Hindu festival celebrated annually, between February and March, to worship the deity Shiva.
At work: Welcome to mention among Hindus. A day off.
Poya is the monthly Buddhist holiday of Uposatha, held on every full moon, and in Sri Lanka it is a civil and bank holiday. A practising Buddhist visits a temple for religious observances. There are 13 or 14 Poyas a year, and each has its own name; when a month has two, the second is called Adhi ("extra").
At work: Welcome to mention. A civil and bank holiday, so banks and offices are closed.
Eid al-Fitr, the "festival of breaking the fast", is the first of the two main festivals in Islam. It falls on the first day of Shawwal, the tenth month of the Islamic calendar, and marks the end of the month-long, dawn-to-dusk fasting of Ramadan. It begins with a communal prayer and is followed by visits to relatives, giving gifts and sharing meals.
At work: Very welcome to mention. Its date follows the lunar calendar and shifts every year, so keep plans flexible. During Ramadan itself, colleagues who fast may prefer meetings earlier in the day and not over lunch.
Poya is the monthly Buddhist holiday of Uposatha, held on every full moon, and in Sri Lanka it is a civil and bank holiday. A practising Buddhist visits a temple for religious observances. There are 13 or 14 Poyas a year, and each has its own name; when a month has two, the second is called Adhi ("extra").
At work: Welcome to mention. A civil and bank holiday, so banks and offices are closed.
A solemn Christian holy day commemorating the crucifixion and death of Jesus, observed during Holy Week as part of the Paschal Triduum. It falls on the Friday immediately before Easter Sunday.
At work: Fine to mention the long weekend. It is a sombre day for those who observe it, so avoid "Happy Good Friday". Its date moves every year with Easter, so check the calendar when planning spring deadlines.
A holiday on the day before the Sinhala and Tamil New Year, which is generally celebrated on 13 or 14 April.
At work: Welcome to mention. A day off.
The Sinhala New Year, Aluth Awurudda, celebrates the traditional New Year of the Sinhalese people. It is generally celebrated on 13 or 14 April and marked by two official public holidays.
At work: Very welcome to mention. Expect a long break and quiet offices.
International Workers' Day, on 1 May, honours workers and the labour movement. The date was chosen to commemorate the 1886 general strike in the United States that culminated in the Haymarket affair, and the day was adopted in support of a "great international demonstration" for the eight-hour day.
At work: Fine to mention the day off. In some countries it has a political side, so keep it about the break.
Vesak, also known as Buddha Day, is one of the most important Buddhist festivals. It commemorates the birth, enlightenment and death (Parinirvana) of Gautama Buddha. In Sri Lanka it is the Vesak Poya, and the day after is a holiday too.
At work: Very welcome to mention. Expect a two-day break.
Eid al-Adha, the "festival of the sacrifice", is the second of the two main festivals in Islam. It falls on the 10th of Dhu al-Hijja, the last month of the Islamic calendar. It honours the willingness of Ibrahim (Abraham) to sacrifice his son at God's command. The Eid prayer is held in the morning, followed by the ritual sacrifice of a livestock animal, and celebrations carry on for the three following days.
At work: Very welcome to mention. As with Eid al-Fitr, the date follows the lunar calendar, so keep plans flexible.
Poya is the monthly Buddhist holiday of Uposatha, held on every full moon, and in Sri Lanka it is a civil and bank holiday. A practising Buddhist visits a temple for religious observances. There are 13 or 14 Poyas a year, and each has its own name; when a month has two, the second is called Adhi ("extra").
At work: Welcome to mention. A civil and bank holiday, so banks and offices are closed.
Poson celebrates the arrival of Buddhism in Sri Lanka in the 3rd century BC. It is the most important Poya holiday of the year and the second most important Buddhist holiday, after Vesak. It is celebrated throughout the island, with the main ceremonies in Anuradhapura and Mihintale.
At work: Very welcome to mention. A day off.
Poya is the monthly Buddhist holiday of Uposatha, held on every full moon, and in Sri Lanka it is a civil and bank holiday. A practising Buddhist visits a temple for religious observances. There are 13 or 14 Poyas a year, and each has its own name; when a month has two, the second is called Adhi ("extra").
At work: Welcome to mention. A civil and bank holiday, so banks and offices are closed.
Mawlid is an annual festival commemorating the birthday of the Prophet Muhammad, on 12 Rabi' al-awwal, the third month of the Islamic calendar. It was first publicly celebrated by Gökböri, a deputy of Saladin, and the Ottomans declared it an official holiday. Celebrants recite religious poetry in praise of Muhammad.
At work: Respectful to mention. Not every colleague marks it in the same way.
Poya is the monthly Buddhist holiday of Uposatha, held on every full moon, and in Sri Lanka it is a civil and bank holiday. A practising Buddhist visits a temple for religious observances. There are 13 or 14 Poyas a year, and each has its own name; when a month has two, the second is called Adhi ("extra").
At work: Welcome to mention. A civil and bank holiday, so banks and offices are closed.
Poya is the monthly Buddhist holiday of Uposatha, held on every full moon, and in Sri Lanka it is a civil and bank holiday. A practising Buddhist visits a temple for religious observances. There are 13 or 14 Poyas a year, and each has its own name; when a month has two, the second is called Adhi ("extra").
At work: Welcome to mention. A civil and bank holiday, so banks and offices are closed.
Poya is the monthly Buddhist holiday of Uposatha, held on every full moon, and in Sri Lanka it is a civil and bank holiday. A practising Buddhist visits a temple for religious observances. There are 13 or 14 Poyas a year, and each has its own name; when a month has two, the second is called Adhi ("extra").
At work: Welcome to mention. A civil and bank holiday, so banks and offices are closed.
Diwali is the Hindu festival of lights, with variations celebrated by Jains and Sikhs. It symbolises the victory of light over darkness and good over evil. Celebrants light their homes, temples and workplaces with oil lamps, candles and lanterns, and the festival is marked with fireworks. It is connected to Rama's return to his kingdom after defeating the demon king Ravana, and to Lakshmi, the goddess of prosperity.
At work: Very welcome to mention, especially among Hindus. The celebrations generally last five or six days, so some colleagues may be away.
Poya is the monthly Buddhist holiday of Uposatha, held on every full moon, and in Sri Lanka it is a civil and bank holiday. A practising Buddhist visits a temple for religious observances. There are 13 or 14 Poyas a year, and each has its own name; when a month has two, the second is called Adhi ("extra").
At work: Welcome to mention. A civil and bank holiday, so banks and offices are closed.
Poya is the monthly Buddhist holiday of Uposatha, held on every full moon, and in Sri Lanka it is a civil and bank holiday. A practising Buddhist visits a temple for religious observances. There are 13 or 14 Poyas a year, and each has its own name; when a month has two, the second is called Adhi ("extra").
At work: Welcome to mention. A civil and bank holiday, so banks and offices are closed.
Christmas is an annual festival commemorating the birth of Jesus Christ, observed primarily on 25 December. Eastern Christian Churches that follow the older Julian calendar celebrate it on 25 December of that calendar, which currently corresponds to 7 January. It is a public holiday in many countries, and many non-Christians celebrate it culturally too.
At work: Widely welcome to mention. Plan important meetings before the break. If you're unsure whether someone celebrates it, "Happy holidays" is a safe choice.
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