Public Holidaysin SriLanka

Public Holidays

2009 2010
1 Jan New Year's Day. 1 Jan New Year's Day.
10 Jan Duruthu Full Moon Poya Day. Jan* Tamil Thai Pongal Day
14 Jan Tamil Thai Pongal Day. Jan* Duruthu Full Moon Poya Day.
4 Feb National Day. 4 Feb National Day.
9 Feb Navam Full Moon Poya Day. Feb* Navam Full Moon Poya Day
23 feb Maha Sivarathri Day. Feb/Mar* Maha Sivarathri Day.
9 Mar Milad un-Nabi (Birth of the Prophet). Mar* Medin Full Moon Poya Day.
10 Mar Medin Full Moon Poya Day. 26 Feb Milad un-Nabi (Birth of the Prophet)
9 Apr Bak Full Moon Poya Day 2 Apr Good Friday.
10 Apr Good Friday. Apr* Sinhala and Tamil New Year
13-14 Apr Sinhala and Tamil New Year. Apr* Bak Full Moon Poya Day.
1 May May Day. 28 Apr) Vesak (Buddha Day
8-9 May Vesak (Buddha Day). .1 May May Day
7 Jun Poson Full Moon Poya Day. Jun* Poson Full Moon Poya Day.
6 Jul Esala Full Moon Poya Day. Jul* Esala Full Moon Poya Day
5 Aug Nikini Full Moon Poya Day. Aug*. Nikini Full Moon Poya Day
4 Sep Binara Full Moon Poya Day. Sep* Binara Full Moon Poya Day.
21 Sep Eid al-Fitr (End of Ramadan). 11 Sep Eid al-Fitr (End of Ramadan).
3 Oct Vap Full Moon Poya Day Oct* Vap Full Moon Poya Day.
17 Oct Deepavali. 5 Nov Deepavali
2 Nov Ill full moon poya day Nov* Il Full Moon Poya Day.
28 Nov Eid al-Adha (Hadji Festival Day). 17 Nov Eid al-Adha (Hadji Festival Day)
1 Dec Unduvap Full Moon Poya Day. Dec * Unduvap Full Moon Poya Day.
25 Dec Christmas Day. 25 Dec Christmas Day.
31 Dec Duruthu Full Poya Day Dec * Duruthu Full Poya Day.


* Date to be confirmed
All full moon poya days to be confirmed for 2010.

Note

(a). Poya holidays are observed on the day of each full moon. In general, Hindu and Buddhist festivals are declared according to local astronomical observations and it is often only possible to forecast the approximate time of their occurrence.

(b). Some public holidays are followed by an additional holiday for banks only.

(c). Muslim festivals are timed according to local sightings of various phases of the moon and the dates given above are approximations. During the lunar month of Ramadan that precedes Eid al-Fitr, Muslims fast during the day and feast at night and normal business patterns may be interrupted; however, since Sri Lanka is not a predominantly Muslim country restrictions (which travellers may experience elsewhere) are unlikely to cause problems.