Country Guides
Sri Lanka
Public Holidays

Public Holidays

Sri Lanka

Below are listed the Public Holidays for the January 2009-December 2010 period.

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

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

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