Holidays in Sri Lanka

Official Sri Lanka Public Holidays

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.
28 Apr)	Vesak (Buddha Day
.1 May	May 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.

Sri Lanka Holidays