Public Holidays in Sri Lanka 2019 🇱🇰

Sri Lanka has 27 public holidays in 2019. The table below lists every national public holiday with its date and weekday, so you can plan travel, business days and time off in Sri Lanka.

Date	Day	Holiday Name	Category
15. Jan	Tuesday Bridge day	Tamil Thai Pongal Day	Public holiday
20. Jan	Sunday	Duruthu Full Moon Poya Day	Public holiday
4. Feb	Monday Long weekend	Independence Day	Public holiday
19. Feb	Tuesday Bridge day	Nawam Full Moon Poya Day	Public holiday
4. Mar	Monday Long weekend	Maha Sivarathri Day	Public holiday
20. Mar	Wednesday	Medin Full Moon Poya Day	Public holiday
13. Apr	Saturday	Day Before Sinhala and Tamil New Year	Public holiday
14. Apr	Sunday	Sinhala and Tamil New Year	Public holiday
15. Apr	Monday Long weekend	Special Bank Holiday	Bank holiday
19. Apr	Friday Long weekend	Bak Full Moon Poya Day; Good Friday	Public holiday
1. May	Wednesday	International Workers' Day	Public holiday
18. May	Saturday	Vesak Full Moon Poya Day	Public holiday
19. May	Sunday	Day Following Vesak Full Moon Poya Day	Public holiday
20. May	Monday Long weekend	Special Public Holiday	Public holiday
5. Jun	Wednesday	Eid al-Fitr	Public holiday
16. Jun	Sunday	Poson Full Moon Poya Day	Public holiday
16. Jul	Tuesday Bridge day	Esala Full Moon Poya Day	Public holiday
12. Aug	Monday Long weekend	Eid al-Adha	Public holiday
14. Aug	Wednesday	Nikini Full Moon Poya Day	Public holiday
13. Sep	Friday Long weekend	Binara Full Moon Poya Day	Public holiday
13. Oct	Sunday	Vap Full Moon Poya Day	Public holiday
27. Oct	Sunday	Deepavali Festival Day	Public holiday
10. Nov	Sunday	Prophet's Birthday	Public holiday
11. Nov	Monday Long weekend	Special Bank Holiday	Bank holiday
12. Nov	Tuesday Bridge day	Il Full Moon Poya Day	Public holiday
11. Dec	Wednesday	Unduvap Full Moon Poya Day	Public holiday
25. Dec	Wednesday	Christmas Day	Public holiday

Long weekends in Sri Lanka 2019

These public holidays fall next to the weekend or just one bridge day away, making it easy to plan an extended break.

Tamil Thai Pongal Day — 15. Jan (Tuesday) — take Monday off to bridge into the weekend
Independence Day — 4. Feb (Monday) — long weekend
Nawam Full Moon Poya Day — 19. Feb (Tuesday) — take Monday off to bridge into the weekend
Maha Sivarathri Day — 4. Mar (Monday) — long weekend
Special Bank Holiday — 15. Apr (Monday) — long weekend
Bak Full Moon Poya Day; Good Friday — 19. Apr (Friday) — long weekend
Special Public Holiday — 20. May (Monday) — long weekend
Esala Full Moon Poya Day — 16. Jul (Tuesday) — take Monday off to bridge into the weekend
Eid al-Adha — 12. Aug (Monday) — long weekend
Binara Full Moon Poya Day — 13. Sep (Friday) — long weekend
Special Bank Holiday — 11. Nov (Monday) — long weekend
Il Full Moon Poya Day — 12. Nov (Tuesday) — take Monday off to bridge into the weekend

Holidays that change date in Sri Lanka

Some holidays are movable and land on a different date each year. Here is how these dates shift from 2019 to 2020.

Duruthu Full Moon Poya Day: 20. Jan 2019 → 10. Jan 2020
Nawam Full Moon Poya Day: 19. Feb 2019 → 8. Feb 2020
Maha Sivarathri Day: 4. Mar 2019 → 21. Feb 2020
Medin Full Moon Poya Day: 20. Mar 2019 → 9. Mar 2020
Day Before Sinhala and Tamil New Year: 13. Apr 2019 → 12. Apr 2020
Sinhala and Tamil New Year: 14. Apr 2019 → 13. Apr 2020
Special Bank Holiday: 15. Apr 2019 → 14. Apr 2020
Vesak Full Moon Poya Day: 18. May 2019 → 7. May 2020
Day Following Vesak Full Moon Poya Day: 19. May 2019 → 8. May 2020
Special Public Holiday: 20. May 2019 → 19. Mar 2020
Eid al-Fitr: 5. Jun 2019 → 25. May 2020
Poson Full Moon Poya Day: 16. Jun 2019 → 5. Jun 2020
Esala Full Moon Poya Day: 16. Jul 2019 → 4. Jul 2020
Eid al-Adha: 12. Aug 2019 → 1. Aug 2020
Nikini Full Moon Poya Day: 14. Aug 2019 → 3. Aug 2020
Binara Full Moon Poya Day: 13. Sep 2019 → 1. Sep 2020
Deepavali Festival Day: 27. Oct 2019 → 14. Nov 2020
Special Bank Holiday: 11. Nov 2019 → 14. Apr 2020
Il Full Moon Poya Day: 12. Nov 2019 → 29. Nov 2020
Unduvap Full Moon Poya Day: 11. Dec 2019 → 29. Dec 2020

Browse Holidays for Other Years in Sri Lanka:

2021 | 2022 | 2023 | 2024 | 2025 | 2026 | 2027 | 2028 | 2029 | 2030

Learn More About Public Holidays

How To Add or Remove Public Holidays in Samsung/Teams/Outlook Calendars

Your calendar says it's a regular Monday, but everyone else is off. Or maybe it's cluttered with holidays you don’t even...

What It Takes To Pay Properly For Public Holidays, And Why It’s Tricky For Payroll

Paying employees correctly for public holidays should be simple; day off, full pay, done. But in reality, it's one of th...

Do You Still Get Holiday Pay If You're Sick On A Public Holiday?

You’re scheduled to be off on a public holiday, but then you get sick. Maybe you’re home with the flu or even in the hos...

Are Employers Required To Pay You On Public Holidays in The UK?

Public holidays in the UK, also known as bank holidays, are often seen as guaranteed days off. But when it comes to gett...

How Do Public Holidays Affect Your Business‑day Calculations?

You're waiting for a delivery. Or maybe you're tracking a five-day deadline. But then a public holiday hits, and suddenl...

Why Your iPhone Or Outlook Calendar Isn’t Showing Public Holidays

You check your calendar expecting to see a bank holiday or national day off, but it's blank. No “Easter Monday,” no “Lab...

Which Country Takes Home The Prize For The Most Public Holidays?

If you thought India had the most public holidays, you’re not alone. But there’s another country quietly enjoying even m...

How Many National Holidays Are There in Germany, And Why Does It Vary By State?

Germany may seem orderly and uniform on the surface, but when it comes to national holidays, things get surprisingly reg...

Why Some Australian States Get More Holidays Than Others

Australia loves a long weekend, but not all Aussies are getting the same number of days off. Depending on where you live...

Which US States Give Employees a Holiday For Black Friday?

Black Friday might be the biggest shopping day in the U.S., but it’s not a federal holiday. That doesn’t stop some state...

How Public Holidays In Singapore Adapt To Islamic Lunar Dates

Singapore’s holiday calendar is a careful balance of its multicultural society. With major celebrations from Chinese, Ma...

How Many Public Holidays Do Australians Really Get Each Year?

Australia is known for its beaches, laid-back lifestyle, and love of a good long weekend. But how many days off do Aussi...

Frequently Asked Questions

How many public holidays does Sri Lanka have in 2019?

Sri Lanka observes 27 public holidays in 2019. Each is listed above with its date and weekday.

Are public holidays in Sri Lanka the same every year?

Most national holidays recur on the same date each year, while some (such as religious or lunar-calendar holidays) move. This page is updated for 2019.