Public Holidays in Sri Lanka 2021 🇱🇰

Sri Lanka has 27 public holidays in 2021. 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
14. Jan	Thursday Bridge day	Tamil Thai Pongal Day	Public holiday
28. Jan	Thursday Bridge day	Duruthu Full Moon Poya Day	Public holiday
4. Feb	Thursday Bridge day	Independence Day	Public holiday
26. Feb	Friday Long weekend	Nawam Full Moon Poya Day	Public holiday
11. Mar	Thursday Bridge day	Maha Sivarathri Day	Public holiday
28. Mar	Sunday	Medin Full Moon Poya Day	Public holiday
2. Apr	Friday Long weekend	Good Friday	Public holiday
13. Apr	Tuesday Bridge day	Day Before Sinhala and Tamil New Year	Public holiday
14. Apr	Wednesday	Sinhala and Tamil New Year	Public holiday
26. Apr	Monday Long weekend	Bak Full Moon Poya Day	Public holiday
30. Apr	Friday Long weekend	Half-Day Special Bank Holiday	Bank holiday
1. May	Saturday	International Workers' Day	Public holiday
14. May	Friday Long weekend	Eid al-Fitr	Public holiday
26. May	Wednesday	Vesak Full Moon Poya Day	Public holiday
27. May	Thursday Bridge day	Day Following Vesak Full Moon Poya Day	Public holiday
24. Jun	Thursday Bridge day	Poson Full Moon Poya Day	Public holiday
21. Jul	Wednesday	Eid al-Adha	Public holiday
23. Jul	Friday Long weekend	Esala Full Moon Poya Day	Public holiday
22. Aug	Sunday	Nikini Full Moon Poya Day	Public holiday
20. Sep	Monday Long weekend	Binara Full Moon Poya Day	Public holiday
19. Oct	Tuesday Bridge day	Prophet's Birthday	Public holiday
20. Oct	Wednesday	Vap Full Moon Poya Day	Public holiday
4. Nov	Thursday Bridge day	Deepavali Festival Day	Public holiday
18. Nov	Thursday Bridge day	Il Full Moon Poya Day	Public holiday
18. Dec	Saturday	Unduvap Full Moon Poya Day	Public holiday
24. Dec	Friday Long weekend	Half-Day Special Bank Holiday	Bank holiday
25. Dec	Saturday	Christmas Day	Public holiday

Long weekends in Sri Lanka 2021

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 — 14. Jan (Thursday) — take Friday off to bridge into the weekend
Duruthu Full Moon Poya Day — 28. Jan (Thursday) — take Friday off to bridge into the weekend
Independence Day — 4. Feb (Thursday) — take Friday off to bridge into the weekend
Nawam Full Moon Poya Day — 26. Feb (Friday) — long weekend
Maha Sivarathri Day — 11. Mar (Thursday) — take Friday off to bridge into the weekend
Good Friday — 2. Apr (Friday) — long weekend
Day Before Sinhala and Tamil New Year — 13. Apr (Tuesday) — take Monday off to bridge into the weekend
Bak Full Moon Poya Day — 26. Apr (Monday) — long weekend
Half-Day Special Bank Holiday — 30. Apr (Friday) — long weekend
Eid al-Fitr — 14. May (Friday) — long weekend
Day Following Vesak Full Moon Poya Day — 27. May (Thursday) — take Friday off to bridge into the weekend
Poson Full Moon Poya Day — 24. Jun (Thursday) — take Friday off to bridge into the weekend
Esala Full Moon Poya Day — 23. Jul (Friday) — long weekend
Binara Full Moon Poya Day — 20. Sep (Monday) — long weekend
Prophet's Birthday — 19. Oct (Tuesday) — take Monday off to bridge into the weekend
Deepavali Festival Day — 4. Nov (Thursday) — take Friday off to bridge into the weekend
Il Full Moon Poya Day — 18. Nov (Thursday) — take Friday off to bridge into the weekend
Half-Day Special Bank Holiday — 24. Dec (Friday) — long 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 2021 to 2022.

Duruthu Full Moon Poya Day: 28. Jan 2021 → 17. Jan 2022
Nawam Full Moon Poya Day: 26. Feb 2021 → 16. Feb 2022
Maha Sivarathri Day: 11. Mar 2021 → 1. Mar 2022
Medin Full Moon Poya Day: 28. Mar 2021 → 17. Mar 2022
Good Friday: 2. Apr 2021 → 15. Apr 2022
Bak Full Moon Poya Day: 26. Apr 2021 → 16. Apr 2022
Eid al-Fitr: 14. May 2021 → 3. May 2022
Vesak Full Moon Poya Day: 26. May 2021 → 15. May 2022
Day Following Vesak Full Moon Poya Day: 27. May 2021 → 16. May 2022
Poson Full Moon Poya Day: 24. Jun 2021 → 14. Jun 2022
Eid al-Adha: 21. Jul 2021 → 10. Jul 2022
Esala Full Moon Poya Day: 23. Jul 2021 → 13. Jul 2022
Nikini Full Moon Poya Day: 22. Aug 2021 → 11. Aug 2022
Binara Full Moon Poya Day: 20. Sep 2021 → 10. Sep 2022
Deepavali Festival Day: 4. Nov 2021 → 24. Oct 2022
Il Full Moon Poya Day: 18. Nov 2021 → 7. Nov 2022
Unduvap Full Moon Poya Day: 18. Dec 2021 → 7. Dec 2022

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 2021?

Sri Lanka observes 27 public holidays in 2021. 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 2021.