Sri Lanka Public Holidays 2027
All 25 Sri Lanka public and bank holidays for 2027, officially gazetted under Holidays Act No. 29 of 1971.
Sri Lanka Public Holidays 2027
| Date | Day | Holiday | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jan 15 | Friday | Tamil Thai Pongal Day | Hindu harvest festival |
| Jan 22 | Friday | Duruthu Full Moon Poya Day | Public and bank holiday |
| Feb 4 | Thursday | Independence Day | National holiday |
| Feb 20 | Saturday | Navam Full Moon Poya Day | Public and bank holiday |
| Mar 6 | Saturday | Maha Shivarathri Day | Hindu festival |
| Mar 10 | Wednesday | Id-Ul-Fitre | Ramazan Festival Day |
| Mar 22 | Monday | Medin Full Moon Poya Day | Public and bank holiday |
| Mar 26 | Friday | Good Friday | Christian holiday |
| Apr 13 | Tuesday | Day Prior to Sinhala & Tamil New Year | National holiday |
| Apr 14 | Wednesday | Sinhala & Tamil New Year Day | National holiday |
| Apr 20 | Tuesday | Bak Full Moon Poya Day | Public and bank holiday |
| May 1 | Saturday | May Day | International Workers' Day |
| May 17 | Monday | Id-Ul-Allah | Hadji Festival Day |
| May 19 | Wednesday | Vesak Full Moon Poya Day | Principal Buddhist festival |
| May 20 | Thursday | Day Following Vesak Full Moon Poya Day | Public and bank holiday |
| Jun 18 | Friday | Poson Full Moon Poya Day | Public and bank holiday |
| Jul 18 | Sunday | Esala Full Moon Poya Day | Public and bank holiday |
| Aug 15 | Sunday | Milad-Un-Nabi | Holy Prophet's Birthday |
| Aug 16 | Monday | Nikini Full Moon Poya Day | Public and bank holiday |
| Sep 15 | Wednesday | Binara Full Moon Poya Day | Public and bank holiday |
| Oct 15 | Friday | Vap Full Moon Poya Day | Public and bank holiday |
| Oct 28 | Thursday | Deepawali Festival Day | Hindu festival |
| Nov 13 | Saturday | Il Full Moon Poya Day | Public and bank holiday |
| Dec 13 | Monday | Unduvap Full Moon Poya Day | Public and bank holiday |
| Dec 25 | Saturday | Christmas Day | Christian holiday |
All dates are transcribed from Extraordinary Gazette No. 2493/05 dated 16 June 2026. Last verified: 2026-08-20.
About Sri Lanka Public Holidays
Sri Lanka has one of the most diverse public holiday systems in Asia, reflecting its rich blend of Buddhist, Hindu, Muslim, and Christian traditions alongside key national observances. The most distinctive feature of the Sri Lankan holiday calendar is the Poya holiday system: every full moon day (Poya day) is a public holiday, resulting in 12 additional rest days spread throughout the year. This tradition stems from Sri Lanka's predominantly Theravada Buddhist heritage, as full moon days hold deep religious significance for observances, temple visits, and meditation. Most businesses, government offices, and schools are closed on Poya days, and the sale of alcohol is typically prohibited.
Beyond the monthly Poya holidays, the gazetted 2027 calendar includes national and multi-religious observances. Independence Day is February 4; the two Sinhala and Tamil New Year holidays are April 13–14; Vesak is May 19–20; and Deepawali is October 28. Gazette No. 2493/05 designates all 25 listed dates as both public holidays and bank holidays.
Frequently Asked Questions
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Sri Lanka has 25 public and bank holidays in the official 2027 Gazette. The list includes 12 Full Moon Poya days plus Buddhist, Hindu, Muslim, Christian and national civic holidays.
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The day prior to Sinhala and Tamil New Year is Tuesday, April 13, 2027, and New Year Day is Wednesday, April 14. Both are gazetted public and bank holidays.
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The status widget at the top of this page automatically detects today's date using Asia/Colombo timezone and checks against the official 2027 holiday list.