In depth · Christmas & New Year
Christmas & New Year in Sri Lanka: Colombo lights, festive feasts and beach season
Christmas in Sri Lanka is warm in every sense: Colombo’s malls and hotels glitter with decorations, churches fill for midnight Mass, and the west and south coasts enjoy the start of their best beach season.
Updated October 2026
Christmas in Colombo
Colombo decorates its malls, hotels and streets, with Christmas trees in the lobbies of the big hotels and carols in the shopping centres. Churches such as St Lucia’s Cathedral in Kotahena and Wolvendaal Church fill for services.
Festive dinners and brunches
The big hotels, among them the Galle Face Hotel, Shangri-La and Cinnamon Grand, hold Christmas Eve dinners and Christmas Day brunches. Book well ahead. Look out for Sri Lankan Christmas cake, rich with fruit, spices and cashews.
New Year’s Eve
Hotels and restaurants hold gala dinners and parties on New Year’s Eve, and there are fireworks over the city. Sri Lanka’s own New Year, the Sinhala and Tamil New Year, is celebrated in April.
Where to find the sun
From December to April the west and south coasts, from Negombo and Bentota to Galle, Mirissa and Tangalle, are at their best. The east coast is wetter at this time of year, during the northeast monsoon.
Questions and answers
Is Christmas a holiday in Sri Lanka?
Yes. 25 December is a public holiday.
Where is the weather best at Christmas?
On the west and south coasts, and in the Cultural Triangle, which are in their drier season.
Do I need to book ahead?
Yes. Late December and early January are among the busiest weeks of the year.
General information only. Rules change; check official sources before you travel.