Long weekend
View(s):“Nelu Flowers”
What made this particular weekend truly special, however, was its timing: it coincided with the rare and breathtaking blossoming of the “Nelu Flowers” in Horton Plains, adding a touch of natural wonder to the holiday.
The Nelu Flowers, known for their rare and mesmerising bloom, have been tracked since the early 19th century. They blossom in Horton Plains only once every 12 years, making each occurrence a highly anticipated natural event. This year, the spectacle drew crowds of eager travellers, all hoping to witness the fleeting beauty firsthand.
File picture of traffic in Colombo on a normal working day.
Long weekends in Sri Lanka often trigger a mass exodus from Colombo, and this one was no exception. Traffic surged, especially along the Colombo–Kandy Road, which became heavily congested, while toll collections on the Southern Expressway spiked dramatically. For many, the extended break was a chance to escape the city—some returning to their hometowns, others heading toward the cool mountain retreats, sun-drenched beaches, ancient kingdoms, sacred sites, and national parks like Horton Plains.
As the roadways outside Colombo grew busier, rural businesses saw a boom. Shops, eateries, and tour operators expanded operations to meet the demand, often raising prices without hesitation. Hoteliers, too, capitalised on long weekends, increasing room rates and shelving discounted promotions, knowing that travellers would pay a premium for the experience.
In Colombo
Long weekends in Colombo carry a distinct atmosphere—markedly different from the city’s usual rhythm. As the extended break unfolded, the capital felt unusually quiet, almost serene.
Roads that are typically choked with traffic flowed freely, with only a handful of vehicles and pedestrians in sight. Even bustling neighbourhoods and commercial hubs appeared deserted, their usual energy replaced by stillness.
Many shops and businesses either closed their doors or operated with minimal staff, slowing down activity in key commercial zones. Construction sites, normally alive with the clatter of machinery and the hum of labour, stood silent as workers took time off to rest or travel.
Banks and corporate offices ran on limited hours or remained shut altogether, stripping the city of its weekday hustle. Restaurants and cafés saw a noticeable dip in footfall—some even chose to close temporarily, anticipating low demand.
It was as if Colombo itself had exhaled—taking a moment of calm before diving back into its usual pace.
Super long weekends
Sometimes we get “super long weekends” too—when two public holidays align with Saturday and Sunday to create an extended break. So far this year, there have been three such occasions: in January, April, and May.
The April holiday was particularly remarkable. With Sinhala and Tamil New Year falling on a Monday and Tuesday, and Friday of the same week also declared a public holiday, many people chose to take Wednesday and Thursday off as well. The result? A rare and luxurious nine-day vacation that stretched across the entire New Year season.
This season holds deep cultural significance for Sri Lankans—not just for celebration, but for the tradition of doing things together at precisely the right moment, guided by auspicious timings.
In fact, Sri Lanka might be the only country where an entire population collectively lights lamps, cooks meals, eats at the New Year table, and begins work, all at the exact same time. The irony, of course, is that outside of this season, punctuality tends to be more flexible. For most other affairs, “on time” becomes a relative concept.
Holidays for the year
In 2025, Sri Lanka enjoys a generous calendar of 26 public holidays spread across the year. Many of these fall in ways that create long weekends—and occasionally, “super-long weekends.” When combined with the 104 Saturdays and Sundays, Sri Lankans are looking at more than one-third of the year as potential days off.
Of the 26 public holidays, nine fall on either a Monday or a Friday. These naturally extend the weekend – the long weekends, offering perfect opportunities for travel, rest, or celebration. But even holidays that land on a Tuesday or Thursday often inspire creative leave-taking. It’s not uncommon for people to take Monday off when Tuesday is a holiday—or Friday off when Thursday is—crafting their own “super-long weekends”.
One might wonder: do we really have enough leave days to make this happen? Surprisingly, yes. Public sector employees, for instance, are entitled to 24 days of casual leave and 21 days of medical leave annually. Add to that, 24 short leave days and a variety of other entitlements, and the flexibility becomes clear.
With all these holidays and leave options, it’s no exaggeration to say that the number of actual working days in a year could easily shrink to around half of the 365. It’s a rhythm uniquely Sri Lankan—where work and rest find a balance shaped by tradition, celebration, and a touch of ingenuity.
Don’t want to hear
Globally, only a handful of countries enjoy more than 20 public holidays annually—and Sri Lanka ranks among the top in this category. In contrast, most nations’ average between 12 and 18 public holidays per year, and many of them are economically advanced.
Sri Lanka didn’t always have such a high count. The number surged after the government designated all full moon Poya days as official public holidays. This decision added roughly 10 extra holidays to the calendar, in addition to existing Buddhist observances like Vesak Poya.
Had it not been for this policy shift, Sri Lanka’s public holiday count would have aligned more closely with the global average of around 15 days per year. While culturally significant, this expansion of holidays has arguably introduced another layer of regulatory and institutional complexity—potentially hindering the country’s economic momentum.
Growth implications
An excess of public holidays can pose significant challenges to economic progress by reducing productivity, disrupting business operations, and inflating costs—especially in industries that depend on continuous activity.
The issue extends beyond the sheer number of holidays. When public holidays fall midweek, they often tempt employees to take adjacent days off, effectively turning isolated breaks into extended non-working periods. This pattern compounds the disruption, creating unofficial long weekends that further erode working time.
Frequent holidays and reduced workdays can diminish overall output in key sectors such as public administration, manufacturing, logistics, and services. Clusters of holidays interrupt workflow, delay project timelines, and reduce operational efficiency. For export-driven economies or those with tightly integrated supply chains, such interruptions can be particularly damaging, as they misalign with international business calendars and expectations.
Moreover, businesses often face higher labour costs during holidays due to premium wage requirements for holiday shifts. In countries like Sri Lanka, where public sector employees may enjoy up to half the year off through various leave entitlements, this can place a considerable strain on public finances. While holidays do stimulate tourism and leisure industries, they can simultaneously hinder sectors that rely on consistent labour and service availability.
Lazy people
During the recent long weekend, I had a phone conversation with a Sri Lankan friend—a social science researcher currently living and working in an East Asian country. Since it was a Monday holiday in Sri Lanka, our discussion naturally drifted toward the topic of long weekends back home.
Then came a remark that many Sri Lankans might find uncomfortable: “Apart from enjoying too many holidays, Sri Lankans are lazy to work.” It was a blunt statement, and I wasn’t sure whether to agree or defend. But having experienced the work culture in East Asia myself, I understood what he meant.
In many East Asian countries, people routinely work long hours, often staying at their workplaces well beyond the standard shift – some cases, as long as the boss stays. Public holidays are few, and ironically, governments now have to encourage people to take time off to rest. The contrast with Sri Lanka is stark—where holidays are frequent, and the work culture tends to be more relaxed.
Yet, there’s an interesting paradox. When Sri Lankans migrate abroad, they often adapt quickly and work just as competitively as their peers in those countries. So why does behaviour shift so dramatically across environments?
“Rules of the game”
The answer lies in the concept of “rules of the game,” a cornerstone of Institutional Economics. It suggests that it’s not the people themselves, but the systems and structures around them that shape behaviour. Incentives, norms, and regulations all play a role in defining how individuals respond and perform.
In conclusion, Sri Lanka has a long journey ahead in implementing reforms that can unlock sustained economic growth. A broad-based reform agenda is needed—one that includes rethinking the regulatory framework around working conditions, productivity, and incentives. Only then can the country align its cultural rhythms with its development ambitions.
(The writer is Emeritus Professor at the University of Colombo and Executive Director of the Centre for Poverty Analysis (CEPA) and can be reached at sirimal@econ.cmb.ac.lk and follow on Twitter @SirimalAshoka).
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