21

Is today a dry day in
?

No
(And neither is tomorrow)

No Dry Day

You're safe.

No Dry Day

The coast is clear.

Dry Days Ahead

  • Madin Poya

    What's closed?
    Everything.
    Everywhere.
    All day long.

Drinking in Sri Lanka

21 is the legal drinking age.

  • Liquor shops

    8 am to 9 pm

    Off-licence retail vends, often known as wine stores, selling a range of beers, wines, and spirits

  • Liquor taverns

    11 am to 8 pm

    Break: 2 pm to 5 pm

    Frequented by locals, these are dive bars that serve Sri Lankan food with spirits, beers, and wines

  • Toddy taverns

    11 am to 8 pm

    Break: 2 pm to 5 pm

    Casual establishments serving locally-brewed palm wine and native cuisine in an informal setting

  • Hotels

    11 am to 11 pm

    Break: 2 pm to 5 pm

    Affordable bars attached to smaller hotels across the country, these serve a variety of alcohols

  • Premium hotels

    10 am to 2 am

    Approved by the Tourist Board, these hotels are 3 star or higher, and have a wide range of liquors

  • Cinemas

    11 am to 11 pm

    Break: 1 pm to 5 pm

    Found at some theatres across the country, they serve alcohol only during movie screening hours

  • Restaurants

    11 am to 11 pm

    Break: 2 pm to 5 pm

  • Mild liquor bars

    11 am to 10 pm

    Break: 2 pm to 5 pm

  • Premium mild liquor bars

    11 am to 10 pm

    Break: 2 pm to 5 pm

  • Rest houses

    11 am to 11 pm

    Cosy, budget-friendly, colonial-era tourist bungalows, run by the government or local organisations

  • Railway refreshment rooms

    11 am to 8 pm

    Break: 2 pm to 5 pm

  • Clubs

    11 am to 11 pm

    Break: 2 pm to 5 pm

    Open exclusively to members and their guests

  • Boutique villas

    11 am to 11 pm