Planning Around the Singapore Public Holidays Calendar Each Year

The Days Singapore Shuts and the Festivals That Change Date Every Year

Singapore has 11 gazetted public holidays. Four land on fixed dates. Six shift with lunar or Islamic calendars. What stays open depends on which one you hit. Chinese New Year closes hawker stalls. National Day seals Marina Bay. The rest leave the city running, with a few sharp edges to navigate.

Fixed Date Holidays: the Ones You Can Set Your Watch by

Four public holidays land on the same date every year: New Year's Day on 1 January, Labour Day on 1 May, National Day on 9 August, and Christmas Day on 25 December. Government offices, banks, and most offices close on all four. Shopping malls, supermarkets, and attractions stay open. Christmas Day is the exception. Some smaller stores and restaurants close for the day.

National Day Closures to Watch For

National Day on 9 August creates real disruption. Rehearsals for the parade run on Saturdays from June through July, closing roads around Marina Bay intermittently. On the day itself, the Marina Bay area is sealed for the fireworks and show. The MRT still runs, but stations near the bay get overcrowded by 17:00. If you are staying in the Central Area or Marina Bay, walk or use a ride-hail app from a pickup point outside the closure zone. The fireworks are visible from the Singapore Flyer, Gardens by the Bay, and across the water at Esplanade Park. Arrive by 16:00 to claim a spot.

Chinese New Year Dates: the Critical Warning for Eateries

Chinese New Year falls in January or February and spans two public holidays. This is the one celebration that genuinely shuts the city's food scene. Many local eateries close for one to two days. Some family-run hawker stalls close for the entire week. The impact hits hardest at Maxwell Food Centre, Chinatown, and in heartland neighbourhoods like Tiong Bahru and Joo Chiat/Katong. Tian Tian Hainanese Chicken Rice at Maxwell Food Centre closes, as do most stalls in that centre. Book a hotel with a restaurant that stays open, or eat at the Singapore Zoo, River Wonders, and Bird Paradise. All three operate normally. Hotels in Orchard Road and Marina Bay keep their kitchens running. The dates change every year. Check the singapore public holidays calendar published by the Ministry of Manpower each November for the next year's dates.

Hari Raya Puasa: Bazaars and Border Traffic

Hari Raya Puasa, also called Eid al Fitr, marks the end of Ramadan. The date shifts each year, advancing about 11 days on the Gregorian calendar. The key traveller effect is the Ramadan bazaar in Geylang Serai, which runs for roughly one month before the celebration. Go there to eat Malay food, buy textiles, and watch the crowds. On the actual day, government offices and banks close, but malls and attractions stay open. The bigger problem is the land border. Peak travel at the Woodlands Checkpoint and Tuas Checkpoint causes severe congestion as Singaporeans drive to Malaysia to celebrate. The causeway and Second Link see multi-hour delays during this period. Do not drive to Malaysia on the eve or the day itself. Take the MRT instead and visit Kampong Glam for a quieter celebration.

Deepavali in Little India: Lights Without Closures

Deepavali, the Hindu festival of lights, falls in October or November on a date determined by the Tamil calendar. Little India is the centre of the celebration. The district is decorated with light-ups along Serangoon Road and the streets around Mustafa Centre. The area fills with shoppers from early evening. The public holiday itself closes government offices and banks. Shops, malls, and attractions remain open. The 24-hour Mustafa Centre operates as usual. One friction: Little India is a designated Liquor Control Zone. Alcohol consumption in public places is restricted from 22:30 to 07:00 on the eve and throughout the weekend. If you plan to eat at the hawker centres in Little India, arrive by 19:00 when the crowds peak. The light-ups run for about two weeks before the actual date.

Moveable Holidays: Good Friday, Vesak Day, and Hari Raya Haji

Three more celebrations shift each year. Confirm dates against the singapore public holidays calendar. Good Friday falls in March or April on the Christian calendar. Vesak Day lands in April or May on the Buddhist lunar calendar. Hari Raya Haji, or Eid al Adha, varies on the Islamic calendar. All three close government offices and banks. Shopping malls, supermarkets, and attractions remain open. No district closures or food shortages accompany these days. The exception is Vesak Day. The Buddha Tooth Relic Temple in Chinatown holds a large celebration and the temple precinct gets heavy foot traffic. If you plan to visit the temple on Vesak Day, arrive before 09:00 or after 18:00.

When the School Holidays Hit Prices and Crowds

School holidays drive hotel rates up. The Ministry of Education publishes the calendar each October for the following year, and the 2025 dates are already out. The longest break runs from late November to early January, spanning six weeks. The mid-year break covers late May to late June, four weeks. During these windows, hotel rates in Orchard Road and Sentosa spike. The June and December breaks also cause severe congestion at the causeway and Second Link crossings to Malaysia. Book the MRT for airport transfers instead of taxis. The train ride from Changi Airport takes 35 to 45 minutes and is unaffected by road traffic. Peak tourist season overlaps with the year-end break (November to January) and the June holidays. The shoulder season runs February to March after Chinese New Year and July to August before National Day. The low season is April to May and September to October, when the haze risk from regional forest fires is highest.