In Malaysia, the annual calendar boasts a multitude of public holidays, as each religion and culture in this multiracial country has its own festivals.
This is excellent news, especially for working people and schoolchildren, because hey, who doesn’t love a few days’ break from work/school, right? I know I do! And these holidays apply to everyone, regardless of personal faith or background. So, no matter what ethnicity or religion is written on your IC, you will get days off for Eid, Chinese New Year, Christmas, Deepavali, and so on!
To top it off, each of these celebrations is often accompanied by big feasts and festivities. So, let’s find out what public holidays you can look forward to in Malaysia:
1. Eid-ul-Fitr (Hari Raya Aidilfitri)
Eid al-Fitr, known as Hari Raya Aidilfitri in Malaysia, is one of the biggest and most anticipated festivals in the country, marking the end of the holy month of Ramadan. Since Eid follows the Islamic calendar, the date changes every year.
Leading up to the holiday, Muslims engage in a month of fasting (that means no food or water from sunrise to sunset), prayer, and reflection, focusing on self-discipline and empathy for the less fortunate.
When Eid arrives, it’s time for joyous celebration. The day begins with special prayers at the mosque, followed by visits to family graves to honor loved ones. Families don new, often color-coordinated, traditional attire and gather for lavish feasts featuring dishes like rendang, satay, and ketupat.
Homes are beautifully decorated with oil lamps and string lights, and the air is filled with a festive spirit as people visit each other, exchange gifts, and seek forgiveness. While the public holiday officially lasts only two days, the celebration typically continues for a month.
2. Chinese New Year
Chinese New Year, or Lunar New Year, is another one of the most widely celebrated festivals in Malaysia. Days before the holiday, families engage in thorough cleaning of their homes to sweep away bad luck and welcome good fortune (they must NOT sweep the floor on the day of celebration itself as that means sweeping away good fortune!)
You will see a lot of decorations in red, which is a lucky color in the Chinese culture, as it symbolizes prosperity and happiness. Intricate red paper cuttings and lanterns adorn homes and public spaces, including shopping malls, offices, and streets.
The festivities kick off with a reunion dinner on New Year’s Eve, where families gather to enjoy a large communal meal featuring dishes like yee sang, dumplings, and various seafood, especially fish, as it also symbolizes abundance and prosperity. Yes, there’s a lot of symbolism in these festivals!
On New Year’s Day, families visit temples to offer prayers and light incense, seeking blessings for the year ahead. Red packets of money are handed out to young (and sometimes not-so-young) children for good luck. For 15 days, the air will be filled with the sounds or firecrackers and lion and dragon dances that are performed to ward off evil spirits and bring good fortune.
3. Deepavali
Deepavali, also known as Diwali or the Festival of Lights, is a major Hindu festival in Malaysia.
To prepare for the holiday, homes are thoroughly cleaned and decorated with colorful rangoli designs made from rice flour. Oil lamps and candles are placed around homes and temples to represent the victory of light over darkness and good over evil.
The festivities begin with early morning rituals, including a traditional oil bath that signifies purification and renewal. Families then dress in their finest clothes and head to temples for prayers and offerings, seeking blessings for the year ahead. Like most of the other festivals, Deepavali celebration is also accompanied by feasts featuring an array of delicious sweets and savory dishes such as murukku, laddu, and biryani.
4. Christmas
Although there is no chance for a white Christmas in Malaysia, the festive spirit is still very much alive. It is embraced by Malaysians of various faiths, with gift exchanges among friends and work colleagues. Shopping malls and public spaces are transformed with snowy decorations, twinkling lights, and elaborately decorated Christmas trees.
On Christmas Eve, Christians attend midnight mass or church services. Families and friends gather for feasts, enjoying dishes like roast turkey, fruitcake, and local delicacies. The presence of Santa Claus, albeit the Asian version, add to the festive cheer, especially for children.
5. Eid-ul-Adha (Hari Raya Aidiladha)
Eid al-Adha, known as Hari Raya Aidiladha / Haji in Malaysia, is the second biggest Islamic festival in Malaysia. It honors the willingness of Prophet Ibrahim (Abraham) to sacrifice his son as an act of obedience to God, and it emphasizes sacrifice, faith, and community.
On the morning of Eid al-Adha, Muslims gather at mosques or prayer grounds to perform special prayers. After prayers, they partake in the Qurban ritual, where animals such as sheep, goats, or cows are sacrificed. The meat is then distributed among family, friends, and the less fortunate.
6. Thaipusam
Thaipusam is a Hindu festival that is celebrated predominantly by the Tamil community in Malaysia. Leading up to Thaipusam, devotees engage in a period of fasting and spiritual preparation.
The highlight of Thaipusam is the kavadi procession, where devotees carry ornately decorated structures (kavadis) on their shoulders or pierce their bodies with hooks and skewers as acts of devotion and penance. These acts symbolize the burdens and sacrifices made for the sake of spiritual growth and fulfillment.
The Batu Caves near Kuala Lumpur is where the biggest procession takes place. Thousands of devotees undertake a pilgrimage on foot to the caves, where the kavadis are carried up the steep steps leading to the temple cave. The piercing of the skin is a striking ritual that draws spectators from around the world to join in the procession.
7. Hari Gawai
Hari Gawai is a festival celebrated by the Dayak communities, particularly in Sarawak. It marks the rice harvest season and is a time of thanksgiving, renewal, and cultural pride.
Preparations begin with the cleaning and decorating of longhouses, which are traditional communal dwellings.
On Hari Gawai itself, the day starts with families and communities gathering for traditional music, dances, and the offering of rice wine (tuak) to the gods and spirits. Elders perform rituals to bless the harvest and ensure prosperity for the community in the coming year.
One of the highlights of Hari Gawai is the wearing of traditional costumes, which are decorated with intricate beadwork and woven patterns. Feasting is central to the celebrations, with a variety of traditional dishes such as bamboo chicken, preserved fish, and pounded tapioca leaves.
8. Pesta Kaamatan
Pesta Kaamatan is also a harvest festival, but unlike Hari Gawai, which is mainly celebrated by the Dayak communities, this one is specific to the Kadazan-Dusun people of Sabah. Both share similarities in their focus on agriculture, thanksgiving, and cultural performances, but they do differ in certain aspects.
Pesta Kaamatan prominently features the Unduk Ngadau beauty pageant, where young women from various districts compete for the title of the Harvest Festival Queen.
The festival also includes traditional rituals such as the Magavau ceremony, where offerings are made to the rice spirit for a bountiful harvest and blessings for the community. Bamboo musical instruments, known as sompoton, accompany cultural performances such as the sumazau dance.
9. Wesak Day
Wesak Day, celebrated by Buddhists, is an occasion that commemorates the birth, enlightenment, and passing away of Gautama Buddha.
On the day of the celebration, Buddhists gather at temples before dawn for the ceremonial raising of the Buddhist flag and the chanting of sutras. Offerings of flowers, incense, and candles are made at the feet of Buddha statues.
One of the most symbolic rituals of Wesak Day is the ceremonial bathing of the Buddha statue. Devotees pour scented water over the shoulders of Buddha statues to purify the mind and symbolize the washing away of past sins and impurities.
Throughout the day, temples and homes are adorned with colorful decorations, and vegetarian meals are served to symbolize compassion and non-violence.
10. Pongal
Pongal, celebrated by the Tamil community in Malaysia, is a four-day harvest festival that honors the Sun God and marks the end of the winter solstice. The festival usually takes place in mid-January and is a time for giving thanks for the bountiful harvest and seeking blessings for future prosperity.
The celebration begins with Bhogi Pongal, a day for discarding old belongings and cleaning homes to signify a fresh start.
On the main celebration day, known simply as Pongal, rice and fresh milk are boiled in clay pots until they overflow, which symbolizes abundance and prosperity. Homes are decorated with kolam (rangoli) floor designs made from rice flour. Meanwhile, families dress in new clothes and gather to share a meal that includes the sweet dish pongal, made from rice, milk, and jaggery.
The third day, Mattu Pongal, is dedicated to honoring cattle, which play a vital role in agriculture. Cows and bulls are bathed, decorated with colorful garlands, and their horns are painted. They are then offered special treats as a sign of gratitude for their hard work in the fields.
Finally, Kaanum Pongal, the last day of the celebration, is a time for socializing and visiting friends and family.
11. Merdeka (Independence Day)
On August 31st every year, Malaysia celebrates Merdeka Day to commemorate the nation’s freedom from British colonial rule in 1957. Streets, buildings, and even cars are decked up with the national flag for the whole month, and a grand parade is held at Merdeka Square or Putrajaya, featuring marching bands, military displays, cultural performances, and floats.
Watch my first time attending a Merdeka parade in this video:
On the eve of Merdeka Day, fireworks displays often serve as an excuse for friends and family to gather and have picnics at public parks such as the KLCC Park and Merdeka Square, or for those living in high-rise buildings, their balconies!
12. Malaysia Day
Not to be confused with Merdeka Day, Malaysia Day is celebrated on September 16th to remember the formation of Malaysia in 1963 when the Federation of Malaya united with Sabah, Sarawak, and Singapore (which later left in 1965).
This day is significant as it marks the birth of the nation as we know it today. Celebrations take place across the country with various cultural performances, concerts, and official ceremonies.
13. Awal Muharram
Awal Muharram, also known as Maal Hijrah, is the Islamic New Year and a significant observance for Muslims all around the world. This day celebrates the migration (Hijrah) of Prophet Muhammad and his followers from Mecca to Medina, symbolizing the beginning of the Islamic lunar calendar.
In Malaysia, Awal Muharram is a public holiday celebrated with various religious and community activities. Muslims attend prayers at mosques, where sermons focus on the themes of reflection and renewal. Many participate in charity events on this day, donating to those in need as a way to start the new year with acts of kindness and compassion.
14. Nuzul Quran
Nuzul Quran, observed by Muslims, celebrates the revelation of the first verses of the Quran to Prophet Muhammad by the Angel Gabriel. This significant event, believed to have occurred during the holy month of Ramadan, is observed with special prayers and Quranic recitations at the mosque.
In Malaysia, Nuzul Quran is a public holiday in several states.
15. Israk Mikraj
Israk Mikraj, another Muslim celebration, commemorates the miraculous night journey and ascension of Prophet Muhammad. According to Islamic tradition, the Prophet was transported from Mecca to Jerusalem (Israk) and then ascended to the heavens (Mikraj) in a single night.
This event, celebrated on the 27th day of Rajab in the Islamic calendar, holds deep spiritual significance and is observed with special prayers and sermons at the mosque.
Additional Tips
During peak holiday seasons, especially around major festivals, domestic travel within Malaysia can be extremely busy as people flock to their hometowns or go on family vacations. Roads are congested and tickets are either overpriced or sold out. If you have to travel during the holidays, consider these tips:
Plan early: Book your flights, accommodations, and transportation well in advance, as they tend to sell out quickly, so early planning can save you both money and stress.
Be flexible with dates: If possible, consider traveling a few days before or after the peak holiday dates to avoid the rush and potentially lower costs.
Travel off-peak: If your schedule allows, opt for traveling during non-peak hours or days. For example, consider traveling mid-week and in the middle of the night.
Stay informed: Keep track of public holiday dates and local events that may affect your travel plans. Check for any road closures, festivals, or special events happening in your destination that could impact travel routes and accommodations availability.
Check your vehicle: If you’re driving, expect heavy, and I mean really heavy, traffic. Bring enough food and drinks. Ensure your vehicle has enough fuel and is well-maintained for a smooth journey.
Consider alternative destinations: Explore less crowded destinations or off-the-beaten-path locations within Malaysia that offer unique experiences without the crowds.
Final Thoughts
Other than the well-known festivals like the ones mentioned above, there’s a whole mix of smaller and regional holidays that add even more flavor to the year, such as Easter, Chap Goh Mei, Federal Territory Day, and the kings’ birthdays.
As a Malaysian who has spent most of my life in the country, these celebrations are what I love most about being Malaysian. Not only do they showcase the rich cultural heritage and diversity, but also offer everyone a chance to take part and celebrate each other’s differences, even if you’re a foreigner. So, the next time you’re in Malaysia during one of these festivals, don’t miss the chance to join in the fun and experience it for yourself!
Have you taken part in any of these celebrations before? What was your experience like? Share in the comment section below.
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