Mauritius Public Holidays
2026 with calendar
Check the Mauritius public holidays before booking your flights. Why? They include traditional festivals to delight you. Don’t miss out on our cultural attractions!
I have explained their origin and meaning for you.
Traditional Hindu festivals: Ganesh, Maha Shivaratree, Thaipoosam Cavadee...
It would be such a pity to travel all the way to our island and and not experience at least one festival!
List of Mauritius Public Holidays 2026
Thursday 1 January - New Year’s Day
Friday 2 January - New Year Holiday
Sunday 1 February - Abolition of Slavery
Sunday 1 February - Thaipoosam Cavadee
Sunday 15 February - Maha Shivaratree (Hindu Pilgrimage)
Tuesday 17 February - Chinese New Year (Spring Festival)
Thursday 12 March - National Day / Independence Day
Thursday 19 March – Ougadi or Ugaadi (Telegu New Year)
Saturday 21 March- Eid-Ul-Fitr ** End of Ramadan
Friday 1 May - Labour Day
Saturday 15 August - Assumption of the blessed Virgin Mary
Wednesday 16 September - Ganesh Chaturthi (Hindu Festival)
Monday 2 November - Arrival of Indentured Labourers
Sunday 8 November - Divali Festival of Lights
Mon 25 December - Christmas
** Eid-Ul-Fitr ** the Muslim Ramadan depends on the local sightings of the moon.
Mauritius public holidays 2026
How many public holidays are there in Mauritius?
15 public holidays and counting ...
It must have been a difficult decision for the government to select the number of public holidays to allocate to each religion. Who wants to offend anyone’s religious belief? After lengthy debates the number was reduced from 21 to 15!
Add cyclones visiting us without being invited and the number of holidays gets longer and longer.
Celebrate with us ...
Important note:
Seven holidays are fixed holidays. Others change from year to year. It depends on the lunar calendar.
The Tamil New Year and the Thaipoosam Cavadee celebrations alternate every second year. Our government tries very hard to please all religious faiths. Don’t worry the festivals will still take place.
We have one cultural festival celebrated all over the island which is not a public holiday.
Holi the Festival of Colours will start on Wednesday 4th March and will end on Thursday 5th March in the evening.
Choose a Mauritian public holiday. Join us and celebrate our rich heritage and 'joie de vivre'.
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