New Year’s Day | Sunday, 1 January
New Year’s Day is the first day of the year, in the Gregorian calendar, and falls exactly one week after the Christmas Day of the previous year. New Year’s Day is a public holiday in all countries that observe the Gregorian calendar, with the exception of Israel. This makes it the world’s most widely observed public holiday.
Chinese/Lunar New Year | Sunday, 22 – Monday 23 January
Chinese New Year is a public holiday that allows Chinese people to reunite with their families and celebrate the arrival of the new lunar year. Chinese New Year is always celebrated on the first day of the Chinese lunar calendar. According to the Gregorian calendar, this holiday always occurs in January or February.
Isra Mi’raj | Saturday, 18 February
The Ascension of the Prophet Muhammad is a major holiday in Indonesia. This holiday is also known as Isra Mi’raj, and falls on the 27th day of Rajab, the 7th month in the Islamic Calendar.
Nyepi Day – Bali Hindu New Year | Wednesday, 22 – Thursday, 23 March
One of Indonesia’s most unique holidays is Hindu New Year. Hindu New Year is also known as Hari Raya Nyepi. Hari Raya Nyepi is a day of silence and self-reflection. Hari Raya Nyepi is celebrated on the first day of the Saka lunar calendar. The Hindu celebrations in Bali can last up to several days.
Good Friday | Friday, 7 April
Good Friday is a public holiday in Indonesia, where about 10 percent of the population are Christian. The Easter weekend is celebrated mainly among Christians, though the public holiday on Good Friday is a day-off for all.
Eid Al-Fitr – Lebaran Holiday & Hari Raya Idul Fitri | Wednesday, 19 April – Tuesday, day, 25 April
Hari Raya Idul Fitri is an Indonesian holiday that celebrates the conclusion of the fasting month of Ramadan. The Hari Raya Idul Fitri holiday period is also known as Lebaran. Lebaran is a series of public holidays that allow Indonesians to spend time with their friends and family members.
International Labor Day | Monday, 1 May
Labour Day is a holiday every 1 May in Indonesia to celebrate the contributions of workers to the nation’s economy, and to draw attention to the workers’ rights that have been gained so far – and those that are still being fought for.
Ascension Day of Jesus Christ | Thursday, 18 May
The Ascension Day of Jesus Christ always falls on a Thursday and is a day when Christians celebrate the ascension of Jesus Christ into heaven as recorded in the Bible. It is a public holiday across Indonesia.
Pancasila Day | Thursday, 1 June
Pancasila Day is a new official public holiday in Indonesia, having been declared such by the sitting president Joko Widodo in 2016.
Waisak Day | Friday, 2 & Sunday, 4 June
Waisak Day is a holiday in Indonesia that celebrates the life, death, and enlightenment of Buddha. The holiday is significant for Indonesia’s 1.7 million Buddhists, while the majority of the population enjoy a day-off from their usual work or school activities.
Eid Al-Adha | Thursday, 29 June
Idul Adha is an Islamic holiday in Indonesia that is also known as the Day of Sacrifice. Idul Adha is celebrated on the 10th day of Dhu al-Hijjah, the last month on the Islamic Hijrah calendar.
Islamic New Year | Wednesday, 19 July
Islamic New Year is an important time for Indonesian Muslims, and is the celebration of the arrival of the new year according to the Islamic lunar calendar. In Indonesian, Islamic New Year is known as Muharram.
Independence Day of the Republic of Indonesia | Thursday, 17 August
Independence Day in Indonesia is a patriotic public holiday every 17 August to celebrate the foundation of Indonesia as an independent nation. It is also referred to as Hari Merdeka.
Birthday of Prophet Muhammad | Thursday, 28 September
The birthday of the Prophet Muhammad is observed with a public holiday in Indonesia. Also known as Maulid Nabi, the date of this holiday is based in the Islamic lunar calendar. Maulid Nabi falls on the 12th day of the third Islamic month of Rabi’ al-awwal.
Christmas Day | Thursday, 25 – Friday, 26 December
Christmas is a Christian holiday that is fairly popular throughout Indonesia where about 25 million people are Christian. In Indonesia, it is commonly referred to as Natal. It is celebrated on 25 December each year.
