We might be a few months into 2024, but there are still a lot of public holidays from May onwards! While a one-day break from work is still sufficient, we’re confident many of you would love to have a long weekend for that holiday you’ve been planning or just for some me-time.
From May until December, there are nine national public holidays, with only one of the holidays falling on a weekend. If you still have some annual leaves waiting to get used up, here’s how to utilise your leave to maximise your breaks.
Public Holidays in 2024 (May – December):
- 1st May (Wednesday): Labour Day
- 22nd May (Wednesday): Wesak Day
- 3rd June (Monday): Agong’s Birthday
- 17th June (Monday): Hari Raya Haji
- 8th July (Monday): Awal Muharram (Replacement Holiday)
- 31st August (Saturday): Merdeka
- 16th September (Monday): Malaysia Day & Prophet Muhammad’s Birthday
- 31st October (Thursday): Deepavali
- 25th December (Wednesday): Christmas Day
Changing a single-day public holiday into a long weekend only takes proper planning – and knowing exactly which days to apply for leave. Check out our cheat sheet to ensure which dates and days are the best to apply for your annual leave:
- Labour Day: 2 Days Leave on 2nd – 3rd May (Thursday & Friday) = 5 Days Break; 1st – 5th May (Wednesday – Sunday)
- Wesak Day: 2 Days Leave on 23rd – 24th May (Thursday & Friday) = 5 Days Break; 22nd – 26th May (Wednesday – Sunday)
- Agong’s Birthday: 1 Day Leave On 31st May (Friday) = 4 Days Break; 31st May – 3rd June (Friday – Monday)
- Hari Raya Haji: 1 Day Leave On 14th June (Friday) = 4 Days Break; 14th – 17th June (Friday – Monday)
- Awal Muharram: 1 Day Leave On 5th July (Friday) = 4 Days Break; 5th – 8th July (Friday – Monday)
- Malaysia Day & Prophet Muhammad’s Birthday: 1 Day Leave On 13th September (Friday) = 4 Days Break; 13th – 16th July (Friday – Monday)
- Deepavali: 1 Day Leave On 1st November (Friday) = 4 Days Break; 31st October – 3rd November (Thursday – Sunday)
- Christmas Day: 2 Days Leave on 26th – 27th May (Thursday & Friday) = 5 Days Break; 25th – 29th May (Wednesday – Sunday)
Remember to use those annual leaves wisely – and happy planning! For those who don’t have any holiday plans just yet, feel free to consider the following suggestions:
- Cameron Highlands’s Latest Greece-Inspired Attraction
- Sentosa Sensoryscape in Singapore
- Ubon Ratchathani: Discovering Thailand’s Lesser-Known Paradise
- Adventurous Activities in Japan
- Cultural Experiences to explore in Japan
- Gangwon’s Hidden Gems in South Korea
