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!
Wed 1 January - New Year’s Day
Thu 2 January - New Year Holiday
Wed 29 January - Chinese New Year (Spring Festival)
Sat 1 February - Abolition of Slavery
Tue 11 February - Thaipoosam Cavadee
Wed 26 February - Maha Shivaratree (Hindu Pilgrimage)
Wed 12 March - National Day / Independence Day
Sun 30 March – Ougadi or Ugaadi (Telegu New Year)
Mon 31 March- Eid-Ul-Fitr ** End of Ramadan
Thur 1 May - Labour Day
Thur 28 Aug - Ganesh Chaturthi (Hindu Festival)
Mon 20 October - Divali Festival of Lights
Thu 2 November - Arrival of Indentured Labourers
Mon 25 December - Christmas
** Eid-Ul-Fitr ** the Muslim Ramadan depends on the local sightings of the moon.
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 Monday 9th March and will end on Tuesday 10st March in the evening.
Choose a Mauritian public holiday. Join us and celebrate our rich heritage and 'joie de vivre'.
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