Malaysia public holidays in the Year of the Rabbit 2023

Famous for a wide variety of things, from delicious delicacies and modern marvels, to its natural treasures and vibrant sacred sites, Malaysia is ready to welcome travelers from home and abroad. As the Year of the Rabbit draws near, it’s time to make travel plans for next year in advance and the key is to make full use of a public holiday to make a trip possible. Here we have collected Malaysia’s public holidays below and help you maximize your vacations.

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New Year's Day, which is on January 1, marks the start of the year in the Gregorian calendar and it's a public holiday in many countries including Malaysia. New Year’s Eve is usually celebrated with great gusto and delight in Malaysia, complete with flamboyant fireworks in the sky, street fairs all across the country, live concerts filled with fun-loving crowds and booze-filled parties in rooftop bars. People in Malaysia can enjoy great new year vibes in the country.

The Chinese New Year is one of the most important festivals in Malaysia. Also known as the Lunar New Year, this festival of renewal is of huge religious and cultural significance in the South-East Asian nation, where a quarter of the population claim Chinese ancestry.

The Chinese New Year offers an opportunity for families to come together and wish each other good fortune in the coming year. It is very common to give cards to relatives and friends, while many family gatherings are held on Lunar New Year's Eve.

Lunar New Year is more than a one-night celebration. Instead, the festivities usually extend over 15 days. It’s important to note that many businesses will be closed or have shorter opening hours, many Chinese districts will likely shut down throughout this period.

Nuzul Al-Quran happens during Ramadan, the holy month of the Muslim calendar. It marks the beginning of Quran’s revelation to the Prophet Muhammad. Ramadan in Malaysia is a month-long celebration. During this period, Muslims frequent the mosque for prayers and fast for a month.

Hari Raya Aidilfitri, also known as Hari Raya Puasa, is a public holiday that the Muslim community in Malaysia and all over the world celebrate to conclude the Ramadan holy month of fasting. In Malaysia, the first two days are regarded as public holidays but most will take a week off for this celebration.

Hari Raya Aidilfitri is considered as a merry celebration as it marks a person’s triumph and success on discipline and self-resistance which symbolizes refinement and rebirth.

Ketupat is one of the must-eat food at Hari Raya. It is usually served together with beef rending (beef cooked with coconut milk and malay spices) together with satay (skewered grilled meat).

The Labor Day, also known as International Worker's Day or May Day, is marked with a public holiday in over 80 countries including Malaysia. May Day falls on May 1, and has long been a focal point for demonstrations by various communist, socialist, and anarchist groups.

Wesak, also spelt Vesak, is a public holiday celebrated by Buddhists across the globe. The term Vesak comes from the name of a month in the Indian calendar.

This holiday is one of the most important festivals in the Buddhist calendar as it commemorates three significant events in Gautama Buddha’s life – namely his birthday, his enlightenment and his passing away. It is sometimes referred to as Buddha’s Birthday, Buddha Day or Buddha Purnima.

Yang di-Pertuan Agong’s Birthday is celebrated on the first Monday in June and it falls on June 5 in 2023. This public holiday gives the Malay people the day off to celebrate the birthday of their king.

The birthday of the head of state is celebrated across Malaysia, but the main events take place in Kuala Lumpur. Colorful military parades assemble to pledge their loyalty to their ruling monarch, and thousands of honored guests attend the Agong’s birthday luncheon. Most of them are senior government officials, military commanders, and other members of Malaysian royalty.

Hari Raya Haji, is regarded as the local Malaysian name for the Muslim holiday of Eid al Adha, “the Feast of Sacrifice”. It is also called “Hari Raya Korban” and, in by pronouncing what are normally three words as one, “Aidiladha”.

It falls on June 29 in 2023. In general, local people celebrate by rising early to pray, going to mosque to hear a sermon, wearing new clothes, visiting family and friends, and eating a large and festive meal.

Awal Muharram (known as Maal Hijrah in Malaysia) celebrates the beginning of the Islamic New Year and is historic occasion for Muslims around the world. Muharram, derived from the word haram, which means forbidden, is a month considered most sacred of all besides the month of Ramadan. During this time, Muslims are forbidden to fight; hence, a time of mourning and peace.

To mark Awal Muharram, Muslims attend various religious activities, spiritual singing, religious meetings throughout the country. They recite Koranic verses and hold special prayers and sermons at public halls and mosques.

August 31 marks the day that the Federation of Malaya gained its independence from the UK in 1957.

In general, the Malaysians celebrate this big event with great excitement, fireworks and the Merdeka Parade. While every major city has its own celebration of Hari Merdeka, Kuala Lumpur is undoubtedly the place to be at this day of the year.

Waving flags and smiling faces everywhere express the patriotism and love of the Malaysians towards their unique country. Independence Day serves as a reminder to all Malaysians to appreciate the tough fight our ancestors had fought and to educate the current generation about the spirit of Independence.

Malaysia Day is a public holiday that is observed on September 16 each year oriented around the founding of the Malaysian Federation. In the Malay language, Malaysia Day is known as Hari Malaysia. Because of the overall themes of Malaysia Day, the holiday is often celebrated by many patriotic Malaysians.

To celebrate Malaysia’s sovereignty, Malaysia Day became an official public holiday in 2010. This public holiday gives Malaysians a chance to learn about their nation’s history while enjoying festivities with their friends and family members.

Prophet Muhammad’s Birthday is commemorated by Muslims during the month of Rabi’ al-awwal, the third month of the Muslim calendar. Also called Maulud Nabi in Malaysia, this holiday is commonly marked by religious lectures and readings of the Quran.

Deepavali is the most festive holiday of the year for the Hindus around the world, and it is an official public holiday in many countries with significant Hindu populations, including Malaysia.

The date of Deepavali is determined by the Hindu lunar calendar, and so its date on the Gregorian calendar varies from year to year. And in the year of 2023, it falls on November 12-13.

Christmas Day is celebrated across Malaysia every 25 December to commemorate the birth of Jesus. As the final important event in the annual federal holiday calendar and a major shopping and travel holiday, people in Malaysia usually celebrate Christmas with the traditional family gathering and exchange of gifts.

Kuala Lumpur is the capital city of Malaysia. Its tropical climate makes it summer all year round. There is verdant plant life everywhere. Fans of the great outdoors can trek to the Batu Caves or the Genting Highlands for natural landscapes, while those who prefer a cultural landscape can visit Dataran Merdeka (Independence Square) or the National Mosque. Those who prefer to spend their holidays sampling delicious local food can go to Petaling Street or try fusion dining at fine restaurants like Cilantro.