Public Holidays in Dubai
It is always useful to find out the public holidays of a destination when planning a trip or holiday. In the case of Dubai, this is not easy, since the majority of its public holidays take place around the lunar calendar, which is why it is impossible to know them exactly.
Although the indicated dates are only a guide, finding out about the most important celebrations is a good introduction to the Muslim world before traveling there in person.
Public holidays in Dubai
- Christian New Year: 1 January.
- Islamic New Year (Al-Hijra): The first day of the first month of the Islamic Calender.
- Birth of the Prophet (Mouloud): Celebration of the birth of Muhammad.
- Succession of Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan: 6 August. Commemoration of the day when the future first president of the UAE ascended to the throne.
- The Prophet's Ascension (Leilat al-Meiraj): Commemoration of the prophet Muhammed's ascension to heaven.
- Ramadan: Ninth-month in the Muslim calendar. For 30 days a daylight fast is observed, with food and drink only being consumed after sunset.
- The End of Ramadan (Eid al-Fitr): Three-day festival in which the month-long fast is broken.
- Festival of Sacrifice (Eid al-Adha): With an unfixed date, this festival is one of the most important in the Muslim world. For four days, families meet up to feast on a sacrificed animal.
- National Day: Decembre 2. Celebration of the formation of the United Arab Emirates.
- Christian Christmas: 25 December.
