Brunei Public Holidays List 2026

Brunei has 13 national public holidays in 2026 — with Hari Raya Aidilfitri spanning three days — reflecting the country's Malay Islamic Monarchy. The calendar is predominantly Islamic: Hari Raya Aidilfitri, Hari Raya Aidiladha, the start of Ramadan, Nuzul Al-Quran, Israk Mikraj, Awal Muharram and Maulidur Rasul, alongside National Day, the Sultan's Birthday, Chinese New Year and Christmas. Below is the official list with dates, the day of the week, and the type of each holiday.

Last updated: 10 June 2026

Official Source:

Public holidays are gazetted under Brunei's Holidays Act (Chapter 154) by the Prime Minister's Office, with Islamic holiday dates confirmed by the Ministry of Religious Affairs based on the Hijri calendar and official moon-sighting.

# Date Day Holiday Type
1 1 Jan 2026 Thursday New Year's Day International
2 17 Jan 2026 Saturday Israk Mikraj Religious
3 17 Feb 2026 Tuesday Chinese New Year Cultural
4 19 Feb 2026 Thursday First Day of Ramadan Religious
5 23 Feb 2026 Monday National Day National
6 7 Mar 2026 Saturday Nuzul Al-Quran Religious
7 21 Mar 2026 Saturday Hari Raya Aidilfitri (Day 1) Religious
8 22 Mar 2026 Sunday Hari Raya Aidilfitri (Day 2) Religious
9 23 Mar 2026 Monday Hari Raya Aidilfitri (Day 3) Religious
10 27 May 2026 Wednesday Hari Raya Aidiladha Religious
11 31 May 2026 Sunday Royal Brunei Armed Forces Day (observed Mon 1 Jun) National
12 17 Jun 2026 Wednesday Awal Muharram (Islamic New Year) Religious
13 15 Jul 2026 Wednesday His Majesty the Sultan's Birthday Royal
14 25 Aug 2026 Tuesday Maulidur Rasul (Prophet's Birthday) Religious
15 25 Dec 2026 Friday Christmas Day (observed Sat 26 Dec) Religious

How Brunei Holidays Impact Payroll and Leave Management?

Every region, and country, operates differently when it comes to Public Holidays. When we talk about Hari Raya Aidilfitri in Brunei, it feels like a grand celebration - people are on leave and enjoying their personal time. All this is bound to bring changes in attendance, increased leave requests, and varied working arrangements which impacts payroll accuracy and leave processes for both employers and employees.

While all of these issues can impact adversely, if enterprises are well-prepared and rely on technology instead of human intervention; it will help in aligning pay cycles, overtime, and statutory requirements without disruption. This not just eases processes for the employer but aids employees while providing clarity on leave entitlements, pay calculations, and timely compensation during a high-expectation period.

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Frequently Asked Questions

13 national public holidays in 2026, with Hari Raya Aidilfitri running three days. Most are Islamic observances, alongside National Day, the Sultan's Birthday, Chinese New Year and Christmas.

Most of Brunei's holidays follow the Hijri lunar calendar — Hari Raya Aidilfitri, Aidiladha, the start of Ramadan, Nuzul Al-Quran, Israk Mikraj, Awal Muharram and Maulidur Rasul — and are confirmed by official moon-sighting, so they can shift by a day.

Yes. Chinese New Year (17 February 2026) is a national public holiday, alongside Christmas, even though the calendar is predominantly Islamic.