Myanmar Public Holidays List 2026

Myanmar has one of the longest public-holiday calendars in Southeast Asia — around 31 public holiday days in 2026, anchored by the nine-day Thingyan (water festival) New Year period in April. The calendar is dominated by Buddhist full-moon festivals and national commemorations, alongside Chinese New Year, Labour Day, Eid al-Adha, Deepavali and Christmas. Below is the official list with dates, the day of the week, and the type of each holiday.

Date Day Holiday Holiday Type
1 Jan Thursday New Year's Day International
2 Jan Friday Day after New Year's Day International
4 Jan Sunday Independence Day National
12 Feb Thursday Union Day National
13 Feb Friday Union Day (bridge day) National
16 Feb Monday Chinese New Year (Day 1) Cultural
17 Feb Tuesday Chinese New Year (Day 2) Cultural
2 Mar Monday Full Moon Day of Tabaung & Peasants' Day Religious / National
27 Mar Friday Armed Forces Day (Tatmadaw Day) National
11 Apr Saturday Thingyan Water Festival Traditional
12 Apr Sunday Thingyan Water Festival Traditional
13 Apr Monday Thingyan Water Festival Traditional
14 Apr Tuesday Thingyan Water Festival Traditional
15 Apr Wednesday Thingyan Water Festival Traditional
16 Apr Thursday Thingyan Water Festival Traditional
17 Apr Friday Burmese New Year's Day Traditional
18 Apr Saturday Burmese New Year Holiday Traditional
19 Apr Sunday Burmese New Year Holiday Traditional
30 Apr Thursday Full Moon Day of Kason (Buddha's Birthday) Religious
1 May Friday Labour Day International
28 May Thursday Eid al-Adha Religious
19 Jul Sunday Martyrs' Day National
29 Jul Wednesday Full Moon Day of Waso (start of Buddhist Lent) Religious
25 Oct Sunday Full Moon Day of Thadingyut Religious
26 Oct Monday Thadingyut Holiday Religious
27 Oct Tuesday Thadingyut Holiday Religious
8 Nov Sunday Deepavali Religious
23 Nov Monday Full Moon Day of Tazaungmone Religious
24 Nov Tuesday Tazaungmone Holiday Religious
4 Dec Friday National Day National
25 Dec Friday Christmas Day Religious

Official Source:
Public holidays are gazetted annually by the Government of Myanmar under the Leave and Holidays Act. Buddhist full-moon dates are set by the traditional Myanmar calendar, and Eid al-Adha and Deepavali are confirmed nearer the time. Re-confirm against the official government gazette before finalising payroll.

How Myanmar Holidays Impact Payroll and Leave Management?

Every region, and country, operates differently when it comes to Public Holidays. When we talk about Thingyan (the water festival) in Myanmar, 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

Around 31 public holiday days in 2026 (32 gazetted holidays) — one of the longest calendars in the region, largely because the Thingyan New Year period alone runs nine days.

The Thingyan water festival and Burmese New Year run 11–19 April 2026 (nine days), with offices and banks closed throughout.

Buddhist full-moon holidays follow the traditional lunisolar calendar, and Eid al-Adha and Deepavali depend on moon-sighting and announcement, so several dates can shift by a day — confirm against the official gazette before finalising payroll.