Occasionally, some residents in Singapore would plan a short getaway over the weekend to Malaysia for affordable dining, shopping and exploring thanks to the favourable currency exchange rate.
For those who are taking a trip to Malaysia, you may want to consider the public holidays and long weekends that will be taking place in Malaysia so you can make the most of your trip.
If your trip coincides with major holidays in Malaysia, you could expect overcrowding on expressways, public transportations and at travel hotspots. For example, during the recent Raya long weekend holidays from 29 March (Saturday) to 1 April (Tuesday), there were several videos posted on social media platform depicting the congestion on Karak highway leading to popular destination Genting Highlands.
Major Public Holidays In Malaysia
In 2025, there are a total of 16 major public holidays. As you can see in the table below, there will be several public holidays taking place on Monday and Friday, creating opportunities for long weekends.
You may also notice that some public holidays fall on the weekends. According to Malaysia’s employment law, if a public holiday falls on a rest day – which is Sunday – the following workday after the rest day will be a paid holiday as a substitution.
Malaysia Public Holidays In 2025
| 1 | New Year | 1 Jan | Wed |
| 2 & 3 | Chinese New Year | 29 Jan – 30 Jan | Wed – Thu |
| 4 | Nuzul al-Quran | 18 Mar | Tue |
| 5 & 6 | Hari Raya Puasa | 31 Mar – 1 Apr | Mon – Tue |
| 7 | Labour Day | 1 May | Thu |
| 8 | Wesak Day | 12 May | Mon |
| 9 | Birthday of the Yang di-Pertuan Agong | 2 Jun | Mon |
| 10 | Hari Raya Haji | 7 Jun | Sat |
| 11 | Awal Muharam | 27 Jun | Fri |
| 12 | National Day | 31 Aug | Sun |
| 13 | Prophet Muhammad’s Birthday | 5 Sep | Fri |
| 14 | Malaysia Day | 16 Sep | Tue |
| 15 | Deepavali | 20 Oct | Mon |
| 16 | Christmas | 25 Dec | Thu |
Six Upcoming Long Weekends
Wesak Day (Monday, 12 May 2025)
Singapore and Malaysia celebrate Wesak Day on 12 May 2025 (Monday), creating a three-day long weekend in both countries from 10 May 2025 (Saturday) to 12 May 2025 (Monday).
With the countries sharing the same public holiday, you may experience double the crowds, with the locals in Malaysia being out and about as well as possibly tourists from Singapore.
It was reported that around 1.5 million people travelled through the Tuas and Woodlands checkpoint in 2023 during the Wesak holiday– about four times the 400,000 travellers crossing the checkpoints on a regular day.
Birthday of the Yang di-Pertuan Agong (Monday, 2 June 2025)
The next long weekend in Malaysia would be during the birthday of the Yang di-Pertuan Agong on 2 June 2025 (Monday).
This public holiday coincides with the June school break (for primary and secondary schools) in Malaysia, occurring from 29 May 2025 to 9 June 2025.
Many working parents may take this opportunity to spend a three-day long weekend holiday with their school going children from 31 May 2025 (Saturday) to 2 June 2025 (Monday).
Awal Muharram (Friday, 27 June 2025)
On the same month of June, Malaysians will enjoy another three-day long weekend with the revelry of Awal Muharram (Islamic New Year) from 27 June 2025 (Friday) to 29 June 2025 (Sunday).
As it’s a relatively short holiday period of three days, some Malaysians may choose to travel within the country for a getaway, drive back to their hometown in another state to visit their families or be out and about in Kuala Lumpur city centre.
National Day (Sunday, 31 August 2025)
Malaysia’s 68th National Day falls on 31 August 2025 (Sunday).
As the public holiday is on a rest day, there will be a replacement holiday on the following workday, which is 1 September 2025 (Monday), creating opportunity for a three-day long weekend.
During 31 August 2025, there will be a parade at the Independence Square In Kuala Lumpur.
Prophet Muhammad’s Birthday (Friday, 5 September 2025)
Malaysia celebrates Prophet Muhammad’s Birthday on 5 September 2025, which is a Friday, marking the beginning of a three-day long weekend from 5 September 2025 (Friday) to 7 September 2025 (Sunday).
The Prophet Muhammad’s Birthday precedes the September school vacation in Singapore from 6 September 2025 (Saturday) to 14 September 2025 (Sunday).
If you’re planning a trip to Malaysia during this vacation, you could experience overcrowding on the roads.
Deepavali (Monday, 20 October 2025)
Another shared holiday between Singapore and Malaysia is Deepavali on 20 October 2025 (Monday). With that, Malaysians will get to enjoy a long weekend holiday from 18 October 2025 (Saturday) to 20 October 2025 (Monday).
When planning a holiday, timing can play an important part in ensuring smooth travels. On one hand, when traveling to a country during their holiday season, one gets to witness unique and historical events associated with the celebration. On the other hand, higher travel volume during holiday seasons in the destination could mean congested roads, longer queue and overcrowded attractions. For certain major holidays, there may also be temporary closure of shops and services.
Read Also: What Are The Different Weekends In Malaysian States, And How It Started In The First Place?
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