Public holidays
Mauritius: 15 public holiday dates in 2026 (15 days off) and 15 in 2027 (15 days off), with 251 working days in 2026 and 252 in 2027. National holidays only: regional ones are not included.
| Date | ISO week | Holiday | Day off |
|---|---|---|---|
| Thursday 1 January 2026 | 2026-W01 | New Year's Day | Yes |
| Friday 2 January 2026 | 2026-W01 | Day after New Year's Day | Yes |
| Sunday 1 February 2026 | 2026-W05 | Abolition of Slavery | Yes |
| Monday 2 February 2026 | 2026-W06 | Thaipusam | Yes |
| Sunday 15 February 2026 | 2026-W07 | Maha Shivaratri | Yes |
| Tuesday 17 February 2026 | 2026-W08 | Chinese Spring Festival | Yes |
| Thursday 12 March 2026 | 2026-W11 | Independence and Republic Day | Yes |
| Thursday 19 March 2026 | 2026-W12 | Ugadi | Yes |
| Saturday 21 March 2026 | 2026-W12 | Eid al-Fitr | Yes |
| Friday 1 May 2026 | 2026-W18 | Labor Day | Yes |
| Saturday 15 August 2026 | 2026-W33 | Assumption Day | Yes |
| Monday 14 September 2026 | 2026-W38 | Ganesh Chaturthi | Yes |
| Monday 2 November 2026 | 2026-W45 | Arrival of Indentured Laborers | Yes |
| Sunday 8 November 2026 | 2026-W45 | Diwali | Yes |
| Friday 25 December 2026 | 2026-W52 | Christmas Day | Yes |
| Date | ISO week | Holiday | Day off |
|---|---|---|---|
| Friday 1 January 2027 | 2026-W53 | New Year's Day | Yes |
| Saturday 2 January 2027 | 2026-W53 | Day after New Year's Day | Yes |
| Friday 22 January 2027 | 2027-W03 | Thaipusam | Yes |
| Monday 1 February 2027 | 2027-W05 | Abolition of Slavery | Yes |
| Saturday 6 February 2027 | 2027-W05 | Chinese Spring Festival | Yes |
| Saturday 6 March 2027 | 2027-W09 | Maha Shivaratri | Yes |
| Wednesday 10 March 2027 | 2027-W10 | Eid al-Fitr | Yes |
| Friday 12 March 2027 | 2027-W10 | Independence and Republic Day | Yes |
| Wednesday 7 April 2027 | 2027-W14 | Ugadi | Yes |
| Saturday 1 May 2027 | 2027-W17 | Labor Day | Yes |
| Saturday 4 September 2027 | 2027-W35 | Ganesh Chaturthi | Yes |
| Friday 29 October 2027 | 2027-W43 | Diwali | Yes |
| Monday 1 November 2027 | 2027-W44 | All Saints' Day | Yes |
| Tuesday 2 November 2027 | 2027-W44 | Arrival of Indentured Laborers | Yes |
| Saturday 25 December 2027 | 2027-W51 | Christmas Day | Yes |
| Holiday | 2026 | 2027 | Shift |
|---|---|---|---|
| Maha Shivaratri | Sunday 15 February 2026 | Saturday 6 March 2027 | +20 days, changes month |
| Ugadi | Thursday 19 March 2026 | Wednesday 7 April 2027 | +19 days, changes month |
| Thaipusam | Monday 2 February 2026 | Friday 22 January 2027 | −11 days, changes month |
| Chinese Spring Festival | Tuesday 17 February 2026 | Saturday 6 February 2027 | −11 days |
| Eid al-Fitr | Saturday 21 March 2026 | Wednesday 10 March 2027 | −11 days |
| Ganesh Chaturthi | Monday 14 September 2026 | Saturday 4 September 2027 | −10 days |
| Diwali | Sunday 8 November 2026 | Friday 29 October 2027 | −10 days, changes month |
A shift ignores the year: +19 days means 19 days later in the calendar.
| Month | 2026 | 2027 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| January | 20 | 19 | −1 |
| February | 18 | 19 | +1 |
| March | 20 | 21 | +1 |
| April | 22 | 21 | −1 |
| May | 20 | 21 | +1 |
| June | 22 | 22 | 0 |
| July | 23 | 22 | −1 |
| August | 21 | 22 | +1 |
| September | 21 | 22 | +1 |
| October | 22 | 20 | −2 |
| November | 20 | 20 | 0 |
| December | 22 | 23 | +1 |
| Q1 | 58 | 59 | +1 |
| Q2 | 64 | 64 | 0 |
| Q3 | 65 | 66 | +1 |
| Q4 | 64 | 63 | −1 |
| Year | 251 | 252 | +1 |
Weekdays by the local weekend (Sunday and Saturday), minus the public holidays most people have off.
The first day of the calendar year in the Gregorian calendar, 1 January. Cultures and religions that follow a lunisolar or lunar calendar celebrate their New Year at other points of the year. Japan celebrates New Year on 1 January, in accordance with the Gregorian calendar, instead of with the Chinese calendar that was in use until 1873.
At work: Fine to mention, and a natural moment to wish colleagues well.
New Year's Day is celebrated by Mauritians of all origins and is a two-day holiday, 1–2 January. Some Mauritians keep vigils on New Year's Eve and set off fireworks.
At work: Welcome to mention. A day off.
1 February commemorates the end of slavery in Mauritius in 1835.
At work: Fine to mention with respect. A day off in Mauritius.
A Tamil Hindu festival celebrated on the first full moon day of the Tamil month of Thai, coinciding with the Pusam star. It commemorates the victory of the Hindu god Murugan over the demon Surapadman.
At work: Welcome to mention, especially among Tamil Hindus. A day off.
The "Great Night of Shiva", a Hindu festival dedicated to Shiva. Devotees fast, chant and pray through the night, and visit temples. It is one of the largest annual festivals at the Pashupatinath Temple in Kathmandu, and in Mauritius Hindus make a pilgrimage to the crater lake of Ganga Talao.
At work: Respectful to mention. Many Hindu colleagues fast or spend the night at a temple, so they may be tired the next day.
The start of the year in the traditional lunisolar calendar, also called the Spring Festival, celebrated by Chinese communities around the world. Customs include red envelopes, firecrackers, lion and dragon dances and red lanterns. Korea celebrates its own lunar New Year as Seollal and Vietnam as Tết.
At work: Very welcome to mention. It is one of the most important holidays in Chinese culture, so plan deadlines and shipments around it.
12 March celebrates Mauritius's independence from Britain in 1968. The country became a republic in 1992.
At work: Very welcome to mention. A day off.
Ugadi/Gudi Padwa is the Hindu New Year for Telugus and Marathis, a festival of the Telugu and Marathi communities in Mauritius.
At work: Welcome to mention, especially among Hindus. A day off.
Eid al-Fitr, the "festival of breaking the fast", is the first of the two main festivals in Islam. It falls on the first day of Shawwal, the tenth month of the Islamic calendar, and marks the end of the month-long, dawn-to-dusk fasting of Ramadan. It begins with a communal prayer and is followed by visits to relatives, giving gifts and sharing meals.
At work: Very welcome to mention. Its date follows the lunar calendar and shifts every year, so keep plans flexible. During Ramadan itself, colleagues who fast may prefer meetings earlier in the day and not over lunch.
International Workers' Day, on 1 May, honours workers and the labour movement. The date was chosen to commemorate the 1886 general strike in the United States that culminated in the Haymarket affair, and the day was adopted in support of a "great international demonstration" for the eight-hour day.
At work: Fine to mention the day off. In some countries it has a political side, so keep it about the break.
The Assumption of Mary is the Catholic dogma that Mary, at the end of her earthly life, was taken body and soul into heaven. It is celebrated on 15 August. The Eastern Churches have an equivalent belief, the Dormition.
At work: Fine to mention. A public holiday in many Catholic countries.
Ganesh Chaturthi is celebrated by the Marathi-speaking community in Mauritius on the 4th day of the lunar month of the Hindu calendar. It marks the birthday of Lord Ganesha.
At work: Welcome to mention, especially among Hindus. A day off.
2 November commemorates the contribution of Indian indentured labourers to the heritage and development of Mauritius.
At work: Very welcome to mention. A day off.
Diwali is the Hindu festival of lights, with variations celebrated by Jains and Sikhs. It symbolises the victory of light over darkness and good over evil. Celebrants light their homes, temples and workplaces with oil lamps, candles and lanterns, and the festival is marked with fireworks. It is connected to Rama's return to his kingdom after defeating the demon king Ravana, and to Lakshmi, the goddess of prosperity.
At work: Very welcome to mention, especially among Hindus. The celebrations generally last five or six days, so some colleagues may be away.
Christmas is an annual festival commemorating the birth of Jesus Christ, observed primarily on 25 December. Eastern Christian Churches that follow the older Julian calendar celebrate it on 25 December of that calendar, which currently corresponds to 7 January. It is a public holiday in many countries, and many non-Christians celebrate it culturally too.
At work: Widely welcome to mention. Plan important meetings before the break. If you're unsure whether someone celebrates it, "Happy holidays" is a safe choice.
A Christian holy day celebrated in honour of all the saints of the Church, on 1 November in the Catholic Church. It is followed by All Souls' Day on 2 November. Where it is a public holiday, cemetery rituals such as offerings of flowers, candles and prayers for the graves of loved ones often take place. The Eastern Orthodox Church celebrates it on the first Sunday after Pentecost.
At work: Fine to mention, but it is a reflective day about remembering loved ones, not a festive one, so avoid "Happy All Saints' Day".
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