Planning · Tue 27 Oct 2026
Malaysia's public holidays 2027: the spine of the festival year
The gazetted holidays that shape Malaysia's 2027 calendar: Thaipusam, Chinese New Year, Hari Raya, Kaamatan, Gawai, Merdeka and Deepavali, and the long weekends they create.
Malaysia's event calendar hangs on its public holidays more than most countries': the festivals are the holidays, and the whole country plans its travel around them. These are the federal dates on this calendar for 2027, taken from the government holiday calendar, with the state festivals that sit alongside them. State holidays vary, and the event pages carry the detail for each one.
The year in holidays
Thaipusam, 22 January: the Hindu festival that fills Batu Caves, a holiday in the states and territories that celebrate it, and the single most spectacular morning on the calendar. Federal Territory Day, 1 February: Kuala Lumpur, Putrajaya and Labuan only. Chinese New Year, from 6 February: two federal days, the great migration home, and George Town's Miaohui celebrations on 14 February. Hari Raya Aidilfitri, from 10 March: the end of Ramadan, two federal days and the great balik kampung of the year. Hari Raya Haji, 17 May and Wesak Day, 20 May follow in the same month.
Kaamatan, 30 and 31 May is Sabah's harvest festival, Gawai Dayak, 1 and 2 June is Sarawak's: together they open the mid-year festival season that runs to the Rainforest World Music Festival in late June. Awal Muharram on 6 June and the Agong's Birthday on 7 June stack into the same week. Maulidur Rasul falls on 15 August, Merdeka Day on 31 August marks the 70th National Day, and Malaysia Day on 16 September remembers the federation's formation. Deepavali falls on 28 October in 2027, late enough to run into the MotoGP weekend, and Christmas Day closes the year.
Using the spine
The practical lesson is that hotel prices and flight loads follow this list, not the school terms of any other country. If a festival on this calendar matters to you, find its holiday, count the long weekend it creates, and book before the domestic market does. Every date above is a listing on this site with its official source attached.
More reading on the articles page, or go straight to the events calendar.