UAE Public Holidays in 2023 - Complete List

Knowing about the dates of UAE public holidays is a habit of many of us, as it helps us to plan our 2023 UAE holidays accordingly in advance.

If you want to try some fantastic trips with your friends and family inside the country in Dubai or Abu Dhabi or planning to travel overseas, everything depends on how well you are aware of the upcoming long weekends in UAE.

So, we are here to help you with a complete list of public holidays in UAE throughout the year 2023.

Guessing how many UAE holidays in 2023 you are getting?

Well, you can enjoy 14 days of official holidays in 2023, starting with New Year’s Day on January 1 and concluding with the UAE National Day Holidays on December 2 and 3.

Have a look at each of them in detail below:

New Year’s Day:

In 2023, New Year’s Day fell on Sunday, January 1 & it was a fitting start to the new year with lots of fun moments with your loved ones.

Eid Al Fitr:

The first long public holidays of the year 2023 in UAE comes during the celebration of Eid Al Fitr. You can get 4 days off from April 20 to 24 – Thursday to Sunday (Islamic Months - Ramadan 29 to Shawwal 1,2 & 3).

Day of Arafat:

The Day of Arafat is one of the Islamic holy days which falls on the 9th day of the month Dhu Al-Hijjah.

It is expected to be on Tuesday, June 27 of this year and it’s also the start of another long weekend in UAE.

Eid Al Adha:

One of the two important Islamic holidays, the Eid Al Adha is being celebrated in the days coming after the Day of Arafat.

The story behind this celebration connected to Prophet Ibrahim (AS) being ready to obey the God’s order to sacrifice his son Ismail (AS) and hence the day is also known as the Feast of Sacrifice.

The expected dates for this year are June 28, 29 and 30 (Wednesday, Thursday and Friday respectively.)

Islamic New Year (Hijri New Year):

This day marks the start of Islamic New Year (Also known as Hijri New Year or Arabic New Year). It’s on the first day of Muharram (first month of Islamic year) and which is expected to fall on Friday, July 21 in 2023.

Prophet Muhammad’s (PBUH) Birthday:

Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) was born on 12th of Rabiʽ al-Awwal, the third month of the Islamic Calendar. Every year it’s a public holiday in UAE to mark Prophet’s Birthday (a.k.a. Eid Milad un Nabi).

The expected date for this national holiday in 2023 is September 29, Friday.

Commemoration Day:

Commemoration Day (formerly Martyrs’ Day) is one of the notable public holidays in the UAE as it is there for remembering and recognizing the dedication and sacrifices made by the Emirati Martyrs from the military, civil and humanitarian fields who have given their life for the services of the nation. It falls on December 01, Friday.

UAE National Day:

The National Day holidays are following on from the Commemoration Day as the country celebrates its National Day on December 2 & 3 (Saturday and Sunday, respectively). It means another long weekend to conclude the public holidays for the year 2023.

NB: Some of the above given dates can be changed based on the moon sightings in the UAE. So, take that fact into consideration when you make holiday plans.

UAE Public Holidays List - 2023