Public holidays · Africa · 2026
Malawi Holidays 2026: Public Holidays in Malawi
Malawi has 11 national public holidays in 2026. All of them fall on a weekday. The next public holiday is Christmas Day on Friday, 25 December (in 59 days). There are 4 long weekends and 5 more if you take a bridge day off.
Next public holiday
Christmas Day
Friday, 25 December 2026
Malawi public holidays 2026 — full list
| Date | Holiday | Local name | Type |
|---|---|---|---|
| New Year's Day | New Year's Day | Public holiday | |
| John Chilembwe Day | John Chilembwe Day | Public holiday | |
| Martyrs' Day | Martyrs' Day | Public holiday | |
| Good Friday | Good Friday | Public holiday | |
| Easter Monday | Easter Monday | Public holiday | |
| Labour Day | Labour Day | Public holiday | |
| President Kamuzu Banda's Birthday | President Kamuzu Banda's Birthday | Public holiday | |
| Independence Day | Independence Day | Public holiday | |
| Mother's Day | Mother's Day | Public holiday | |
| Christmas Day Next | Christmas Day | Public holiday | |
| St. Stephen's Day | Boxing Day | Public holiday |
Data: Nager.Date public holiday database and the vacanza/holidays library (both MIT licence). Dates of religious holidays based on the lunar calendar may shift by a day after official announcements.
Malawi holiday calendar 2026
- National holiday
- Regional holiday
- Bridge day (take off for a long weekend)
January 2
February
March 1
April 2
May 2
June
July 1
August
September
October 1
November
December 2
Long weekends in Malawi 2026
4 long weekends come for free, and 5 more need just one or two days of leave. Plan your trips around these dates.
Thu 1 Jan – Sun 4 Jan
Take off Fri 2 Jan
Thu 15 Jan – Sun 18 Jan
Take off Fri 16 Jan
Sat 28 Feb – Tue 3 Mar
Take off Mon 2 Mar
Fri 3 Apr – Mon 6 Apr
No leave needed
Fri 1 May – Sun 3 May
No leave needed
Thu 14 May – Sun 17 May
Take off Fri 15 May
Sat 4 Jul – Mon 6 Jul
No leave needed
Thu 15 Oct – Sun 18 Oct
Take off Fri 16 Oct
Fri 25 Dec – Mon 28 Dec
No leave needed
Planning a trip to Malawi?
On public holidays banks, offices and many shops close, public transport often runs a Sunday timetable and popular destinations get busy and more expensive. Book early around long weekends.