Full 2026 Sabah and Kota Kinabalu holiday calendar for both states, plus what actually affects your Borneo trip.
Islamic holiday dates depend on moon sighting confirmation and may shift slightly closer to the date.
| Date | Day | Holiday | Applies To |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 January | Thursday | New Year’s Day | National |
| 17 to 18 February | Tue to Wed | Chinese New Year | National |
| 21 to 23 March | Sat to Mon | Hari Raya Aidilfitri | National |
| 30 March | Monday | Sabah Governor’s Birthday | Sabah |
| 3 April | Friday | Good Friday | Sabah |
| 1 May | Friday | Labour Day | National |
| 27 May | Wednesday | Hari Raya Haji | National |
| 30 to 31 May | Sat to Sun | Kaamatan (Harvest Festival) | Sabah & Labuan |
| 1 June | Monday | Agong’s Birthday | National |
| 17 June | Wednesday | Awal Muharram | National |
| 25 August | Tuesday | Prophet Muhammad’s Birthday | National |
| 31 August | Monday | Merdeka Day | National |
| 16 September | Wednesday | Malaysia Day | National |
| 8 to 9 November | Sun to Mon | Deepavali | National |
| 24 December | Thursday | Christmas Eve | Sabah |
| 25 December | Friday | Christmas Day | National |
| Date | Day | Holiday | Applies To |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 January | Thursday | New Year’s Day | National |
| 17 to 18 February | Tue to Wed | Chinese New Year | National |
| 21 to 23 March | Sat to Mon | Hari Raya Aidilfitri | National |
| 3 April | Friday | Good Friday | Sarawak |
| 1 May | Friday | Labour Day | National |
| 27 May | Wednesday | Hari Raya Haji | National |
| 31 May | Sunday | Wesak Day | National |
| 1 to 2 June | Mon to Tue | Hari Gawai | Sarawak |
| 17 June | Wednesday | Awal Muharram | National |
| 22 July | Wednesday | Sarawak Day | Sarawak |
| 25 August | Tuesday | Prophet Muhammad’s Birthday | National |
| 31 August | Monday | Merdeka Day | National |
| 16 September | Wednesday | Malaysia Day | National |
| 10 October | Saturday | Sarawak Governor’s Birthday | Sarawak |
| 25 December | Friday | Christmas Day | National |
Most public holidays only close banks and government offices. Tours, hotels, boats and guides keep running.
A few dates are worth planning around:
Peak domestic travel season. Flights, hotels and tour slots book out early.
Sabah’s harvest festival. A cultural highlight, not a disruption.
Sarawak’s harvest festival, celebrated in Dayak communities and longhouses.
One leave day on Monday 16 February gives five days off, Saturday 14 through Wednesday 18.
Saturday 30 May through Monday 1 June is three straight days off in Sabah with zero leave used.
Saturday 30 May through Tuesday 2 June is four straight days off in Sarawak with zero leave used.
Thursday 24 December through Sunday 27 December is four days off with zero leave used.
City MPV Travel and Tours runs private MPV transfers and guided tours across Kota Kinabalu, including Mount Kinabalu climb packages and island hopping trips to Mantanani and the Tunku Abdul Rahman Park islands.
If your trip falls near Chinese New Year, Hari Raya or Kaamatan, book transport and tour slots early. These are the windows that fill up fastest.
National holidays plus several Sabah-specific dates, including Kaamatan and Christmas Eve, close to twenty in total.
Yes. Government offices close, but tour operators, hotels and transport keep running.
No. Deepavali is a national holiday in most states but not a Sarawak state holiday.