Singapore Public Holidays 2023: Fully Maximize Your Annual Leave & Long Weekends

Singapore public holidays 2023 are out! MOM announced the official 11 public holidays, out of which seven, give us seven long weekends!

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Maximizing Public Holidays Long Weekends

Singapore public holidays 2023 are out! MOM announced the official 11 public holidays, out of which seven, give us seven long weekends! As international borders reopen for traveling, Singaporeans will have plenty of opportunities to go on our long-awaited overseas holidays.

The good news is this: you can best use your annual leave to make the weekends longer, allowing you to travel to further countries or simply have a more extended break with the minimal number of annual leave days.

In this article, we will provide you with information on public holidays in 2023 so that you can plan ahead. Also, you will find tips on how you can maximize your annual leave with the public holidays to have the long weekends you deserve.

Singapore Public Holiday 2023 (With Long Weekends)

There are 11 public holidays in Singapore out of which there will be seven long weekends.

The public holidays which fall on a Sunday will have a day off-in-lieu on the following Monday, giving us a 3-day long weekend.

The Chinese New Year break is a particularly long one as the holiday falls on a Sunday and Monday, making the following Tuesday will also an observed off-day. This means that the entire break will last 4 days!

In the table below, you will find the details with “Long Weekend” indicated.

Public Holidays
Date
Day
Long Weekend?
New Year’s Day
1 January 2023
Sunday
Yes
Chinese New Year (CNY)
22 January 2023
23 January 2023
Sunday
Monday
Yes
Good Friday
7 April 2023
Friday
Yes
Hari Raya Puasa
22 April 2023
Saturday
No
Labour Day
1 May 2023
Monday
Yes
Vesak Day
2 June 2023
Friday
Yes
Hari Raya Haji
29 June 2023
Thursday
No
National Day
9 August 2023
Wednesday
No
Deepavali
12 November 2023
Sunday
Yes
Christmas Day
25 December 2023
Monday
Yes
Singapore Public Holidays 2023 (Source: MOM)

School Holidays 2023 in Singapore (From MOE)

For parents who are planning a family trip, it is important to know when your child’s holiday breaks are. The four vacation periods for schools, junior colleges, and Millennia Institute for 2023 will be as follows:

Primary School Holidays 2023

Term
Category
Period
Between Terms I & II
School Holidays
11 March 2023 (Saturday)
to 19 March 2023 (Sunday)
Between Semesters I & II
School Holidays

Youth Day

Day After National Day

Teachers’ Day
27 May 2023 (Saturday)
to 25 June 2023 (Sunday)

2 July 2023 (Sunday) – The following Monday, 3 July 2023 will be a scheduled school holiday

10 August 2023 (Thursday)

1 September 2023 (Friday)
Between Terms III & IV
School Holidays

Children’s Day
2 September 2023 (Saturday) to
10 September 2023 (Sunday)

6 October 2023 (Friday)
At the End of the School Year
School Holidays
18 November 2023 (Saturday)
to 31 December 2023 (Sunday)
Primary School Holidays 2023 (Source: MOE)

Secondary School Holidays 2023

Term
Category
Period
Between Terms I & II
School Holidays
11 March 2023 (Saturday)
to 19 March 2023 (Sunday)
Between Semesters I & II
School Holidays

Youth Day

Day After National Day

Teachers’ Day
27 May 2023 (Saturday)
to 25 June 2023 (Sunday)

2 July 2023 (Sunday) – The following Monday, 3 July 2023 will be a scheduled school holiday

10 August 2023 (Thursday)

1 September 2023 (Friday)
Between Terms III & IV
School Holidays
2 September 2023 (Saturday) to
10 September 2023 (Sunday)
At the End of the School Year
School Holidays
18 November 2023 (Saturday)
to 31 December 2023 (Sunday)
Secondary School Holidays 2023 (Source: MOE)

JC Year 1, MI Year 1 & MI Year 2 School Holidays 2023

Term
Category
Period
Between Terms I & II
School Holidays
11 March 2023 (Saturday)
to 19 March 2023 (Sunday)
Between Semesters I & II
School Holidays

Youth Day

Day After National Day

Teachers’ Day
27 May 2023 (Saturday)
to 25 June 2023 (Sunday)

2 July 2023 (Sunday) – The following Monday, 3 July 2023 will be a scheduled school holiday

10 August 2023 (Thursday)

1 September 2023 (Friday)
Between Terms III & IV
School Holidays
2 September 2023 (Saturday) to
10 September 2023 (Sunday)
At the End of the School Year
School Holidays
25 November 2023 (Saturday) to
31 December 2023 (Sunday)
JC Year 1, MI Year 1 & MI Year 2 School Holidays 2023 (Source: MOE)

JC Year 2 & MI Year 3 School Holidays 2023

Term
Category
Period
Between Terms I & II
School Holidays
11 March 2023 (Saturday)
to 19 March 2023 (Sunday)
Between Semesters I & II
School Holidays

Youth Day

Day After National Day

Teachers’ Day
27 May 2023 (Saturday)
to 25 June 2023 (Sunday)

2 July 2023 (Sunday) – The following Monday, 3 July 2023 will be a scheduled school holiday

10 August 2023 (Thursday)

1 September 2023 (Friday)
Between Terms III & IV
School Holidays
2 September 2023 (Saturday) to
10 September 2023 (Sunday)
At the End of the School Year
School Holidays
End of GCE A-Level examinations to
31 December 2023 (Sunday)
JC Year 2 & MI Year 3 School Holidays 2023 (Source: MOE)

Important Dates In 2023

Singapore has adopted many observances over the years that are not official public holidays. However, the dates are widely observed cultural events and inject cultural diversity into our city-state.

For example, Valentine’s Day often comes around the time of the Chinese New Year. It is popular to go out for special, romantic dinners, give gifts or a bouquet, and exchange Valentine’s cards on this date.

Here are the dates observed by the local community. Join in the fun of celebrating!

Important Dates
Date
Day
Valentine’s Day
14 February 2023
Tuesday
Mother’s Day
14 May 2023
Sunday
Father’s Day
18 June 2023
Sunday
Dragon Boat Festival
22 June 2023
Thursday
Mid-Autumn Festival
29 September 2023
Friday
Children’s Day
6 October 2023
Friday
Halloween
31 October 2023
Tuesday
Important Dates Observed In 2023

Tips To Maximise Singapore Public Holidays

With such a rare opportunity of seven long weekends with the public holidays, it is best to plan ahead and maximize these long weekends.

Tip 1. Plan For The Entire Year When To Take Annual Leave

One of the best ways to maximize the benefits of these long weekends would be to add some of your annual leave days to these official public holidays so that you can enjoy an ultra-long holiday.

If you are strategic about when to take your annual leave days, you could end up with a longer period of work! This is especially useful for overseas trips as it will allow more time to travel and explore your destination.

We have made some suggestions on how to take just 12 days of annual leave and turn the public holidays into 42 days off work!

Singapore Public Holidays 2023
How To Maximise Singapore Public Holidays 2023

Tip 2. How To Spend The Public Holidays & Long Weekends

Whether it’s a long weekend trip or just a day trip to the beach, the public holidays are a great time to get out of the house and have fun, or simply catch up with your friends, family, or significant other.

Locally:
If you prefer to stay in Singapore during one of these long breaks but still want to experience something different, staycations are always a perfect getaway option to consider.

You can also spend time exploring the amazing country that we live in. Or simply save some of the public holidays and long weekends for a self-care day off!

Short Trips:
Planning to visit your favorite Thai night markets or make a visit to your relatives in Malaysia? Taking a short trip during the long weekends is the perfect choice for you.

If you had taken time to plan and strategize your annual leave with the public holidays, taking one day off right before or after a long weekend would give you ample time to head to nearby destinations like Malaysia or Thailand.

Longer Trips:
In 2023, there is a long Hari Raya Puasa weekend in the last week of April and a long Labour Day weekend in the first week of May. This means that if you can take 5 days off (i.e. 24 April 2023 to 28 April 2023), you can enjoy a stretch of 11 days off work! This would be a perfect time to spend on a long-distance vacation.

Tip 3. Plan Your Budget

With the opening of borders and people rushing to either travel home or get a well-deserved break, flight and accommodation prices are definitely going to surge.

Consider the time of year when you will be traveling and see if it is during low-cost periods. There are certain times of the year when certain destinations will be much more expensive, so it is an option to plan your trip during the off-season.

Remember, the more research you do, the easier it will be to plan your holiday budget. The more time you give yourself to plan, the more you can save.

FAQs on Singapore Public Holidays 2023

How many public holidays does Singapore have in 2023?

In 2023, Singapore will observe 11 public holidays.

Is there a change to Vesak Day in 2023?

Yes! Vesak Day 2023 has been revised from 3 Jun 2023 (Saturday) to 2 Jun 2023 (Friday).

How many long weekends does Singapore have in 2023?

Public holidays that fall on a Sunday will have a day off-in-lieu on the following Monday, resulting in a 3-day long weekend. Hence, there are a total of 7 long weekends in 2023 as

How public holidays in Singapore are determined?

Every year, the Government of Singapore announces public holidays based on important religious and cultural (historical) dates [typically 11 days]. In addition, the President of Singapore can declare any day to be a public holiday, eg Polling Day.

Singapore Public Holidays 2023 Summary

As the year winds down and the new year approaches, it is time to plan your annual leave and holiday trips for 2023! The good news is that there are plenty of public holidays and long weekends in Singapore in 2023 to help you get the time off you deserve.

We hope that this article provided you with all the information you need, including when the public holidays are, when the school holidays are, and some of the important dates.

There is also a strategy to maximize your long weekends with your annual leave! You can now start to plan your trips and breaks for the entire year. Happy public holiday-ing 2023!

[Featured picture source: Photo by Estée Janssens on Unsplash]

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