Looking to plan your trip to Abu Dhabi around UAE public holidays? Here’s a guide to what to expect in 2025:
- New Year’s Day: 1 January 2025 (1 day)
- Eid Al Fitr: From the last day of the Islamic month of Ramadan to 3 Shawwal* (approx. 31 March to 2 April 2025 – 3 days)
- Arafat Day and Eid Al Adha (Feast of Sacrifice): From 9 to 12 Dhu al Hijjah* (approx. 5 June to 8 June 2025 – 4 days)
- Hijri New Year: 1 Muharram* Approx. 26 June 2025 – date of observation may differ, this year Friday 27 June has been declared – 1 day)
- The Prophet Mohammed’s birthday: 5 September 2025 – public sector holiday
- Commemoration Day: 1 December 2025 – not always a public holiday
- National Day (53rd Anniversary): 2 and 3 December 2025 (2 days)
Jump back to Previous Years: Abu Dhabi 2023 Pubic Holidays – Abu Dhabi Public Holidays 2024
*Islamic holidays are determined according to moon sightings. The date a religious holiday is observed and the public holiday declared may be two different dates, particularly if it falls on a weekend, Friday – Sunday.
Note that the weekend in the UAE changed as of 1 January 2022; government working hours are now Monday through Friday, with the weekend being Friday afternoon, Saturday, and Sunday.
Hijri Calendar to Gregorian Calendar
The Hijri Calendar moves forward by approximately ten days more than the Gregorian Calendar every year. There is a good translation tool here from IslamicFinder.org to understand when important days on the Hijri Calendar will translate to:
Prayer Times in Abu Dhabi
You can also check out our guide here to the daily prayer times in Abu Dhabi. There isn’t much you need to do as a non-Muslim tourist at prayer times, but it has some great tips on understanding exactly WHAT is happening and WHY.
You can use this tool to see when daily prayer times are due to occur in Abu Dhabi:
Abu Dhabi School Holidays 2025
Abu Dhabi has a public (MoE) and private (international) school sector. The dates they have stipulated as holidays in a three-term school year for the September starting curricula are:
- Winter Break 16 December to 5 January 2025 (schools return 6 January 2025)
- Spring Break 24 March to 6 April 2024 International Schools (MoE Schools 13 April 2025)
- Summer Break Not before 27 June 2025 until approximately 25 August 2025*
*The Ministry of Education has announced unified term dates for all UAE schools this coming academic year, 2025-26. Please see our 2026 Public Holiday Dates for the full calendar.
You can learn more and see further academic year calendars here
Other Major Events in Abu Dhabi & the UAE 2025
Here’s what’s already lined up for the 2025 Abu Dhabi Events Calendar:
- Sheikh Zayed Festival – Runs throughout winter, mid-November to Ramadan in Al Wathba
- Middle East Film and Comic Con – April 2025
- Ramadan – the Holy Month from approx. 1 March to 30 March 2025 – not a public holiday but a month-long religious observance
- Diwali – 21 October 2025 – with a large Indian expat community, the event is widely celebrated in the UAE
- Abu Dhabi Grand Prix – 4-7 December 2025
- Mother of the Nation Festival – dates for 2025 TBC – previously late November in the regions and Abu Dhabi city in December
- Christmas – 25 December 2025 – not a public holiday but widely observed within the retail and hospitality sector
- New Year’s Eve – 31 December 2025 always a spectacular night of fireworks and festivities not to be missed
We still await finalized dates for several popular Emirates Heritage Festivals, which are a great immersive way to learn more about Emirati culture.
Before you go… Important things to consider when planning a trip to Abu Dhabi
- Pop into our essential planning information page; it includes everything you need to know about getting around Abu Dhabi, a handy guide on what to pack and top tips for first-timers on the dos and don’ts, laws, and customs in the UAE.
- Start planning your itinerary around the 60+ top places to visit in Abu Dhabi.
- Don’t forget to pack your travel insurance!
- Discover the best places to stay in Abu Dhabi.
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Please note we are not a travel agency. This site is a travel blog to help newcomers to the UAE self plan their trip, we cannot book your flights, hotels, visas or connections for you. We may make a small commission if you click on any of our hotel or tour recommendation links.
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