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Maldives holidays in 2027: Ramadan, Eid and the national days

The Maldivian year runs on two calendars. A handful of civic days, Independence Day on 26 July among them, keep the same date every year; Ramadan, both Eids and National Day follow the Islamic calendar and arrive about 11 days earlier each year. Outside the resorts, Ramadan changes how you eat by day, and each Eid fills the inhabited islands with drumming, games and feasts. Around them sit a few events a visitor can plan for: New Year in Hulhumalé, the national Maldives Expo, a resort arts festival in August and a surf contest in September. This calendar gives the 2027 dates, what each holiday and event is like, and what it changes for the trip.

Researched and written by AI (Claude, Codex) · Published by tsam Inc.Updated Facts checked 10 min read
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The short answer

Plan around the Eids. Ramadan is expected from about 8 February 2027 until Eid al-Fitr on about 9 March, and Eid al-Adha on about 16 May; these calculated dates await the Maldivian announcement. Spend an Eid on Maafushi or another guesthouse island for the prayers, feasts, drumming and games, and during Ramadan eat by day at your guesthouse or a resort. The other fixed points are Independence Day on 26 July, National Day on about 3 August and New Year in Hulhumalé, whose past celebrations have included fireworks and a drone show; the 2027 dates of the Maldives Expo, the Fari Islands Festival and the Four Seasons surf contest are not yet announced.

The Maldivian national flag on the tall flagpole in Republic Square, Malé, under a blue sky with the Shaheed Hussain Adam Building behind
The great flagpole on Republic Square in Malé, where the 2026 Independence Day flag-hoisting began at 06:00 Photograph: vivali · CC BY 3.0
Key point
Ramadan lasts 29 or 30 days; most holidays are single days, but each Eid brings several days off for government offices
Where it applies
Maafushi or another guesthouse island for Ramadan evenings and Eid
Timing
In 2027 Ramadan and both Eids are expected between February and May; the national days fall in July, August, September and November, and New Year is celebrated in Hulhumalé

All 24 countries in one place: the Asia festival calendar 2027 →

Two calendars: fixed civic days and the Islamic year

New Year, Labour Day, Independence Day, Victory Day and Republic Day are bank holidays on fixed dates, listed by the Maldives Monetary Authority. Ramadan, the two Eids, the Islamic New Year, National Day, the Prophet's Birthday and the Day the Maldives Embraced Islam follow the Islamic lunar calendar, so they move.

For Eid, the Ministry of Islamic Affairs announces the first day of the month once the moon is sighted, and the President's Office declares the government holidays around it. The 2027 dates of the moving holidays below are calculated in advance, so the local dates await the Maldivian announcement.

The year 2027 at a glance:

MonthHoliday or event, 2027What it changes for the trip
JanuaryNew Year, Friday 1 JanuaryNew Year celebrations in Hulhumalé; the 2025/26 edition was planned for 30 December to 1 January, and initial plans for 2025/26 were announced in December
FebruaryRamadan begins, about Monday 8 FebruaryA bank holiday; Hanifaru Bay closed; see the Ramadan section below
MarchEid al-Fitr, about Tuesday 9 MarchEid festivities on the inhabited islands
April––
MayLabour Day, Saturday 1 May; Hajj Day, about Saturday 15 May; Eid al-Adha, about Sunday 16 MayBodu Eid festivities on the inhabited islands; Hanifaru Bay closed on Hajj Day
JuneIslamic New Year, about Sunday 6 June–
JulyIndependence Day, Monday 26 JulyOfficial flag-hoisting on Republic Square, Malé
AugustNational Day, about Tuesday 3 August; the Prophet's Birthday, about Saturday 14 AugustFari Islands Festival: 2027 dates not yet announced (mid-August in 2026)
SeptemberThe Day the Maldives Embraced Islam, about Friday 3 SeptemberFour Seasons surf contest at Sultans: 2027 dates not yet announced (4-11 September in 2025 and 2026)
October–Maldives Expo in Hulhumalé: 2027 dates not yet announced (late October in 2026)
NovemberVictory Day, Wednesday 3 November; Republic Day, Thursday 11 November–
December–Hotel gala dinners on 24 and 31 December; New Year in Hulhumalé

The Prophet's Birthday (12 Rabi' al-Awwal) and the Day the Maldives Embraced Islam (2 Rabi' al-Akhir) are public holidays too, expected on about 14 August and 3 September 2027. Ramadan 2027 falls in the north-east monsoon, which the Maldives Meteorological Service places from January to March as the dry season; Bodu Eid in mid-May comes as the south-west monsoon normally begins.

December, January and February had the most tourist arrivals in 2025, about 224,000, 215,000 and 214,000, so book trips in those months early; our best-time guide covers the seasons month by month.

Ramadan 2027: what changes outside the resorts

Ramadan is the month of daytime fasting and lasts 29 or 30 days. During Ramadan, eating, drinking and smoking in public between sunrise and sunset is forbidden outside resorts, also for non-Muslims, and cafés outside hotels close by day. That includes eating, drinking or smoking in a vehicle and even chewing gum, and government offices work shorter hours.

For a guesthouse stay this means eating at your guesthouse rather than in a café in the street, a water bottle kept in your bag, and slower office errands in Malé. The evenings make up for it. Ramadan on the local islands is joyful and communal, and a stay in an island community is a chance to break the fast with local people. The meal at sunset, roadha villun or iftar, is shared with family and friends: mas huni (tuna with grated coconut, onion and chilli) with roshi flatbread, and short eats called hedhikaa such as kulhi boakibaa (fish cake), gulha (fish balls) and mas roshi, cakes of tuna and grated coconut. Our first-trip guide sets out the other rules on the inhabited islands, from dress to alcohol.

Light sculptures of tulips, stars and a crescent moon glowing at night in Republic Square, Malé
Eid festival lights in Republic Square, Malé, in April 2024 Photograph: The President's Office, Maldives · CC BY 4.0

Eid al-Fitr and Eid al-Adha: several days of holidays

Eid al-Fitr ends Ramadan, and Eid al-Adha, the feast of the sacrifice, follows about ten weeks later, the day after Hajj Day. Local communities hold sports and cultural events over each Eid that visitors can join, and resorts mark it with Maldivian food and traditions.

Kuda Eid, as Eid al-Fitr is called, starts with the Eid prayer and a breakfast of kulhi boakibaa with short eats such as gulha; in many island communities families and neighbours share it, and on some islands people make Eid kunbus, a caramelised coconut cake wrapped in banana leaves and slow-cooked underground.

On an inhabited island, Eid al-Adha, Bodu Eid, begins with the morning prayer, the mosque full of worshippers, then kulhi boakibaa and a breakfast and lunch of local food to which households invite family, friends and neighbours. Fenkulhi often opens the festivities: small packets of water mixed with coloured dye and oil are thrown at each other, and bystanders get caught in it too, so wear clothes you do not mind staining. Bodu beru, men in traditional dress singing and dancing to big drums, fills streets and houses, and the audience often joins in. The most anticipated event is Bodu Mas, when islanders gather and fishermen 'catch' a big fish woven from coconut palm leaves, followed by dancers dressed as spirits. The events run from morning to the middle of the night.

The Eid days are bank holidays, and the President's Office usually declares extra government holidays around each Eid, so offices close for several days, in recent years up to a week. If your trip includes an errand at a government office in Malé, do it before or after. Maafushi Dive lists no public ferry to Maafushi on Fridays, so on a Friday in Eid week take a speedboat; our transport guide has the routes.

White wall of the Victory Memorial in Malé with a round emblem and rows of Maldivian flags
The Victory Memorial in Malé Photograph: Zairon · CC BY-SA 4.0

July to November: the national days

Independence Day, 26 July, marks full independence from the British protectorate in 1965. In 2026, the official flag-hoisting ceremony began at 06:00 on Republic Square in Malé, followed by a special prayer and the national anthem.

National Day, on 1 Rabi' al-Awwal, remembers the liberation from Portuguese rule under Sultan Muhammad Thakurufaanu, born on Utheemu island in the far north. The Prophet's Birthday follows on 12 Rabi' al-Awwal and the Day the Maldives Embraced Islam on 2 Rabi' al-Akhir, about 14 August and 3 September in 2027.

Victory Day, 3 November, remembers the armed attack of 1988 and those who died defending the country, and Republic Day, 11 November, the change from monarchy to republic in 1968. The Maldives Monetary Authority lists all of these days as bank holidays.

On these days and any other in Malé, keep away from demonstrations, large crowds and political or religious gatherings, as the UK, German and French travel advice asks. Other governments may draw a wider line, so check your own government's advice too.

Prayer hall of the Islamic Centre in Malé with a red carpet, white walls, carved wooden panels and chandeliers
The prayer hall of the Islamic Centre in Malé Photograph: Zairon · CC BY-SA 4.0

Events you can plan a trip around

New Year in Hulhumalé. Visit Maldives, the Ministry of Tourism and Environment and the Housing Development Corporation have welcomed the New Year on Hulhumalé, near the airport, with a drone show, fireworks, food stalls and cultural performances for locals and visitors alike; the Maldives Culture and Food Festival was planned for 30 December 2025 to 1 January 2026. Initial plans for 2025/26 were announced on 22 December 2025. Our Malé and Hulhumalé guide covers where to stay for it. Hotels hold their own gala dinners on 24 and 31 December; at Kaani on Maafushi they are compulsory for guests, at USD 80 per adult on 24 December and USD 100 on 31 December.

Maldives Expo. The national exhibition at Hulhumalé Central Park, run by the Business Center Corporation, fills nine days with a marketplace of Maldivian food and products, live performances and traditional contests such as the Boduberu Challenge, a competition of the big-drum bands. Its dates change each year: the 2026 edition runs from 25 October to 2 November, and the 2027 dates are not yet announced.

Fari Islands Festival. Patina Maldives and The Ritz-Carlton Maldives share this resort festival of live music, DJ sets, art installations, chef-led dining and wellness across their two islands and Fari Marina Village; its 2026 edition ran from 13 to 15 August, and the 2027 dates are not yet announced.

Surf. Four Seasons Resort Maldives at Kuda Huraa hosts the Four Seasons Maldives Surfing Champions Trophy, an invitation-only contest at Sultans, a reef break on the eastern rim of North Malé Atoll; the 2025 and 2026 editions both ran from 4 to 11 September, with the resort as the base for competitors and guests. The 2027 dates are not yet announced; the 2025 dates were published in March of that year. It falls inside the surf season, which Visit Maldives gives as mid-February to November; our best-time guide has the months.

Practical questions

When is Ramadan in the Maldives in 2027?

It is expected to begin on about 8 February 2027 and to end with Eid al-Fitr on about 9 March; these calculated dates await the Maldivian announcement.

Can I eat and drink during Ramadan on a local island?

Eat at your guesthouse by day rather than in a café in the street, and join the iftar, the meal at sunset, in the evening.

When is Eid in the Maldives in 2027?

Eid al-Fitr is expected on about 9 March 2027 and Eid al-Adha on about 16 May; these calculated dates await the Maldivian announcement.

Is Independence Day on 26 July or in August?

Independence Day is always 26 July. National Day is a separate holiday on the Islamic calendar, expected on about 3 August in 2027.

Are there festivals a visitor can attend?

Yes. Eid on an inhabited island is open to everyone who is there, and past New Year celebrations in Hulhumalé included fireworks and a drone show for locals and visitors alike. The Maldives Expo in Hulhumalé, the Fari Islands Festival in August and a surf contest in September are the main other events; their 2027 dates are not yet announced.

Do resorts change anything during Ramadan or Eid?

A resort stay is unaffected by Ramadan's daytime rules; at Eid, resorts mark the holiday with Maldivian food, sports and cultural traditions.

Do ferries stop on public holidays?

Plan around Fridays rather than the holiday itself: Maafushi Dive lists no public ferry to Maafushi on Fridays, while Kaani's speedboat lists departures at 09:15, 11:00, 13:30, 15:00 and 18:00, so on a Friday in Eid week take the speedboat.

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