UAE residents will see in the new year with a three-day weekend, with Friday, January 1, set to be a public holiday in the country.
Before then, there is a long weekend to be enjoyed when the Prophet Mohammed's birthday is marked on August 28, which will be a public holiday for both the public and private sector.
And Eid Al Etihad – UAE National Day – to celebrate the country's 55th birthday, will see public holidays on December 2 and December 3.
The designation of January 1 as a holiday means the first working day of the new year will be Monday, January 4, while Ramadan is expected to start on February 8.
Eid Al Fitr, which marks the end of the fasting month, will begin on March 9 and will last for either three or four days.
If the Shawwal crescent moon is not seen on the evening of the 29th day of Ramadan and the month of fasting completes 30 days, then the 30th day will be added to Eid on March 12 and become a public holiday, giving residents a four-day holiday.
In this case, with the weekend to follow the holiday, residents would get a six-day break.
Arafah Day, one of the holiest days in Islam, is followed by Eid Al Adha, which adds three more days of holiday. This holiday is likely to run from May 15 to May 18, but remains subject to the official sighting of the Dhu Al Hijja crescent.
The Islamic New Year is likely to fall on June 6, depending on the moon sighting, while the holiday for the Prophet Mohammed’s birthday is expected to be August 14, 2027.
School term dates
As schools across the UAE prepare to reopen for the new school year on August 31, parents and guardians will be keen to plan their holidays for the next 12 months.
Most schools in the UAE follow a unified academic calendar, allowing for clearer planning and consistency.
The first half term break will fall from October 12 to October 18, with the winter break beginning on December 14.
Pupils return in the new year on January 4, with the Eid Al Fitr holiday in March followed by spring break from April 5 to April 11. July 2, 2027, will be the last academic day of the year.
