Macau Public Holidays & Opening Hours
Public holidays in Macau matter more for crowds and individual opening changes than for a citywide shutdown. Use the official dates, then check the exact places you plan to visit.
Macau has a mix of Chinese and Portuguese-influenced holidays, and several move with the lunar calendar. The Macao SAR Government publishes the official calendar each year. For 2026, the dates below are confirmed rather than approximate.
Official 2026 public-holiday dates
| Date | Holiday |
|---|---|
| 1 January | New Year's Day |
| 17–19 February | Lunar New Year: first, second and third days |
| 3 April | Good Friday |
| 4 April | Day before Easter |
| 5 April | Cheng Ming Festival |
| 1 May | Labour Day |
| 24 May | Buddha's Birthday |
| 19 June | Tung Ng / Dragon Boat Festival |
| 26 September | Day following Mid-Autumn Festival |
| 1–2 October | National Day and the following day |
| 18 October | Chong Yeung Festival |
| 2 November | All Souls' Day |
| 8 December | Feast of the Immaculate Conception |
| 20 December | Macao SAR Establishment Day |
| 22 December | Winter Solstice |
| 24–25 December | Christmas Eve and Christmas Day |
The government calendar also includes special exemptions and compensatory rest days for public employees. Those help explain office closures but should not be treated as a promise that every private business follows the same schedule.
What actually closes?
Government departments and banks are the places most likely to be affected directly by public holidays. Museums and cultural sites have their own weekly closure patterns and holiday arrangements, while shops, restaurants and resort attractions set their own hours.
If one attraction matters to your day, check its official page for that exact date. Avoid generic tables claiming all museums, malls or restaurants keep one universal schedule.
Lunar New Year: the biggest planning issue
In 2026 the first three Lunar New Year public holidays are 17–19 February. MGTO's programme also includes major New Year events around this period. Some local family businesses may close or reduce hours while visitor-heavy areas and resorts become extremely busy.
Book accommodation and fixed dining or attraction plans earlier than usual, and allow more time for transport. The difficulty is usually crowds and availability rather than finding absolutely nothing open.
Labour Day and National Day periods
1 May and 1 October are official Macau holidays, and 2 October is also a public holiday in Macau in 2026. Mainland China holiday periods around these dates can produce substantial visitor surges. Do not describe an entire mainland Golden Week as if every day were automatically a Macau statutory holiday; the practical travel effect and the legal holiday calendar are different things.
Christmas and Macau's Portuguese heritage
Good Friday, the day before Easter, the Feast of the Immaculate Conception, Christmas Eve and Christmas Day appear on Macau's public-holiday calendar. Resorts and shopping areas may run seasonal events, but individual churches, museums, offices and restaurants can use special hours.
Typical hours: use them only as a rough guide
| Place | Planning rule |
|---|---|
| Government services | Expect public-holiday closures; verify appointment and service days with the responsible department. |
| Banks | Branches commonly follow business-day schedules; use ATMs and card access as backup. |
| Museums & cultural sites | Check the exact venue; weekly closure days and holiday openings differ. |
| Resort attractions & malls | Usually visitor-oriented, but individual opening hours and shows can change. |
| Restaurants & bakeries | No single Macau-wide schedule; reserve important meals during peak holidays. |
How to plan around a public holiday
- Check the official Macao SAR Government holiday calendar for your year.
- Check the attraction itself, especially museums and ticketed cultural sites.
- Reserve hotels earlier for Lunar New Year and mainland peak-travel periods.
- Give buses, taxis, ferries and border crossings more time when visitor numbers surge.
- Keep one flexible neighbourhood or resort block in case a smaller venue is closed.
What matters most to visitors
Do not ask only 'is it a public holiday?'. Ask 'is my specific attraction open, and is this a peak travel period?'. Those two answers determine the day far more accurately.
FAQ
When is Lunar New Year in Macau in 2026?
The first three Lunar New Year public holidays are 17, 18 and 19 February 2026.
Does everything close on Macau public holidays?
No. Government services and banks are more likely to close, while attractions, resorts, shops and restaurants follow their own schedules.
Is Golden Week the same as Macau's official holiday calendar?
No. Mainland peak-travel periods can affect Macau crowds, but they are not the same as Macau's statutory public-holiday dates.