Public Holidays Schedule

One look at the world’s tallest building, Burj Khalifa, and one gets a sense of ambition that wants to outdo the pyramids of Giza, the Eiffel Tower and the Empire State. Dubai, where this lofty building rises and taunts the sky, has fully embraced the influence of Western commerce in …

Famous in the mainstream travel circle as the land of yurts and nomads, Mongolia is perhaps best remembered as the motherland of Genghis Khan, that Mongol emperor whose conquests made him a much-feared character in world history. But even the West knows that despite the blood-tinged history associated with his …

It was not until the Y2K scare that New Zealand became prominent on the global scene. After all, Kiwis (moniker for people from down there) have always been the first in the history to see millennial sunrises and, in the digital age, the first to have suffered the Y2K glitch …

Home to the tallest mountain on Earth, Nepal separates the tough from the sissies when they start the vertical journey from Camp 4 onwards. Any self-respecting mountaineer will not have made complete their conquest if they have not reached the summit of Mt. Everest, which, according to one very famous …

Brunei Darussalam is a strictly Muslim country in a region predominated by Hinduism and Buddhism. Expectedly, Brunei’s public holidays are mainly Islamic, while the rest are celebrations related to the monarchy. Below is the list of Brunei public holidays 2013. New Years Day – Tuesday, 1 January 2013 On this …

The Muslim world literally revolves around Saudi Arabia because it is here, in Mecca, that every devout is required to make a pilgrimage at least once in their lives, a millions-strong-pilgrimage called Hajj. As expected, two out of only three Saudi Arabia public holidays are Islamic festivals, and the other …

Bangladesh maybe getting international attention for less-than-desirable reasons, but those in the know, know better that Bangladesh is an up and coming star in the outsourcing industry. With young population sufficiently educated to meet the needs of developed countries and eager for opportunities that are scarce in their homeland, Bangladesh …

Pakistan, if mainstream media would have it, is where armed conflict, political turmoil and collateral damage all go in one sentence. While there is a grain of truth in what is vividly portrayed on television, there is also the fact that Pakistan throbs with the cosmopolitan beats of Karachi. Once …

The Land Down Under is also the “Land of Long Weekends”, and yet, compared to India (which perhaps holds the most number of long weekends given their long list of holidays devoted to Hindu deities), Australia has very few public holidays. These are divided into state holidays or national holidays. …

Taiwan may be geographically separated from mainland China, but it still clings on to the traditions of the ancient Chinese, while commemorating events and personalities that shaped Taiwan and led the country to its founding in 1912. Taiwan classifies its public holidays as commemorative (using the Gregorian calendar) and traditional …

The Japanese are a resilient and disciplined people. They are as observant of their heritage and ancient traditions as they are experts in things electronic and digital. No other people in Asia seem to be as bent as the Japanese in doing things right, in executing them perfectly, and in …

Cambodia is a study in contrast. Bathed in the grim aftermath of the Khmer Regime, it shines bright with its cultural and architectural pride, Angkor Wat. Cambodia may be keeping up with the influence of the West, but it clings fast to its historical roots and heritage. It was once …