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Public holidays in Vanuatu

14 days in 2026 · 14 in 2027

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Next public holiday

Constitution Day

After it: National Unity Day, Sunday 29 November

Monday, 5 October 2026

Vanuatu keeps 14 national public holidays, and four of them belong to the years around independence: Father Walter Lini Day on 21 February, for the priest who led the country to it, Independence Day on 30 July, Constitution Day on 5 October and Unity Day on 29 November. In 2026 four of the fourteen fall on a Saturday or a Sunday, among them Father Lini Day and Unity Day; in 2027 six do, among them Christmas and Family Day.

Each of the six provinces adds a day of its own, kept only within the province: Shefa Day on 18 June, Penama Day on 16 September, Sanma Day on 24 September, Torba Day on 2 October, Tafea Day on 8 October and Malampa Day on 10 October. The government publishes its list with the national days named in English and French, from Nouvel An to the Fête de Famille.

The rest of the calendar follows the churches and the family. Good Friday, Easter Monday, Ascension Day and Assumption Day sit beside Christmas and Family Day on 26 December, and two days are given to particular groups: Custom Chief's Day on 5 March and Children's Day on 24 July.

Days off in 2026
14Nationwide public holidays
On a weekday
10Monday to Friday
On a weekend
4Saturday or Sunday
Long weekends
5and 4 with one day of leave

2026

Public holidays in Vanuatu in 2026

  1. 1 January: New Year's DayNouvel An on the government's list. A Thursday in 2026 and a Friday in 2027.Thursday
  2. 21 February: Father Walter Lini DayKept in memory of Walter Lini, the Anglican priest the government's list calls the Father of Independence. He founded the party that led the New Hebrides to independence and was the first prime minister, from 1980 to 1991.Saturday
  3. 5 March: Custom Chief's DayThe Fête des Chefs coutumiers, a day for the custom chiefs, whose national council the constitution makes the adviser on land, custom and tradition.Thursday
  4. 3 April: Good FridayVendredi Saint. Its date follows Easter: 3 April in 2026 and 26 March in 2027.FridayDate moves
  5. 6 April: Easter MondayThe Monday after Easter, 6 April in 2026 and 29 March in 2027, which makes Easter a four-day break in both years.MondayDate moves
  6. 1 May: Labour DayThe Fête du Travail on 1 May, a Friday in 2026 and a Saturday in 2027.Friday
  7. 14 May: Ascension DayThirty-nine days after Easter Sunday: Thursday 14 May in 2026 and Thursday 6 May in 2027.ThursdayDate moves
  8. 24 July: Children's DayChildren's Day on 24 July, given in French on the government's list as the Journée mondiale des enfants.Friday
  9. 30 July: Independence DayThe day the New Hebrides became the Republic of Vanuatu, 30 July 1980, at the end of seventy-four years of joint British and French rule.Thursday
  10. 15 August: Assumption DayThe Fête de l'Assomption on 15 August, a Saturday in 2026 and a Sunday in 2027.Saturday
  11. 5 October: Constitution DayMarks the signing of the constitution on 5 October 1979, the text under which the country became independent the following July.Monday
  12. 29 November: National Unity DayThe Fête de l'Unité. Office Holidays dates it to 1977, as a day to build a sense of national unity among the islands' many peoples.Sunday
  13. 25 December: Christmas DayFête de Noël. A Friday in 2026 and a Saturday in 2027.Friday
  14. 26 December: Family DayThe Fête de Famille on 26 December, the day after Christmas.Saturday

Long weekends

Long weekends in Vanuatu in 2026

Runs of three days or more off, with weekends counted, and the working days that join a holiday to a weekend when taken as leave.

  • 4daysThu 1 Jan to Sun 4 JanWith Fri 2 Jan taken as leave · New Year's Day
  • 4daysThu 5 Mar to Sun 8 MarWith Fri 6 Mar taken as leave · Custom Chief's Day
  • 4daysFri 3 Apr to Mon 6 AprGood Friday, Easter Monday
  • 3daysFri 1 May to Sun 3 MayLabour Day
  • 4daysThu 14 May to Sun 17 MayWith Fri 15 May taken as leave · Ascension Day
  • 3daysFri 24 Jul to Sun 26 JulChildren's Day
  • 4daysThu 30 Jul to Sun 2 AugWith Fri 31 Jul taken as leave · Independence Day
  • 3daysSat 3 Oct to Mon 5 OctConstitution Day
  • 3daysFri 25 Dec to Sun 27 DecChristmas Day, Family Day

2027

Public holidays in Vanuatu in 2027

  1. 1 January: New Year's DayFriday
  2. 21 February: Father Walter Lini DaySunday
  3. 5 March: Custom Chief's DayFriday
  4. 26 March: Good FridayFridayDate moves
  5. 29 March: Easter MondayMondayDate moves
  6. 1 May: Labour DaySaturday
  7. 6 May: Ascension DayThursdayDate moves
  8. 24 July: Children's DaySaturday
  9. 30 July: Independence DayFriday
  10. 15 August: Assumption DaySunday
  11. 5 October: Constitution DayTuesday
  12. 29 November: National Unity DayMonday
  13. 25 December: Christmas DaySaturday
  14. 26 December: Family DaySunday

Regional

Holidays kept in parts of Vanuatu

Public holidays in 2026 that are days off only in the regions listed, by their ISO 3166-2 codes.

  1. 18 June: Shefa DayVU-SEEThe provincial day of Shefa, the province of the Shepherd Islands and of Efate, where Port Vila stands.Thursday
  2. 16 September: Penama DayVU-PAMThe provincial day of Penama, which takes its name from Pentecost, Ambae and Maewo.Wednesday
  3. 24 September: Sanma DayVU-SAMThe provincial day of Sanma, the province of Espiritu Santo and Malo, with Luganville.Thursday
  4. 2 October: Torba DayVU-TOBThe provincial day of Torba, the northern province of the Torres and Banks Islands.Friday
  5. 8 October: Tafea DayVU-TAEThe provincial day of Tafea, the southern province of Tanna, Aniwa, Futuna, Erromango and Aneityum.Thursday
  6. 10 October: Malampa DayVU-MAPThe provincial day of Malampa, the province of Malakula, Ambrym and Paama.Saturday

The sources disagree on what happens when a holiday falls on a weekend. Office Holidays records that a holiday on a Saturday or a Sunday is no longer carried forward to the Monday, a change made to cut time lost to work in the public service and the private sector. The calendars published by CalendarLabs and Calendarific still show Monday substitutes for 2027, on 22 February for Father Lini Day, 16 August for Assumption Day and 27 December for Family Day, and CalendarLabs shows one on Monday 30 November 2026 for Unity Day. The government's own list for 2026 could not be checked, so no substitute days are added here.

The provincial days are fixed dates on the government's list, and they fall close together: five of the six come between 16 September and 10 October. In 2027 Torba Day falls on a Saturday and Malampa Day on a Sunday.

Common questions

Questions about public holidays in Vanuatu

How many public holidays does Vanuatu have?

Fourteen national public holidays, the same fourteen in 2026 and 2027, from New Year's Day to Family Day on 26 December. Each province also keeps one day of its own. Weekends take a share: in 2026 four of the national holidays fall on a Saturday or Sunday, and in 2027 six do.

Who is Father Walter Lini Day named after?

Walter Lini, an Anglican priest who founded the New Hebrides Cultural Association in 1971, the movement that became the Vanua'aku Pati and pressed for independence. He was chief minister from November 1979 and prime minister from independence in 1980 until a vote of no confidence in 1991. The government's list keeps 21 February in memory of the Father of Independence.

Does each province of Vanuatu have its own holiday?

Yes. Shefa keeps 18 June, Penama 16 September, Sanma 24 September, Torba 2 October, Tafea 8 October and Malampa 10 October. Each is a holiday only within its province, so a provincial day in Luganville, in Sanma, is a working day in Port Vila, which is in Shefa.

Why does Vanuatu keep a Custom Chief's Day?

A national holiday on 5 March, called the Fête des Chefs coutumiers on the government's French list. It honours the custom chiefs, who keep a place in the state beside parliament: the constitution sets up the Malvatumauri Council of Chiefs and requires parliament to consult it on bills touching land, custom and tradition. It fell on a Thursday in 2026 and falls on a Friday in 2027.

Do holidays that fall on a weekend move to Monday?

The sources disagree. Office Holidays records that weekend holidays are no longer carried forward to the Monday, while CalendarLabs and Calendarific list Monday substitutes, such as 30 November 2026 for Unity Day and 27 December 2027 for Family Day. The government's own list for 2026 could not be checked, so no substitute day is added here.

Which day marks Vanuatu's independence?

On 30 July, the day in 1980 when the New Hebrides became the Republic of Vanuatu and the Anglo-French condominium ended. In 2026 it falls on a Thursday and in 2027 on a Friday. It comes six days after Children's Day on 24 July, so late July holds two of the national holidays.

What does Constitution Day commemorate?

The signing of the constitution on 5 October 1979, according to Office Holidays. The constitution was drawn up in 1979, before independence, and took effect when the New Hebrides became Vanuatu on 30 July 1980. Constitution Day fell on a Monday in 2026 and falls on a Tuesday in 2027.

Dates from Nager.Date, read 2026-10-03. The page counts from Saturday, 3 October 2026, the day it was built.