2023 Public Holidays Singapore: How to maximise your leave days

Editor's Note: '2023 Public Holidays Singapore: How to maximise your leave days' is a blog article written by the Talenox team.

You can enjoy longer breaks in 2023! Planning your leave early is a great way to gauge how much work you need to clear before each break. This article 2023 Public Holidays Singapore: How to maximise your leave days provides the complete list of Public Holidays in Singapore, and how you can plan your time-off in advance. It also comes with suggestions on the best places to holiday in for each month!

While planning for vacations, getting travel insurance is also a must! Check out some of the best travel insurance promotions and their benefits! (Updated monthly)

Contents

• Take note of the dates for each Singapore Public Holiday
• Keep track of your Off-in-Lieu entitlements for each Singapore Public Holiday
• Still unfamiliar with leave entitlements covered under the Employment Act?
• Maximise your long weekends further for 2023 (month-by-month breakdown)
• January 2023 Guide
• April 2023 Guide
• May 2023 Guide
• June 2023 Guide
• August 2023 Guide
• November 2023 Guide
• December 2023 Guide

1) Take note of the dates for each Singapore Public Holiday

If you’re not sure where to begin, fret not! We’ve got just the cheat sheet for you. Simply bookmark this article and start taking notes.

Be quick about it, as you may want to beat your colleagues in reserving Annual Leave as soon as possible!

2) Keep track of your Off-in-Lieu entitlements for each Singapore Public Holiday

If you work a 5-day work week (Mon to Fri), you are entitled to a 1-day off-in-lieu for each Public Holiday that falls on Saturday or Sunday. Otherwise, your employer must give you at least 1-day off-in-lieu for each Public Holiday that falls on a Sunday, according to the Employment Act.

Depending on your company policy, you can make use of the off-in-lieu immediately after that Public Holiday or save it for later.  If your company allows you to automatically enjoy off-in-lieu immediately, your off-in-lieu leave days should be as follows:

Still unfamiliar with leave entitlements covered under the Employment Act?

With the right HR system, you don’t have to manually keep track of your Singapore Public Holiday off-in-lieu leave entitlements. Talenox takes care of it all with preset leave entitlements that adhere to the Employment Act. 

3) Maximise your long weekends further for 2023 (month-by-month breakdown)

January 2023 Guide

Singapore Public Holiday Date(s):

• Sunday, 22 Jan 2023 (Chinese New Year)
• Monday, 23 Jan 2023 (Chinese New Year)
• Tuesday, 24 Jan 2023 (Chinese New Year off-in-lieu)

Annual Leave Date(s):

• Wednesday, 25 Jan 2023
• Thursday, 26 Jan 2023
• Friday, 27 Jan 2023

Enjoy a 9-day long holiday break from 21st to 29th January, when you include the weekends and take Wednesday to Friday off.

Best places to visit in January

But where can you go from 22nd to 27th January that’s unaffected by Chinese New Year? If you ask me, the best place to visit is snowy Norway!

Aside from dreamy sunrises and sunsets, you’ll have a high chance of seeing the Norwegian Northern Lights – a neon phenomenon at its most crystal clear against dark, clear winter night skies.

However, if you prefer a sunny holiday, Maldives would be at beginning of the dry, sunny season (26°C and 31°C), which is the best time to go weather-wise. This can definitely be a romantic vacation for couples.

After a tropical rainy season spanning from May to November, January would be the best time to soak up the sun and enjoy the clearest skies!

April 2023 Guide

Singapore Public Holiday Date(s):

• Friday, 7 Apr 2023 (Good Friday)
• Saturday, 22 Apr 2023 (Hari Raya Puasa)
• Sunday, 24 Apr 2023 (Hari Raya Puasa off-in-lieu)

Annual Leave Date(s):

• Monday, 3 Apr 2023
• Tuesday, 4 Apr 2023
• Wednesday, 5 Apr 2023
• Thursday, 6 Apr 2023

Best places to visit in April

From 1st to 9th April, you’ll be able to enjoy gondola rides and feasting on authentic pasta al fresco. April is a great month to visit the historic Italian city of Venice.

The weather is comfortable, with spring temperatures starting to emerge and less humidity than in the summer months.

The tourist crowds only filters in from May onwards; so, enjoy fewer crowds as you explore St. Mark’s Square and St. Mark’s Basilica. Why not arrange a self-guided audio tour using handy apps like Urbs?

With 9 days to spare, you can even consider trips out to other parts of Italy like Florence, Rome and more!

If you’re just looking for a 3-day weekend trip (7th to 9th April; or 22nd to 24th April) to neighbouring countries, Bali is an option.

April marks the start of Bali’s dry season, which usually lasts through October, so it is a great time to experience the beaches and outdoor activities that the island is known for. 

However, do note that April is a popular time for tourists heading to Bali. You will find yourself paying a premium for accommodations and airfare.

To combat this, you may want to apply for leave and book your flight tickets & accommodation far in advance. 

May 2023 Guide

Singapore Public Holiday Date(s):

• Monday, 1 May 2023 (Labour Day)

Enjoy one 3-day long weekend or 9-day holiday break.

Annual Leave Date(s):

• Tuesday, 2 May 2023
• Wednesday, 3 May 2023
• Thursday, 4 May 2023
• Friday, 5 May 2023
  

Best places to visit in May

Kuala Lumpur from 29th April to 1st May might not sound like an exciting long weekend getaway to Singaporeans. That’s because most do not know about diving with sharks at Aquaria KLCC, watching fireflies up close at Kampung Kuantan and dining 50-meters up with Dinner In The Sky.

Get to KL and you can even fit a day trip to good old Genting Highlands for the rides at Skytropolis; let’s not forget The Bigtop Video Games park decked out with old school arcade games.

However, if you want a 9-day break (i.e. 29th April to 7th May), consider Greece. Some of the most well-known Greek regions – like Athensand Santorini– are best experienced in May.

Queues to popular tourist attractions will be shorter, which means less hours for each attraction on your itinerary. There are also many fun flower festivals in Greece in May, like the famous Rhodian Flower Festival.

May does come with a slight risk of occasional drizzle but the trade-off is worth it!

June 2023 Guide

Singapore Public Holiday Date(s):

• Saturday, 3 Jun 2023 (Vesak Day)
• Monday, 5 Jun 2023 (Vesak Day off-in-lieu)
• Thursday, 29 Jun 2023 (Hari Raya Haji)

Annual Leave Date(s):

• Tuesday, 6 Jun 2023
• Wednesday, 7 Jun 2023
• Thursday, 8 Jun 2023
• Friday, 9 Jun 2023
• Friday, 30 Jun 2023

Best places to visit in June

Enjoy a 9-day adventure in Turkey from 3rd to 11th June!

One part of Turkey you can consider exploring is Cappadocia. Cappadocia in June is the best summer time for dramatic sunrises and hot air balloons in the morning.

You can even consider a pitstop in Istanbul on the way from Singapore to Cappadocia. That is where you can visit iconic landmarks like Hagia Sophia and the Blue Mosque.

And why not throw in a visit to Pamukkale to view it’s breathtaking “cotton castle”?

29th June to 1st August could be your long weekend getaway to the beautiful island of Bintan! It’s where some Singaporeans personally love to kayak, jet ski, snorkel and relax at a resort at the end of each day.

June is one of the months in the best season to visit Bintan because of its nice and dry weather conditions (around 26 °C).

However, hotels are usually booked up during this season, which is why it is important to apply for your leave, book your ferry ticket(s) and accommodation well in advance!

August 2023 Guide

Singapore Public Holiday Date(s):

• Wednesday, 9 Aug 2023 (National Day)

Annual Leave Date(s):

• Monday, 7 Aug 2023
• Tuesday, 8 Aug 2023
• Thursday, 10 Aug 2023
• Friday, 11 Aug 2023

Best places to visit in August

After enduring sunny Singapore for too long, you might enjoy a destination that offers some chill from 5th to 13th August. One such destination in August would be British Columbia, Canada.

Aside from hikes in Yoho National Park and Glacier National Park, glacier kayaking is a beautiful adventure to consider. You get to kayak through the ice-blue waters that meander across monstrous snow-white Canadian glaciers!

Alternatively, a typical Italian summer at the Amalfi Coast is a great time to enjoy in August! August is your typical European summer holiday month in Italy; this means the area will be at its most crowded and yet most beautiful.

Again, hotels are usually booked up during this season, so get to booking your flight tickets and accommodation in advance! You and your friends will want to relax on beautiful beaches, escape the crowd on private boats and kayak the stark blue waters.

November 2023 Guide

Between September to October, there are no public holidays so when November comes, it is best to have a good long break!

Singapore Public Holiday Date(s):

• Sunday, 12 Nov 2023 (Deepavali)
• Monday, 13 Nov 2023 (Deepavali off-in-lieu)

Annual Leave Date(s):

• Tuesday, 14 Nov 2023
• Wednesday, 15 Nov 2023
• Thursday, 16 Nov 2023
• Friday, 17 Nov 2023

Best places to visit in November

November is one of the best months to be in India, as the summer heat slowly gives way to the winter chill. From 11th to 19th November, why not see the one of the 7 Wonders – the majestic Taj Mahal in Agra!

You can even take a train ride to Jaipur for iconic landmarks like the Amer Fort and the pretty pink Hawa Mahal; then head further down to Udaipur – the Venice of Rajasthan.

December 2023 Guide

Singapore Public Holiday Date(s):

• Monday, 25 Dec 2023 (Christmas)

Annual Leave Date(s):

• Tuesday, 26 Dec 2023
• Wednesday, 27 Dec 2023
• Thursday, 28 Dec 2023
• Friday, 29 Dec 2023

Enjoy a 9-day holiday break, including weekends.

Best places to visit in December

If you are wondering when is the best time to visit Hokkaido,Japan for a snowy Christmas, it’s December! Spend 23rd to 31st December skiing and snowboarding in Furano and Sapporo, with Hokkaido as your base. It will get as cold as 3°C, so heading to the onsen at the end of an active day would be perfect. Don’t forget to feast on the freshest seafood that Hokkaido is known for!

Bangkok, Thailand is also a great place to visit as the rainy season wraps up in November.

Aside from great Thai food, try visiting one of Bangkok’s multiple floating markets to be in the bustling atmosphere and enjoy a unique souvenir shopping experience!

We’ve built-in location-specific holidays into the Talenox system. Now, Talenox users can:

• Find out at a glance who’s on vacation and who’s at work
• Submit and approve time-off in a few clicks
• Sync the team’s leave calendar to a Google Calendar
• Create custom holidays

Submit and approve employee leave applications easily. Try Talenox!

Watch how Talenox makes company leave policy set-up and employee time-off management so easy!