Planning your next vacation? How to make the most of 6 public holiday long weekends in 2026

SINGAPORE – If you are already dreaming of your next getaway, 2026 might be the perfect year to start planning early, with

six long weekends

to look forward to.

Whether it is booking flights before prices climb, reserving leave before calendars fill up or simply pencilling in well-earned downtime, now is a good time to start mapping out the year ahead.

To recap, there are 11 public holidays in 2026, starting with New Year’s Day.

Good Friday on April 3 will usher in the first public holiday long weekend of the year. Labour Day (May 1) and Christmas Day (Dec 25) will also fall on a Friday.

As Vesak Day (May 31), National Day (Aug 9) and Deepavali (Nov 8) will fall on Sundays, the following Mondays will be designated public holidays.

The other public holidays are Chinese New Year on Feb 17 and 18 (Tuesday and Wednesday), Hari Raya Puasa on March 21 (Saturday) and Hari Raya Haji on May 27 (Wednesday).

Notably, the six long weekends mark an increase compared with previous years – four in 2025 and five in 2024.

For those considering where to go, travel booking platform Trip.com’s analysis of booking data published on Dec 15 showed that China, Japan and Malaysia are the most popular countries among Singaporeans travelling in the first quarter of 2026, with Bangkok, Tokyo and Kuala Lumpur topping the list of cities.

These destinations remain favourites for their accessibility, affordability and range of activities.

Budget-conscious travellers can also consider Vietnam, with cities such as Da Nang, Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City seeing more flight options from Singapore. This follows a new

code-share agreement

between Singapore Airlines and Vietnam’s national flag carrier.

Closer to home, new flights between

Singapore and Ipoh

offer another easy weekend escape, allowing travellers to enjoy local food, explore heritage sites and even visit specialist medical centres.

Those planning a trip to East Asia can consider South Korea, where

Singaporeans can now skip immigration queues

at airports following the expansion of the country’s automated immigration clearance system. Travellers need only complete a one-time on-site registration upon arrival at Incheon International Airport.

Travellers can also consider destinations beyond Asia. They can expect shorter travel times on selected flights between Singapore and cities such as

Auckland,

Brisbane,

Melbourne and Sydney

. This is made possible by a 15-month trial allowing pilots to take the most direct and efficient routes across participating airspaces.