If your email inbox is quieter than a Karoo farm at midnight, you can thank South Africa’s public holiday season. But here’s a fun fact: while we’re soaking up the long weekends, many other countries are celebrating even more days off than we are!
South Africa (29 April 2025) – If you’re reading this while sipping coffee (or a mimosa) in your gown at 12pm on a weekday… then chances are, you planned your April (and every single Public Holiday) like a boss. Thanks to some clever calendar magic, South Africans who used just seven days of annual leave scored a glorious 17-day break this year.
That’s right. Seventeen whole days! A full-on staycation, vacation or “do absolutely nothing” holiday, all without emptying your leave balance. Legendary.
And with Easter, Freedom Day and Workers’ Day all lining up like friendly dominos, it might feel like South Africa has more public holidays than anyone else on Earth. But surprise! We’re actually pretty middle-of-the-road. South Africans officially get 12 public holidays a year, which is perfectly average when compared globally. We’re not hoarding holidays and we’re certainly not being short-changed. We’re just right.
But some countries have truly turned public holidays into an art form.
Leading the pack, India boasts an incredible 42 public holidays this year, with Nepal close behind at 35, and Iran securing third place with 26. When a country embraces multiple religions and cultures, there’s almost always a reason to celebrate… and clearly, they do it well! Even tiny Liechtenstein punches well above its weight, offering 22 days off, while Hong Kong keeps the party going with 17 public holidays a year.
On the other end of the scale, some countries play it a bit cooler. Vietnam officially has just 6 public holidays, but one of them, Tết (Lunar New Year), turns into a week-long national festival. The United States is a mixed bag depending on the state, with some Americans only getting 6 to 8 days off a year. And over in England and Wales, the UK counts a modest 8 annual bank holidays… which might explain why Brits treat an unexpected extra day off like a national event!
So where do we sit?
Right in the Goldilocks zone. Not too many, not too few, just enough to refresh, reconnect and remember what matters. We share this title (of 12 public holidays) with countries like Italy, Sweden, New Zealand Egypt and Taiwan. And even though it may feel like we’re permanently on “Out of Office” lately, the truth is, South Africa’s holiday game is actually pretty balanced. We work hard and we celebrate just as hard. Whether it’s a long weekend adventure or just a lazy morning at home, South Africans have mastered the art of making memories with every extra day we’re given. And we are thankful for it.
But obviously, some might want more time off. And that’s more than okay… we’ve got you covered. Every year (in January) we publish our guide to maximising your leave. And this year still has one very long weekend to maximise. Click here for your cheat code.
You’re welcome… and happy holidays!
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