Public Holidays in the Seychelles

Public holidays are the same on all the islands, with no regional differences. For visitors this mainly means one thing: if you plan to deal with a government office, do some banking or do a bigger shop on a public holiday, allow for a fallback day. You will find general hours under Opening hours in the Seychelles.

Under the tropical blue sky, the Seychellois celebrate with exuberance and good cheer. As most Seychellois are Roman Catholic, Christian holidays dominate the local festive calendar, but secular festivals and events have their firm place too.

Music and dance are closely tied to the local culture and are a fixture of every celebration in the Seychelles. Local and international rhythms ring out in the streets, and not only at weekends.

After morning Mass (which the women of the Seychelles take particularly seriously), a Creole picnic on the beach is often the next thing on the programme, with barbecues and dancing to music. The year-round tropical temperatures are of course the ideal setting for a lively party culture, which also shows in rather loud beach barbecues, bonfires and open-air dance evenings.

The national holiday on 29 June commemorates independence from Britain in 1976. Until 2015, 18 June was called National Day; today it is Constitution Day. The two days fall close together in June, so if you travel at that time, expect festive programmes and crowded streets in Victoria.

15 August is a church holiday that is celebrated as a festival day on La Digue (La Digue Festival). If you would like to experience it there, book your accommodation and crossing early. You will find more on the page about La Digue.

The Festival Kreol is not a public holiday, but it is one of the most important cultural events of the year. In 2026 the 41st edition took place in October, also marking 50 years of independence. The programme included Moutya evenings in several districts (including on La Digue), the Creole fair Tonbola at Freedom Square in Victoria and, to close, the Creole ball Bal Bobes. The dates for 2027 have not yet been confirmed, but the festival is usually held in October. Further dates can be found under Festivals and events.

Yes. If a public holiday falls on a Sunday, the next day is also a public holiday.

Yes, the public holidays apply nationwide. Local festivals such as the one on La Digue on 15 August are additional occasions, not separate public holidays.

Good Friday, Holy Saturday, Easter Monday and Corpus Christi depend on the date of Easter. In 2027 Easter falls early, with Good Friday on 26 March. The other holidays have fixed dates.

That depends on the operator. For boat trips, ask early. You will find more under Boat tours.