New Year’s Day in Mauritius
New Year’s Day is a statutory public holiday in Mauritius. The Public Holidays Act names New Year in its annual holiday schedule and specifies 1 and 2 January as its days of celebration. Check local sources for information about customs tied to 1 January.[1]
Legal status and dates
The Public Holidays Act says that dates in its First Schedule are to be observed as public holidays every year. The schedule includes the days of celebration of New Year and lists 1 and 2 January. The Act also says that official acts required on a public holiday may lawfully be done on the following day.[1]
The Act’s schedule names both 1 and 2 January as New Year celebration days; it does not set out a general rule in that schedule for moving the holiday when a date falls on a weekend.[1]
Mauritius’s cultural setting
The Mauritian government describes the country’s culture as shaped by people of Indian, African, European and Chinese ancestry, with shared participation in festivals and traditions. New Year’s Day is part of this varied national holiday calendar.[2]
The government’s description of Mauritian food records culinary traditions influenced by migrations from France, India, China and Africa. It mentions dishes including dhollpuri, roti, biryani and Creole rougaille.[2]
Planning around the holiday
Because New Year is a public holiday under the Act, official acts required on that day may be completed on the following day. The Act also provides that negotiable instruments due on a public holiday are payable, and may be noted or protested, on the following day if they are not paid.[1]
Check opening hours directly with the office or business you plan to visit, and confirm transport arrangements with the relevant operator. The government’s tourism information describes bus services operating in separate regions. Check with the operator for the New Year timetable.[2]
Frequently asked questions
Is New Year’s Day a public holiday in Mauritius?
Yes. The Public Holidays Act lists New Year among the holidays observed every year.[1]
What dates does the law give for New Year celebrations?
The Act’s First Schedule lists 1 and 2 January as the days of celebration of New Year.[1]
Are shops, banks and public transport open?
Check opening hours with the business or office before you go, and confirm holiday transport schedules with the operator before travelling.[2]
Sources and references
Sources used for New Year's Day in Mauritius:
- PUBLIC HOLIDAYS ACT- Laws of Mauritius, Republic of Mauritius
- Republic of Mauritius- Government of Mauritius