Public Holidays in Angola
Statutory public holidays in Angola, with the dates that give people the day off, how the calendar is set, and what it means for travel, cities and culture.
Angola at a glance
Angola’s public holidays mark the independence struggle alongside Catholic feast days, with Independence Day on 11 November the national date.
Several dates move with Easter, and the liberation movement’s founding anniversaries are also commemorated.
Angola public holidays 2026
The dates below come from Angola’s published calendar for 2026. Open the full year for the complete list.
| Holiday | Date | Year |
|---|---|---|
| New Year | Jan 1Thu | 2026 |
| Day off for New Year | Jan 2Fri | 2026 |
| Liberation Movement Day | Feb 4Wed | 2026 |
| Carnival Holiday | Feb 16Mon | 2026 |
| Carnival | Feb 17Tue | 2026 |
| International Woman's Day | Mar 8Sun | 2026 |
| March Equinox | Mar 20Fri | 2026 |
| Southern Africa Liberation Day | Mar 23Mon | 2026 |
| Good Friday | Apr 3Fri | 2026 |
| Peace Day | Apr 4Sat | 2026 |
| May Day | May 1Fri | 2026 |
| June Solstice | Jun 21Sun | 2026 |
Showing 12 of 19 dates recorded for 2026.
Major cities in Angola
The urban centres that anchor most trips to Angola.
Luanda
A fast-growing Atlantic capital with a Portuguese fort, a bayfront and high-rise districts.
Huambo
A highland city of colonial avenues and a rail junction in the central plateau.
Lobito
A port city at the end of the Benguela railway, with a long beach peninsula.
Benguela
An Atlantic city of Portuguese churches and a railway heritage.
Namibe
A port on the edge of the Namib desert, with dunes meeting the sea.
Top attractions in Angola
The places that draw most visitors to Angola.
Kissama National Park
A coastal park of savanna and river mouth, restocked with elephant and antelope.
Kalendula Falls
A broad horseshoe waterfall plunging over a red-rock escarpment.
Mbanza Kongo
The ruined royal city of the Kongo kingdom, with a cathedral and royal tombs.
Tundavala Gap
A cliff-edge viewpoint over the escarpment and the coastal plain below.
Fortress of Sao Miguel
A 16th-century Portuguese fort above Luanda, now a museum.
Cangandala National Park
A miombo woodland park protecting the giant sable antelope.
Festivals, food and getting around Angola
What the calendar looks like on the ground, and how to move through the country around it.
Festivals behind the holidays
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🎉
New Year
Falls on Jan 1
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🎉
Day off for New Year
Falls on Jan 2
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🎉
Liberation Movement Day
Falls on Feb 4
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🎉
Carnival Holiday
Falls on Feb 16
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🎉
Carnival
Falls on Feb 17
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🎉
International Woman's Day
Falls on Mar 8
Food & drink
Getting around
Road conditions vary a great deal; domestic flights connect the main cities, and a 4×4 is essential outside them.
Travelling around Angola’s holidays
What the dates mean once you are there.
Book around the peaks
Transport and hotels in Angola tighten around major holidays; reserve early for the busiest weeks.
Check opening hours
Museums, banks and government offices usually close on statutory holidays, and often on the nearest Monday.
Carry local currency
Small vendors and rural businesses frequently take cash only, especially on holidays when banks are shut.
Expect crowded transport
Long weekends produce the year's heaviest road, rail and air traffic. Build in extra travel time.
Confirm the official list
Angola's holiday dates are confirmed by government announcement; check the year page for the final arrangement.
Plan the long weekends
Pairing a holiday with adjacent weekends gives the longest breaks of the year — and the busiest.
Angola public holidays: common questions
How many public holidays does Angola have?
Angola has 19 dates recorded on its 2026 calendar, ranging from national statutory holidays to widely marked observances that are not days off work.
Where can I find the full 2026 list?
The complete 2026 calendar for Angola is on the year page, with every recorded date in order.
Are Angola's public holidays paid?
Statutory national holidays are generally paid leave for employees. Observances and commemorative days are usually not.
Do holidays move if they fall on a weekend?
Where a holiday falls on a weekend, Angola typically observes it on the nearest weekday. Check the year page for the confirmed arrangement.
Are there regional holidays in Angola?
Some holidays are observed only in certain regions or by certain communities. The year page lists what applies nationally.
Which years are covered for Angola?
Calendars are published for 2027, 2026, 2025.