Mark your calendar: likely dates for 2023 Eid Al Fitr long weekend in GCC

Web Desk

The Eid Al Fitr celebrations are just around the corner, and people in the UAE are eagerly anticipating the long weekend that follows the holy month of Ramadan. This festival, which falls on the first of Shawwal according to the Hijri calendar, is expected to mark the first long weekend of the year 2023, spanning from Thursday, April 20 to Sunday, April 23.

Ramadan began in the Emirates on Thursday, March 23, and is expected to last for 29 days this year, as per astronomical calculations. As the festival draws closer, airfares have started to rise, and travel inquiries and bookings have already been made, with most aggregators reporting that packages have sold out.

For those planning to celebrate Eid Al Fitr across the GCC, here are the likely dates of the long weekend. The excitement for the beloved festival is palpable, and residents all around the UAE and the world are gearing up for the festivities. It is important to note that Islamic months last either 29 or 30 days, depending on the sighting of the moon.

The festival has already given rise to the travel inquiries and airfares with most aggregators saying packages have sold out, following are the likely dates of the Eid Al Fitr weekend across the GCC;

Bahrain

Eid Al Fitr in Bahrain is expected to fall on Friday, April 21, and is likely to last until Sunday, April 23.

Kuwait

Local media outlets predict that the long weekend in Kuwait is likely to begin on Friday, April 21, and will extend to Sunday, April 23.

Oman

According to local media outlets, the first day of Eid Al Fitr is likely to fall on Saturday, April 22, and residents are anticipating a whopping nine-day break. The country now grants the same number of holidays to both government and private sector employees, with long breaks also helping to boost local tourism.

Qatar

Eid in the country is likely to begin on Friday, April 21, with holidays expected to be from Sunday, April 23 to Tuesday, April 25.

Saudi Arabia

In a tweet, the Saudi Central Bank (SAMA) announced that Eid Al Fitr in the kingdom would begin at the end of the working day on Monday, April 17, and would end on Tuesday, April 25, with work resuming on that day.