Use this quick reference for public holidays, festival dates, and long weekends for Dadra and Nagar Haveli and Daman and Diu in 2026 for smarter planning.
Last updated on: March 24, 2026
A compact coastal and forested Union Territory, Dadra and Nagar Haveli and Daman and Diu, offers beaches, tribal traditions and colonial heritage that shape local festivities and closures. As of January 26, 2020, it was merged with the Union Territory of Daman and Diu. This led to the formation of a single, unified Union Territory named Dadra and Nagar Haveli and Daman and Diu. The holiday list below flags statutory public days, community celebrations and tentative lunar-date festivals so you can plan travel, family events and work leave with greater certainty.
The 2026 holiday schedule for the UT combines national days with locally notified festivals and community observances. It highlights dates likely to affect schools, banks and government offices so you can arrange travel, ceremonies and work commitments more smoothly.
| Occasion / Festival | Date | Day |
|---|---|---|
Makar Sankranti / Maghu Bihu / Pongal |
14 January 2026 |
Wednesday |
Republic Day |
26 January 2026 |
Monday |
Holi |
04 March 2026 |
Wednesday |
Chaitra Sukladi / Gudi Padava / Ugadi / Cheti Chand |
19 March 2026 |
Thursday |
Id-ul-Fitr |
21 March 2026 |
Saturday |
Ram Navami |
26 March 2026 |
Thursday |
Mahavir Jayanti |
31 March 2026 |
Tuesday |
Good Friday |
03 April 2026 |
Friday |
Independence Day / Parsi New Year’s Day (Nauraj) |
15 August 2026 |
Saturday |
Milad-un-Nabi / Id-e-Milad (Birthday of Prophet Mohammad) |
26 August 2026 |
Wednesday |
Raksha Bandhan |
28 August 2026 |
Friday |
Janmashtami |
04 September 2026 |
Friday |
Ganesh Chaturthi / Vinayaka Chaturthi |
14 September 2026 |
Monday |
Mahatma Gandhi’s Birthday |
02 October 2026 |
Friday |
Dussehra (Vijay Dashmi) |
20 October 2026 |
Tuesday |
Govardhan Puja |
09 November 2026 |
Monday |
Christmas Day |
25 December 2026 |
Friday |
| Occasion / Festival | Date | Day |
|---|---|---|
New Year’s Day |
01 January 2026 |
Thursday |
Hazrat Ali’s Birthday |
03 January 2026 |
Saturday |
Basant Panchami / Sri Panchami |
23 January 2026 |
Friday |
Guru Ravi Das’s Birthday |
01 February 2026 |
Sunday |
Birthday of Swami Dayanand Saraswati |
12 February 2026 |
Thursday |
Shiva Ji Jayanti |
19 February 2026 |
Thursday |
Holika Dahan |
03 March 2026 |
Tuesday |
Dolyatra |
03 March 2026 |
Tuesday |
Jamat-Ul-Vida |
20 March 2026 |
Friday |
Easter Sunday |
05 April 2026 |
Sunday |
Vaisakhi / Vishu / Meshaadi (Tamil New Year’s Day) |
14 April 2026 |
Tuesday |
Vaisakhadi (Bengal) / Bohag Bihu (Assam) |
15 April 2026 |
Wednesday |
Budha Purnima |
01 May 2026 |
Friday |
Birthday of Guru Rabindranath Tagore |
09 May 2026 |
Saturday |
Id-ul-Zuha (Bakrid) |
27 May 2026 |
Wednesday |
Muharram |
26 June 2026 |
Friday |
Rath Yatra |
16 July 2026 |
Thursday |
Onam / Thiru Onam Day |
26 August 2026 |
Wednesday |
Dussehra (Saptami) |
18 October 2026 |
Sunday |
Dussehra (Mahastami) |
19 October 2026 |
Monday |
Maharishi Valmiki’s Birthday |
26 October 2026 |
Monday |
Karaka Chaturthi (Karwa Chauth) |
29 October 2026 |
Thursday |
Bhai Duj |
11 November 2026 |
Wednesday |
Guru Teg Bahadur Martyrdom Day / Guru Nanak’s Birthday |
24 November 2026 |
Tuesday |
Hazrat Ali’s Birthday (additional entry) |
23 December 2026 |
Wednesday |
Christmas Eve |
24 December 2026 |
Thursday |
Clusters of festival dates and notified holidays can produce attractive long-weekend stretches. These are ideal for short trips, family gatherings or celebrating festivities. Remember to confirm lunar-date holidays before booking travel or accommodation.
| Dates | Days | Occasion / Holiday | Days Off |
|---|---|---|---|
24 to 26 January |
Saturday – Monday |
Republic Day |
3 Days |
3 to 5 April |
Friday – Sunday |
Good Friday & Easter |
3 Days |
1 to 3 May |
Friday – Sunday |
Labour Day / Maharashtra Day |
3 Days |
26 to 28 June |
Friday – Sunday |
Muharram |
3 Days |
14 to 16 August |
Saturday – Monday |
Independence Day |
3 Days |
4 to 6 September |
Friday – Sunday |
Janmashtami |
3 Days |
12 to 14 September |
Saturday – Monday |
Ganesh Chaturthi / Vinayak Chaturthi |
3 Days |
2 to 4 October |
Friday – Sunday |
Mahatma Gandhi Jayanthi |
3 Days |
17 to 20 October |
Saturday – Tuesday |
Dussehra / Vijay Dashami |
4 Days |
7 to 9 November |
Saturday – Monday |
Diwali |
3 Days |
24 to 26 December |
Friday – Sunday |
Christmas |
3 Days |
Dadra and Nagar Haveli and Daman and Diu combine tranquil lakes, wildlife, heritage forts, beaches and unique cultural experiences that make holiday exploration rewarding. Whether you love nature, history, coastal relaxation or local culture, this Union Territory has something special for every kind of traveller.
Enjoy sun, sand and sea breezes at Nagoa Beach and Ghoghla Beach on Diu’s coastline, ideal for swimming, long walks or simply unwinding beside clear waters.
Explore the historic Diu Fortress, a prominent Portuguese-era fortification with expansive views of the Arabian Sea and remnants of ramparts and bastions.
Visit the Gangeshwar Mahadev Temple, where five Shiva lingas are set amidst rocks on the shoreline, creating a peaceful spiritual spot with spectacular sea views.
Head to Vasona Lion Safari Park to see Asiatic lions, deer and other wildlife in a large open habitat, bringing you close to nature and animal trails.
In Dadra and Nagar Haveli, spend a day boating, paddling or walking along the scenic Dudhni Lake, surrounded by lush forests and peaceful landscapes.
Discover local history and culture at the Tribal Museum, Silvassa, where exhibits showcase traditional lifestyles and artefacts of the region’s tribal communities.
Visit Hirwa Van Garden and Nakshatra Garden in Silvassa for peaceful walks amid greenery, themed plant collections and serene picnic spots.
In the Daman area, explore architectural landmarks like St. Jerome Fort, Church of Bom Jesus and other historic places that reflect the region’s Portuguese lace and colonial past.
From scenic beaches and fort tours to wildlife safaris and tribal culture experiences, Dadra and Nagar Haveli and Daman and Diu offer diverse holiday activities that blend natural beauty with heritage charm.
A little financial planning upfront can make your holiday to Dadra and Nagar Haveli and Daman and Diu feel lighter and more enjoyable. When your money is organised, you can focus on the sights, flavours, and experiences, without worrying about surprise costs.
Start by listing your likely expenses like travel tickets, accommodation, meals, local transport, and entry fees for activities. Add a 10–15% buffer for small surprises like extra rides, snacks, or last-minute changes. Splitting the total into a daily spending limit also helps you decide where to treat yourself and where to cut back.
If you’re expecting bigger upfront costs, such as a group trip, upgraded stays, or paid tours, a personal loan can help spread the expense into manageable EMIs. This approach can keep your savings intact while still letting you plan comfortably. On Bajaj Markets, you can compare unsecured personal loans up to ₹55 Lakhs. These come with competitive rates from 9.99% p.a. and flexible tenures that suit your repayment capacity.
For hotel reservations and online bookings, paying by credit card can keep your transactions in one place and may offer rewards or cashback. If a purchase feels heavy on your monthly budget, check whether it can be converted into instalments. Travel-focused credit cards can further help you get partner deals on airlines, hotel bookings, and more.
Booking flights, trains, and accommodation ahead of time often gets you better prices and wider choices. Look out for aggregator promos, bank offers, and seasonal discounts to reduce the overall bill. If your dates are flexible, even minor itinerary tweaks can make a noticeable difference in total spending.
Travel insurance helps protect your budget if something unexpected happens, such as a medical emergency, trip delay, or baggage trouble. Instead of a single incident turning into a large unplanned expense, you have a safety net in place. You can compare short-term domestic travel insurance plans on Bajaj Markets and choose cover that matches your route and planned activities.
Reviewer
Yes. The UT administration publishes an annual list of holidays for Dadra and Nagar Haveli and Daman and Diu. However, certain holidays, especially religious ones based on lunar calendars, can be updated later in the year through official notifications. These updates are issued by the Dadra and Nagar Haveli and Daman and Diu Administration to reflect updated dates or additional paid holidays.
Dadra and Nagar Haveli became a Union Territory of India on 11 August 1961 after being liberated from Portuguese rule. Later, on 26 January 2020, it merged with the Union Territory of Daman and Diu to form the combined UT of Dadra and Nagar Haveli and Daman and Diu.
Bank holidays in Dadra and Nagar Haveli and Daman and Diu generally follow the Reserve Bank of India’s nationwide calendar, including all Sundays and specified Saturdays. While many public holidays coincide with national observances, banks may also observe additional sector-specific closures that align with RBI guidelines.
Public holiday lists for 2026 show some festival or observance dates landing on Sundays, such as Diwali on 8 November 2026 depending on the final lunar date confirmations. With Sundays also being non-working days, these overlaps mean both the weekend and the festival coincide. Specific official UT notifications can clarify whether a compensatory holiday is provided.
While tribal festivals are culturally significant in Dadra and Nagar Haveli, they are not always part of the official public holiday list; the formal holiday schedule focuses on national and widely observed religious festivals. Many tribal celebrations continue locally but may be marked as optional or restricted holidays for government employees rather than broad public closures.
After the 2020 merger, Daman was designated the administrative capital of the Union Territory of Dadra and Nagar Haveli and Daman and Diu. The largest urban centre in the combined UT, Silvassa, remains a key city and economic hub but not the administrative capital.
Dadra and Nagar Haveli is not a state. It is a Union Territory of India. Since January 26, 2020, it has been administratively merged with the former UT of Daman and Diu to become one combined Union Territory: Dadra and Nagar Haveli and Daman and Diu.