GCC Long Weekends
2027 long weekends across the GCC, compared.
Saudi Arabia tops on count (8). United Arab Emirates owns the longest single break (6 days). Saudi Arabia delivers the most days off without using any leave (16).
Side by side
Total breaks, leave-day cost, and the longest single run per country.
| Country | Working week | Breaks | No leave | +1 leave | Longest | Days off / leave |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Saudi Arabia → | Sun–Thu | 8 | 5 | 3 | 6D | 32 / 3 |
| Bahrain → | Sun–Thu | 7 | 5 | 2 | 6D | 28 / 2 |
| United Arab Emirates → | Mon–Fri | 6 | 3 | 3 | 6D | 28 / 3 |
| Kuwait → | Sun–Thu | 6 | 4 | 2 | 6D | 25 / 2 |
| Oman → | Sun–Thu | 6 | 4 | 2 | 6D | 25 / 2 |
| Qatar → | Sun–Thu | 5 | 3 | 2 | 6D | 22 / 2 |
When the breaks fall
Each dot is a long weekend; bridge breaks are sand, natural breaks are dark green. Click a country to drill in.
Frequently asked
Which GCC country has the most long weekends in 2027?
Saudi Arabia has 8 three-day-plus breaks in 2027 (5 need no leave, 3 with one leave day). Bahrain: 7. United Arab Emirates: 6.
What is the longest single break across the GCC in 2027?
6 consecutive days off in United Arab Emirates: Sat, Nov 27 – Thu, Dec 2 (one leave day).
Which country gives the most days off without using any leave?
Saudi Arabia delivers 16 days off across 5 natural breaks in 2027 — without touching annual leave.
Why do the dates differ between countries?
Lunar holidays (Eid Al Fitr, Eid Al Adha, Islamic New Year, Mawlid, Isra and Mi'raj) are announced by each country's moon-sighting committee independently. UAE, Saudi, and Qatar can land Eid on different days. National days are country-specific by definition. The UAE also runs a Mon–Fri working week (since January 2022) while the other five remain Sun–Thu, which shifts which days adjacent to a holiday count as off.
Want the per-country detail with calendar export? UAE · Saudi Arabia · Qatar · Bahrain · Kuwait · Oman.