Who doesn't love holidays?
For many, the best getaways from work are planned around public holidays.
So Mashable Southeast Asia decided to rank Southeast Asian countries with the least number of public holidays to the most for 2019.
The results will surprise you! Let's start with the country with the least number of public holidays first because we're saving the best for the last!
VIETNAM : 11 Days
That's right. Only 11 days. Vietnam has the least number of public holidays compared to other Southeast Asian countries.
The longest number of public holidays Vietnamese would enjoy for 2019 are 5 days and they fall during the Tet Nguyen Dan aka the Vietnamese New Year.
LAOS : 13 Days
The interesting and remarkable fact about Laos' longest public holiday, the Lao New Year, is that it falls at the same time as other celebrations across numerous South Asian countries such as Sri Lanka, India, Myanmar, Cambodia, and Thailand.
The festival - also known as Pimai - incorporates elements such as water and earth and it is also at times known as Songkran. This is the longest public holiday Laos will enjoy in 2019 and it falls from April 14 - 16.
SINGAPORE: 14 Days
Singapore is a huge surprise. Because it touts itself as a developed country with a booming economy, we had expected it to have the least number of public holidays among countries in Southeast Asia.
Yet, the longest public holiday this tiny island nation will enjoy in 2019 is during the Chinese New Year festivities. Singaporeans will be on break from February 5 to 6.
BRUNEI : 19 Days
With a population of only half a million, it is pretty surprising to find Brunei having more than 15 days of holidays for 2019.
The longest public holiday for Malaysia's neighbour will fall on June 5 to 8 during the Hari Raya celebrations.
INDONESIA : 20 Days
The world's largest Muslim nation in the world will have five days of public holidays from June 3 to 7 when it celebrates the Lebaran.
Unlike its neighbours such as Malaysia and Brunei, the Hari Raya festivities is commonly referred to as Lebaran though many Indonesians also call the festivities Hari Raya Idul Fitri.
PHILIPPINES : 21 Days
Since Philippines is a Christian majority country - over 90% - much of the public holidays are centred around the religion's holy days.
Heck, it is the only country which has a public holiday for Maundy Thursday. This day is considered sacred as it falls on a Thursday leading up to Easter.
MYANMAR : 25 DAYS
What is interesting about Myanmar is its fascination towards the full moon. The Buddhist majority country has 5 days dedicated to celebrate the full moon; Tabaung, Kasong, Waso, Thadingyut, and Tazaungmone.
These 5 days are considered auspicious and are reserved to observe the waxing of the moon.
THAILAND : 26 Days
If we are to be fair, Thailand technically gets only 20 days of public holidays as the remaining 6 festivities are celebrated in selected provinces.
Yet, the biggest festival is certainly the Songkran and it falls at the same time as Laos and Myanmar and just like its neighbours, the festivities involves water. How fascinating!
CAMBODIA : 31 DAYS
Just like its neighbours Thailand, Laos, Myanmar, Vietnam, Cambodia too celebrates its New Year between April 14 to 17.
Interestingly, Cambodia is the only nation to have a public holiday on Children's Day and Human Rights Day in 2019.
MALAYSIA: 50 DAYS
If you're a Malaysian who has been reading this, you knew this was coming. Malaysia is the only Southeast Asian nation that has the most number of public holidays.
Heck, some even wonder if it is the only country in the world which has achieved such a feat. But to be fair, technically Malaysia has 20 public holidays as some states choose to continue their operations.
On top of that, several states in the country have their own holidays which don't apply at the national level as well. But if you total them all up, it's 50.
Source : Mashable Southeast Asia
