Compared to most countries, the UK has few bank holidays – just eight a year. That’s why, for many travel lovers, making the most of these national days off is crucial.
Aligning your annual leave with public holidays and weekends gives you an extended break from work, making it ideal for booking a big trip that you’ll remember long after the year ends. Just make sure you submit your leave requests before your co-workers do!
Key dates
- New Year’s Day: Take off 30 to 31 December (2024) and 2 to 3 January for a nine-day break.
- Easter: Take 14 to 17 April or 22 to 25 April off for a 10-day break.
- Early May and spring bank holidays: Take off either 6 to 9 May or 27 to 30 May for a nine-day break.
- Summer bank holiday: Take off 26 to 29 August for a nine-day break.
- Christmas Day and Boxing Day: Take off 22 to 24 December, 29 to 31 December and January 2 (2026) off for a 16-day holiday.
January – New Year’s Day
2025 starts on a Wednesday – a disruption to the work week, if you ask us. So why not book the other four days off and ring in the New Year with a nine-day holiday? It’s the perfect amount of time to explore Columbia’s towns, cities and coffee region.
You can also go Down Under, where summer is in full swing. In just a week, you can cover a lot of ground in Tasmania, balancing beach time with action in places like Wineglass Bay and Cradle Mountain.
Or you can head to South East Asia. Maybe spend a few days exploring at your own pace and then join a five-day Intrepid trip in Thailand, where you can soak up some vitamin D on a catamaran.
April – Easter
Use four days of annual leave to turn two public holidays into 10 days off work – the magic of leave-hacking maths. With double-digit days off, you can also travel slightly further afield.
It’s the perfect month to take one of Intrepid’s most popular trips, the Vietnam Express Southbound, as the weather is cooler and dryer than in the summer. The same can be said for Morocco – and if you have children and they’re on school holidays, why not take them with you on a family trip? A camel ride alongside the Atlantic Ocean is sure to become a core memory.
May – Early May bank holiday and spring bank holiday
Only having to work two Mondays in May is pretty sweet, but booking holidays utilising the bank holiday Mondays is even sweeter. You can enjoy a nine-day break if you take off either the 6 to 9 or 27 to 30 May – which, coincidentally, is the best time for a summer holiday before the tourists descend.
Popular European summer spots like Portugal and Greece are typically milder, more affordable and less crowded in May. You can also kick off the summer by eating your way around South Korea or snorkelling in beautiful Bali.
August – summer bank holiday
The summer bank holiday is the last hurrah, a final chance to turn summer hopes into realities. Get another nine-day break from the daily grind by taking off 26 to 29 August.
The Adriatic Sea is warmest at the end of summer, making a sailing adventure around the Croatian islands especially appealing. Croatia’s national parks are also worth a visit. If you like your nature with a little more wildlife, consider a Kenyan safari. Late August falls within the peak of the Great Migration, so you can expect to see wildebeest and zebras in Masai Mara.
December – Christmas Day and Boxing Day
Saving annual leave for the end of the year is hard – it can be tempting to use it all up when the sun is out – but your self-restraint will be rewarded. Get a 16-day holiday by booking off the days before Christmas (22 to 24), after Christmas (29 to 31) and January 2 2026.
Escape the cold with a Sri Lanka getaway, where you can summit Lion Rock in Sigiriya and cycle through the ancient city ruins of Anuradhapura. Or check out Northern India’s hotspots, like the Taj Mahal and Jama Masjid Mosque, while the country is cooler.
Inspired to maximise your time off? Join a small group adventure with Intrepid.
