Wednesday 10 March and Thursday 11 March 2027. Eid al-Fitr, Hari Raya Puasa, Lebaran: Ramadan bazaars, mosques, open houses and what to expect as a visitor.
Hari Raya Aidilfitri is expected in 128 days
Expected Wednesday 10 March and Thursday 11 March 2027. The moon sighting confirms the date shortly before.
Where to goHari Raya Aidilfitri 2027 is expected on Wednesday 10 March and Thursday 11 March 2027, both national public holidays. The date follows the sighting of the new moon, so it can shift by a day. The Keeper of the Rulers’ Seal announces it shortly before.
Hari Raya Aidilfitri (Eid al-Fitr, also called Hari Raya Puasa and, in Indonesia, Lebaran) ends the fasting month of Ramadan and starts Syawal. Families pray together in the morning, ask each other’s forgiveness, eat ketupat and rendang, and host friends and neighbours through the month.
For a visitor, the best of Penang’s season is the Ramadan bazaars in the weeks before and a respectful look at a mosque after the prayers. The two days themselves are for family: expect closed Malay shops, quiet streets, and an open house only if someone invites you.
Stay in George Town for Hari Raya. Dates are filled in; change them.
See hotels for these datesOr compare places to stay on Visit Penang: Penang hotels by area and homestays and guesthouses.
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Hari Raya Aidilfitri 2027 dijangka jatuh pada hari Rabu, 10 Mac 2027 dan Khamis, 11 Mac 2027, mengikut senarai cuti umum JPM. Tarikh sebenar bergantung pada cerapan anak bulan dan diumumkan oleh Penyimpan Mohor Besar Raja-Raja. Bazar Ramadan dibuka pada waktu petang sepanjang Ramadan. Masjid Kapitan Keling dan Masjid Melayu Lebuh Aceh di George Town, Masjid Negeri di Jalan Masjid Negeri dan Masjid Terapung Tanjung Bungah boleh dikunjungi di luar waktu solat. Pelawat digalakkan berpakaian sopan dan menanggalkan kasut. Ucapan lazim: “Selamat Hari Raya” dan “Maaf zahir dan batin”.
The key dates, with weekdays. Islamic dates are expected until the moon is sighted.
Mon 8 February
Fasting from dawn to sunset. Ramadan bazaars open in the afternoons and run through the month. Non-Muslim visitors are welcome at them.
Wed 24 February
Marks the first revelation of the Quran. It is a public holiday in Penang.
Tue 9 March
The takbir is chanted that night. Shops, bazaars and roads are at their busiest as people finish preparing and travel home.
Wed 10 March
Eid prayers at the mosque in the morning, then family visits. Many families also visit the graves of relatives. Many Malay-owned shops and restaurants are closed.
Thu 11 March
The second gazetted holiday. Visiting continues.
Fri 12 March
Open houses run through Syawal, the month after Ramadan, often at weekends.
Ramadan bazaars before Raya, four mosques to see, and open houses by invitation.
Sites across George Town and the island
The city council (MBPP) runs Ramadan bazaars across the island, including one at Lorong Kulit. They open in the afternoon, and the best food goes soon after the fast ends. The 2027 site list is not published yet, so we do not name individual bazaars here.
Ramadan in Penang guideCorner of Lebuh Buckingham and Jalan Masjid Kapitan Keling, George Town
George Town’s landmark mosque, founded in 1801 by Cauder Mohuddeen Merican, leader of the Chulia community. It sits inside the UNESCO zone, within walking distance of the heritage hotels. On Raya morning it is a place of worship first: if you want to see inside, come after the prayers and ask before going in.
Directions in Google Maps
Jalan Masjid Negeri (Green Lane), Air Itam
The state mosque, built from 1977 and officially opened on 29 August 1980. It is a short drive from the centre of George Town, so take a Grab and allow extra time on Raya morning. As at any mosque, visit outside prayer times and ask before going in.
Directions in Google Maps
Lebuh Aceh (Acheen Street), George Town
Founded in the early 1800s on land given by Tengku Syed Hussain Al-Aidid, an Acehnese merchant leader, whose family tomb lies beside it. Pilgrims once gathered in this street before sailing to Mecca. It is a few minutes’ walk from Masjid Kapitan Keling, so the two make one heritage walk. Come outside prayer times and ask before going in.
Directions in Google MapsCoast road, Tanjung Bungah, on the way to Batu Ferringhi
Built on stilts over the sea, so at high tide it looks as if it floats. It is on the way to the Batu Ferringhi beach hotels; take a Grab or drive. Dress modestly, come outside prayer times and ask before going in.
Directions in Google MapsA rumah terbuka is hosted by a family, company or government body for friends and guests through Syawal. The Penang state government holds one each year; in 2026 it went ahead with a modest one and had sent invitations beforehand. Do not turn up uninvited. If a local friend or host invites you, say yes.
See getting around Penang for Grab and bus options to the State Mosque and Tanjung Bungah.
Plan around the first two days.
Wednesday 10 March and Thursday 11 March 2027 are national public holidays. Government offices, banks and schools are closed, and many businesses close for longer.
Many Malay-owned restaurants, shops and stalls close for the first days or the whole week. Chinese, Indian and hotel restaurants and the malls are mostly open.
Many residents go back to their home towns, so the days before and after are the busiest on roads and the bridges. George Town is often quieter on the days themselves.
Hotels and the main attractions generally operate, sometimes with reduced hours. Book dinners ahead.
Raya dishes you will see at bazaars and open houses.
Meat slow-cooked in coconut milk and spices until dry and dark. The centrepiece of a Raya table.
Rice cooked in woven palm-leaf pouches, pressed into firm cakes and served with rendang or peanut sauce.
Glutinous rice cooked in bamboo with coconut milk over an open fire, cut into slices to eat with rendang.
Grilled skewers with peanut sauce, cucumber and onion. Common at open houses.
Biscuits and cookies baked for guests: pineapple tarts, kuih bangkit, kuih makmur and more. Every house has tins of them.
Rice cakes in a vegetable curry with tofu, tempeh and egg, often served for breakfast on the first morning.
Small things that go down well.
Say “Selamat Hari Raya”. “Maaf zahir dan batin” asks forgiveness for any wrong, seen or unseen. Both are welcome from visitors.
Covered shoulders and knees at minimum. Many families wear matching baju kurung and baju Melayu; smart casual is fine at an open house.
Take your shoes off at the door of a home or a prayer hall. Look for the pile of shoes outside.
Give and take food and drink with your right hand. Try a little of what is offered. Tell your host about dietary needs in advance.
Children receive money in small packets (duit raya), usually from married adults. A guest is not expected to give money; a small gift for the host is a kind gesture.
Do not walk into a mosque during the Eid prayers, and do not photograph worshippers without asking.
A George Town heritage hotel puts you within walking distance of Masjid Kapitan Keling and the Acheen Street Mosque. Book early for the holiday weekend.
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Hari Raya Aidilfitri 2027 is expected on Wednesday 10 March and Thursday 11 March 2027, the two days on the Malaysian federal public holiday list (JPM). The exact day depends on the sighting of the new moon, and the Keeper of the Rulers’ Seal announces it shortly before. In 2028 it is expected on Sunday 27 February and 28 February.
Yes. Hari Raya Aidilfitri is the official Malay name. Hari Raya Puasa (“fasting festival”) is what many people in Singapore call it. Eid al-Fitr is the Arabic name and Lebaran is the word used in Indonesia. They are the same festival at the end of Ramadan.
Only if invited. A rumah terbuka (open house) is hosted by a family, company or government body for friends, neighbours and colleagues, usually through Syawal. The Penang state government holds one each year; in 2026 it went ahead with a modest one and had sent invitations beforehand, so do not plan on walking in. Your best route is a local friend or host.
Many Malay-owned restaurants, shops and stalls close for the first days. Chinese, Indian and hotel restaurants, malls and tourist sights mostly stay open, though some change their hours. Check before you go and book hotel dinners ahead.
Many residents travel to their home towns (balik kampung), so George Town is often quieter on the days themselves. The busiest travel days are the ones just before and after, when roads and the bridges can be heavy.
Visitors are welcome at Penang’s mosques outside prayer times if they dress modestly. On the morning of Raya the mosques are full for the Eid prayer, so come later in the day or on another day, and ask before going in. Masjid Kapitan Keling and the Acheen Street Mosque are a short walk apart in George Town; the State Mosque is in Air Itam and the Floating Mosque is on the coast at Tanjung Bungah.
“Selamat Hari Raya” (Happy Hari Raya) and “Maaf zahir dan batin” (forgive me, outwardly and inwardly). Non-Muslim friends and colleagues say both.
The city council (MBPP) runs Ramadan bazaars across the island, including one at Lorong Kulit. The list for the next Ramadan is not out yet. Bazaars open in the afternoon and popular food sells out soon after the fast ends, so go early.
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