New Year’s Day

Like all other countries in the world, Kiribati also celebrates the New Year. In the Gregorian calendar, New Year's Day is the first day of the year and occurs exactly one week after Christmas Day the previous year. This is an official holiday and people will stay at home, to celebrate the New Year's moment on New Year's Eve and eat intimate meals with loved ones.

Kiribati is the first country in the world to ring in the New Year, albeit on the Line Islands, and celebrations take place all around the country. There's something going on in every pub and guesthouse, as well as traditional celebrations at the local maneaba (meeting house).

For many, this is an occasion for new beginnings, to begin other promising paths into the future. Therefore, New Year is considered one of the most important festivals in Kiribati.

When: January