Traveling to Muslim countries in the holy month of Ramadan can be very different from traveling there at other times. Many Muslim countries have different rules and regulations during the month of Ramadan. These restrictions on eating, drinking and entertainment during the daylight hours can cause some inconvenience to tourist, but this should in no way stop you from traveling to Muslim countries during this holy month of Ramadan. Ramadan is a month in which you will witness a whole insight into the religion and culture of the place you are visiting, it can be a unique experience. Here are some tips that will help you in your travels during Ramadan.
Avoid smoking, drinking and eating while in public. Most locals will understand that you’re under no obligation to fast, but they will appreciate that you are aware of what they’re doing. To be polite, eat your meals and snacks in the privacy of your hotel room.
In some extreme Muslin countries it’s considered illegal to drink/smoke/eat in public during the period of fasting and could result in fines (this is especially true in Algeria).
Some restaurants will only be open after sunset and it may prove difficult to find places to eat outside of the very touristy areas. In some hotel restaurants, there are screens put in place to separate Western diners from Muslim guests.
It’s very common that day-time business hours are shortened. Most shops will close at 14:00, so make sure you do your shopping beforehand.
When the fast is broken, called iftar, each day it can be very hard to find a taxi since everyone is heading to eat with their family or
Take to the night, that’s when the real cultural experiences start. After the meal, many will go about their usual “daytime” activities during the night which means the streets are alive! Take a rest during the day so you can enjoy the boisterous night-life when the sun sets.
After the month of Ramadan there is a 3-5 day festival to celebrate the end of the fasting period. This is called Eid ul-Fitr. Many Muslins travel to see family and friends during these days so if you want to find a cheap hotel at that time, make sure you’ve booked it far in advance.
2 comments:
The time of Ramadan has come again SubhanAllah
That our goal is to prepare before Ramadan so we can implement during Ramadan. With that in mind, do your best to perfect the different aspects of your spiritual life.
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