What you need to know when travelling during Ramadan

This article was published by National Geographic Traveller (UK).

Ramadan is the month in which Muslims believe God first spoke to the Prophet Muhammad; when the community won its very first battle and when Muhammad returned triumphant to Mecca in 630 CE.

In the month of Ramadan, Muslims enter a period of pious abstinence during the day, fasting from sunrise until sunset, and engage in fervent worship through the night. As a result, many Muslim-majority countries adjust their societal norms accordingly. So, what is it like to travel to these places in Ramadan, and should we travel to them during this month? Here are the answers to key questions on travellers’ minds.

How do I know when Ramadan starts?

Every year Ramadan falls on a different date in the Gregorian calendar. This is because the Islamic calendar follows the actual cycle of the moon and so the start date is only confirmed the night before when the new moon has been sighted. Even then, regional differences mean Muslims often start and end Ramadan on slightly different days. For example, while many Sunni Muslim countries will follow the announcement by Saudi Arabia, some will go with their own domestic sighting, so it’s important to check locally if you’re trying to avoid the month or are seeking it out.

Can I eat in public during daylight hours?

This all depends on what kind of Muslim area you’re travelling to. If it’s a place in a Muslim country with a religiously mixed community, like Sarajevo in Bosnia or a place used to hosting non-Muslim tourists throughout the year, like Sharm el-Sheikh in Egypt, then yes, this is fine. However, when travelling through Muslim-majority communities that are not mixed or unfamiliar with tourism, it’s best to eat and drink behind closed doors during the day.

Can I consume alcohol (and what about soft drinks)?

Where the community is mixed or used to serving non-Muslim tourist traffic, the bars will most likely be open and function as normal. In areas where the community is largely Muslim or unfamiliar with tourists, such as the Muslim-majority state of Pattani in southern Thailand, it’s unlikely you’ll even be able to source alcohol there and, if you do, as with eating in public, it’s advisable to drink it behind closed doors. 

Many Muslim-majority destinations, such as Cairo in Egypt, adjust their societal norms during Ramadan, or the holy month. 

Photograph by László Mihály, Getty Images

Will every Muslim be fasting?

While fasting is an obligation for every able adult Muslim, those that are ill, pregnant, breastfeeding, menstruating or travelling don’t have to fast. However, even these Muslims will be respectful in areas where everyone appears to be fasting by not eating or drinking outside during daylight hours.

What should I be wearing and is it any different to any other time of the year?

No, you should wear whatever you would expect to be wearing in your destination based on your research, as there are no specific changes to the way Muslims dress during Ramadan. However, some may choose to dress more conservatively because of the pious mindsight they’ll be adopting during the month.

Are tourist attractions, shops and restaurants open?

Muslim-majority towns and cities will make a noticeable shift in the working hours of most businesses during Ramadan. However, to which degree will again largely depend on the kind of Muslim area you’re travelling to. For example, in Muslim-majority Tunisia somewhere like Kairouan, a very holy city not on the popular tourist trail, will appear sleepier and slower during the day with most local businesses opening and closing much later than usual (if at all). Meanwhile, almost nothing may change for travellers visiting the Tunisian tourist hotspot of Sidi Bou Said, during Ramadan.

During Ramadan, iftar is the meal eaten to break the fast after sunset. It’s typically a large family feast that consists of several sharing dishes.

Photograph by Foxys_forest_manufacture, Getty Images

Will I be allowed to visit mosques, shrines or Sufi lodges (sacred religious spaces separate from the mosque) during Ramadan?

Once the sun sets, places of worship will be heaving with people during Ramadan and this will continue right through to the early hours of the morning. In the multi-religious and tourist savvy places, it may be possible to join an iftar — the meal to break the fast — for free at a large mosque, but otherwise the ideal time to visit places of worship will be between dhuhr (midday) and asr (mid-afternoon) prayers. This is because the caretakers of these spaces will be resting in the early part of the day following lengthy prayers late into the previous night. That said, many larger mosques and spaces of worship in tourist cities, such as Istanbul, may open as normal during the early part of the day.

What regional differences can I expect during Ramadan?

Each region will have its own distinct Ramadan foods, be they sickly sweet jalebis across the subcontinent, delicious mercimek çorbası (lentil soup) in Anatolia or filling koshari in Egypt. In Bosnia, many large mosques host live Qur’anic recitations where locals gather to listen during the day, while in Malaysia the mouthwatering iftar buffets at hotels are legendary. Meanwhile, the nights across the Gulf are filled with shrieking crowds watching nocturnal neighbourhood football tournaments and in Algeria it’s the sound of traditional chaabi and ma’luf music you’ll hear drifting out of local theatres playing host to special late night Ramadan concerts.

How might I experience Ramadan best as a tourist?

With night effectively turning to day, if you do intend to travel to a Muslim-majority place during Ramadan, do what the locals do. Sleep in the early part of the day and stay up late into the night, revelling in the festive atmosphere of town centres and around large mosques, before eating the delicious and unique Ramadan foods and heading out to either watch a raucous local cup final in a Jeddah neighbourhood, or join a concert in Constantine.

Tharik Hussain is the author of Ramadan Mubarak: a Little Inspiration for the Blessed Month, published by Summersdale, £7.99.

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