09 Jun Pros and Cons of traveling to the Middle East during Ramadan

Thinking of traveling to the Middle East during Ramadan as a non-Muslim?  Read below for the pros and cons of travel during the holy month.

My trip to Dubai and Oman fell during Ramadan by fluke.  My cousin was getting married in Munich in May and I already knew I wanted to go to Oman in 2018, so I just decided to tack it on after Munich since I’d be halfway there.  I didn’t realize until my travel plans were in flight that it was going to be Ramadan.  Oh well, a new experience.

Ramadan in a nutshell, is the holy month in Islam and it’s different every year since it follows the lunar calendar.  It’s a time to reflect, pray, and fast.  Fasting is from sunrise to sunset and this includes food, water, and smoking.  To read more about Ramadan click here.

Pros:

• All hotels were significantly cheaper, I found killer deals and we stayed 5 star the whole way for 3 star prices.
• Limited tourists. Most people smarter than me would’ve looked up Ramadan before booking their trip and probably avoided travel during this time.
• Iftar – the fasting meal at night – is legit.  So much food – all the food, juice, and baklava you can handle.
• Related to the first two items above, most of our hotels were fairly empty meaning we didn’t have to compete for pool space, spa appointments, or worry about losing our room with a view.  We also checked out late at every hotel without hassle or fees.
• You get to experience some culture that we don’t observe fully in the West.

Cons:

• All public restaurants are closed during the day.  You can still go to the grocery store or a gas station for food and snacks but they shouldn’t be consumed in public.  The hotels have one restaurant open to accommodate non-Muslims.  
• Hotels offer room service and breakfast to non-Muslim guests in a specified part of the hotel behind blackout curtains so you feel a bit strange eating like that.
  

  

• Related to that, you can stroll out of your hotel to find a nice place to try breakfast, coffee, etc.
• Markets are not bustling or super fun, most of the stalls are closed and people aren’t out shopping during the day.
• Some activities you planned may not be available.

Ultimately it’s a toss-up, you can save money by traveling during Ramadan, but you might end up a little bored during the day.  I wouldn’t say I prefer it either way, I enjoyed experiencing something new and foreign to me.