Marhaban ya Ramadan! The holy month of Ramadan is here, and all Muslims around the world go on the month-long fasting period. Ramadan is not only about restraining oneself's from eating and drinking, but to also restrain our thoughts and words from the negative ones, in order to cleanse the body, mind, and soul (fitra) and to prepare us to welcome Eid al-Fitr by the end of Ramadan.
Ramadan should not prevent travelers to go on holiday. However, sometimes it might be difficult for Muslim travelers to find proper food for Iftar (the meal to end the day's fast) and suhoor (the meal at dawn before the start of the day's fast), especially when you travel to non-Muslim majority countries.
Sivia Azizah, a young Indonesian singer/lifestyle influencer had this experience a few times. Speaking during SweetEscape's #MakeSummerMemorable campaign launching event, Sivia stated that during her Ramadan travels, she likes to keep an optimistic approach.
"I believe that even in a non-Muslim majority country, there are still Halal foods to be found. I can go to supermarkets to get my own food for iftar or suhoor," said her.
Sometimes, Sivia also used one particularly common Indonesian tradition when traveling overseas. "Isn't it common for Indonesian travelers to bring foods from Indonesia when traveling overseas? A lot Indonesians are not used to trying local food from their destinations, so they bring Indonesian foods and condiments to cope. I think this is also a good alternative to make sure that you have proper, halal foods for your Ramadan," said Sivia.
"Although," she added, "Honestly I am very much into trying local foods! People like to bring kecap, sambal, or other condiments from Indonesia when they travel overseas, but I prefer to try the local, OG, foods! I think that's one of the best possible experiences one can get when travelling to a new country."
"When I travel, I never worry about whether or not the food would suit me, even during Ramadan. As long as it is Halal and delicious, why not?" she added happily. "I recently traveled to India with some of my friends. They all brought their Indonesian sauces and foods... I think I was the only one not bringing any food from home! I love Indian food to start with, but anywhere I go, that's how I want to experience my travels."
Sivia concluded, "I think the key is to keep it simple. For me, I don't think that iftar and suhoor needs to always be a special meal everytime. Even if what's available are only a piece of bread and some water, that would be sufficient."
Wherever you plan to go this Ramadan, let SweetEscape capture your moments! We connect you to 2000+ professional photographers in more than 400 cities around the world, so all you have to do is to create your memories, while we take great photos of your every moment! For first time Escapists, don't forget to use the code FIRSTESCAPE to get USD 50 off your first booking, and let's #MakeLifeMemorable!