Although Muslims habitually stay at home for Ramadan, living the holy month abroad is becoming more common in an increasingly mobile age. This year, Lebanon's minister for tourism even made a public appeal for Ramadan visitors to consider the arguably less obvious choice, while traditional tourism hot-spot for Ramadan, Saudi Arabia, has started up a tourist campaign to open up the Holy Kingdom to non-religious visitors too.
For anyone planning on trying Ramadan abroad, whether for the experience of a travelling Ramadan, or out of necessity in times of political unrest in the Middle East, here's our Ramadan tourist special - a cross section of Arab world cities and capitals for a state-of-the-art Ramadan experience.
Ramadan 2012 falls in the peak summer season of travel, so inevitably a lot of Muslims may spend a touristic Ramadan.
During hours of fasting, the experience from region to region is similar, but the true character or essence of a Ramadan time is manifested as the city comes alive for Ramadan nights.
The Iftars (or break-of-fast-meal) makes a central platform of the holy month, with a big emphasis placed on the fine food on the table.
Traditionally targetted hotspots for the religious tourism of Ramadan would be Mecca and Medina. Here, we explore alternative options to the Holy Kingdom, that can be as holy as you make them, with the assistance of added learning opportunities in cities that open up lectures and libraries to enhance the spiritual quality of the holy month.
Some Arab and Near East capitals have their own unique delights to offer in the spiritual as well as commercial stakes. While we wonder if Egypt's Ramadan will feature an added note of zeal for its firstime Brotherhood Ramadan, we explore Cairo alongside other Mideast choice locations for Ramadan 2012.
Muslim or non-Muslim tourists seeking a Ramadan holiday experience can shop here!
Share your thoughts on the somewhat newage concept of Ramadan tourism. Leave your commets in the space below.
