So you’ve sorted all of your wedding plans and got the cake tasting and what not out of the way.. What now? Ah, your favorite part, of course, planning the honeymoon! It can be quite challenging to plan a honeymoon for nearly everybody, but especially so when you’re Muslim. See, you can choose to go to any country that’s rich with sun and has all the right beaches.. But if you – or your fiancé – wear the hijab, for example, it’s not always up to par with what you’d like your honeymoon to be. So for anyone looking for tips and tricks while planning a so-called ‘halal’ honeymoon, look no further. Here are the top ten tips and tricks:
1. Start planning early.
This will probably not come as a surprise but more often than not the general rule is: the earlier you book the better. Try to plan your halal honeymoon about 6 months before your departure (or even earlier if that’s possible). Not only will you have a chance to land that amazing room with that spectacular view; chances are you’ll get a much better price for it, too. After all, as a Muslim, it’s not necessarily encouraged to waste money. This brings us to our next tip.
2. Determine your budget.
Different people are blessed in different ways. You may live in Europe and have enough money to travel to exotic halal honeymoon destinations. Or you may not have much money but just happen to live in an exotic Muslim-friendly country to begin with. Be smart about your budget. An amazing halal honeymoon does NOT – I repeat: DOES NOT – have to cost you or your S.O. a kidney. After all, the best things in life usually can’t be bought with money. So sit down with your spouse, grab a pen and paper and begin to draw out your affordable halal honeymoon ideas and see how much you are willing to stretch your bank account to make those ideas become reality.
3. Consider the type of honeymoon you want.
While you’re at it, use this downtime to discuss with your spouse – in detail – what kind of halal honeymoon you prefer. Try to come to a mutual understanding, so nobody feels left out. It may be that your spouse wants a relaxing Muslim-friendly beach honeymoon, while you’re all about urban exploring. Who says you can’t combine both? When both spouses are being flexible and are planning ahead almost nothing is impossible.
4. Pick a country: Islamic?
Let me tell you something about my own honeymoon. When we were planning our wedding, we quickly came to the conclusion that we were going to have two celebrations. One in the Netherlands and one in Morocco. The reason for this being the fact that my husband is Dutch, and most of my close relatives live in Morocco. You can imagine the cost of this wish to include everyone in our wedding. However, it made our honeymoon planning a tad easier. Why? Well, because our ‘last’ wedding ceremony was in Morocco, we simply decided to have a halal honeymoon road trip there! Best. Idea. Ever. Not only is it beautiful there, but I got to show my husband my culture and heritage whilst not having to book an additional plane ticket (we were already in Morocco after all). A honeymoon in an Islamic country has many benefits. As a Muslim, the culture will often have much (religion steered) similarities, the food is usually halal, and you often have ‘women-only’ spas and such for that well-deserved me-time. It just happens to luckily be so that the most popular wedding destinations are already in Muslim countries! Some of them include Antalya, Maldives, Zanzibar, Bali, Dubai, and so on. Keep in mind that choosing a non-Islamic country as a honeymoon destination means that the food will often not be halal and that finding a mosque to offer your daily prayers can be challenging. Also, you will have to state your wishes very clearly – for example – when looking for a women-only spa or swimming pool. People will not always be accustomed to a Muslim lifestyle and may not be able to offer you the conveniences you seek.
5. Choose your preferred level of privacy.
If you or your spouse wear the hijab or observe a modest clothing style, chances are you would like a bit more privacy on your honeymoon. After all, one of the best things about marriage is having the chance to flaunt your luscious locks in your spouse’s face. However, not every honeymoon place and not every hotel or apartment can accommodate these wishes. Be on the look-out for accommodations that offer that little bit of extra privacy and comfort for Muslims. In Bali and Turkey, for instance, you can rent a private villa where you can walk in whatever dress you want to without having to worry about your privacy.
6. Read reviews.
And perhaps more importantly: BELIEVE what people say in those reviews. After all, they are writing those reviews voluntarily. Sometimes – when I feel particularly ‘YOLO’– I take a chance and book a room in spite of horrible reviews, only to find out I should have taken those reviews seriously. If people say it’s noisy, chances are it’s noisy, even for you. If a review says the breakfast options at a certain hotel aren’t great or halal, be prepared for the worst.
7. Let your hotel know about your honeymoon.
I pretty much ALWAYS state the reason of my stay in the hotel, especially on a honeymoon or an anniversary trip. Somehow hotels like to go ‘the extra mile’ in terms of making the bed up nice, leaving chocolate in your room or even providing a room upgrade or a service – free of charge (like a birthday cake in Istanbul, true story!). Take advantage of this.
8. Make an itinerary for the most part, but leave room to ‘wing it’.
Planning trips into great detail is a good idea, but don’t forget that things rarely go 100% according to plan. Also, it’s your honeymoon, so chances are your spouse won’t be too thrilled about having to get out of bed at 6 AM every morning to check off everything from your itinerary. Leave enough room to comfortably roam around, check out some cool buildings, a mosque, a local animal shelter, and just get lost in life for a second.
9. Be prepared for weather changes.
When packing your suitcase, check the weather forecast for the upcoming 14 days in the area you’re visiting. Even the most tropical of islands can leave you cold and wet when a surprise rainstorm comes around. If one of you wears modest attire, check your bathing suit to see if that swimsuit indeed dries up quickly and as modestly as you would like. If not, pack a few other options to throw on. The preparation is half the work.
10. Let go, and let God.
Last but not least: try to remind yourself that it’s all in God’s hands. That special halal restaurant accidentally got overbooked? Smile and look for a new one. The room with an amazing view in your Muslim-friendly hotel is no longer available? Who cares, you’re on your honeymoon. A cardboard box could be enough when spending it with the person you love most, so relax and remember what this trip is all about: gratitude in finding your other half and getting to spend time with them in good health.
So there you have it. Ten tips to ensure you have a well thought-out halal honeymoon. Good luck, have fun and blessings to the happy couple! Please share your honeymoon stories or just kindly leave a comment in the below section.
