Traveling is exciting and one of the most effective ways for individuals to broaden their perspective on life, but it does require proper planning and preparation.
Obviously, we experience stress when traveling outside of our home country, but we still hope that the experience, in the end, will always be something positive, enriching, and empowering.
Muslim travelers may experience difficulties in terms of finding Muslim friendly properties, halal restaurants, and other facilities complying with faithbased values.
In this article, I’ll share with you The Best 10 Halal Travel Tips every Muslim traveler should know!
1. Always check the Muslim-Friendliness level of the hotel before you make a reservation
Finding a Muslim friendly hotel might not be an issue if you are traveling to Muslim countries like Turkey, Malaysia, or Morocco. However, if you are planning a trip to non-Muslim countries you can get a clue about the level of Muslim friendliness from HalalTravels.com
We have listed halal food options, no-alcohol policy, and ladies’ privacy as a standard for all hotels in our website. So, you can book with confidence and travel without compromising your values.
2. Prayer times and qibla directions
With quick research, you can find the prayer times and free applications for qibla directions for the country you are visiting. It might not sound like an issue but it’s always better to be prepared. Make sure you download these apps beforehand so you don’t have to consume your limited data abroad.
Keep in mind, some countries like Finland may have a really short interval between two prayers, by knowing the prayer times and qibla direction beforehand, it’ll be easy to arrange your travel itinerary.
3. Finding Halal Food
The biggest challenge for every Muslim traveler is of course how to find delicious and local Halal food in the city. You have no reason to be stressed, trust us it’s not that hard to find halal food.
There are a couple ways to find the best halal restaurants & markets:
You can always ask the locals or the receptionist at your hotel. All hotels in HalalTravels.com are Muslim-friendly and they would be happy to help you to find the best halal restaurants in town. If you make a quick search on google, you can find some local apps or the list of halal restaurants & markets easily.
HalalTravels.com are always here to help you, ask our halal travel experts and they will prepare a list of all your needs specifically. Also, you can also request a travel itinerary from our halal travel experts. They will prepare a tailor-made itinerary based on your needs which includes the best halal restaurants.
4. How to choose your clothes
Here is another important Halal travel tip especially for ladies. We know that it might be hard to choose your outfit while you travel. Always choose your clothes wisely, overpacking will cause you to bring an extra suitcase, which is extra trouble. Especially if you are traveling in Europe and have to pay extra for that.
The easiest way to choose your outfit is by focusing more on neutral colors, that will give you more room to mix and match your tops, pants, and jackets. Always bring comfortable shoes, it will be a lifesaver. Don’t hesitate to bring colorful scarves that will definitely spice up your outfit. Be sure to bring your sunglasses! Enjoy a fashionable trip and don’t forget to take lots of pictures.
5. How to pack your luggage
Packing properly and smartly is one of the most important things to do for Muslim travelers before they travel.
A vacuum bag is always helpful to get more space in your luggage. Also rolling your clothes instead of folding them is always the best method to pack your back. This way you can also prevent wrinkled clothes. If you have any liquids in your luggage (perfume, shampoo, etc.), always put them in a plastic bag so you can avoid making your luggage dirty.
For the Muslim ladies, pack your lingerie neatly in a separate bag before putting it in the luggage. The last thing you want is having an officer checking your bags, taking everything out, and have your clothes scattered all over the floor (It can happen!)
6. A true lifesaver: Snacks!
Flight delays are everyone’s nightmare but it can happen sometimes, so always have some snacks with you.
It might be very expensive to buy from airports and it could be hard to find a familiar taste.
While you are walking from place to place you might not find a halal restaurant or market on your way, so keep some snacks on your backpack for these kinds of situations.
7. Book your attraction tickets online
List all the attractions you want to visit and schedule a plan for visiting times. Always double-check working hours of attractions, some touristic attractions could be closed on Mondays or Tuesdays. After you double-check the working hours and schedule your plan, book your tickets online.
While booking your tickets online, you’ll skip the long ticket lines and most of the time you’ll save up to 30%.
8. Public Transportation
This is where it gets a little scary for most of us. Unfamiliar transport in an unfamiliar city.
Always do some research about public transportations and download the offline map in case. Always keep your eyes on your bags so that you have no pickpocket experience. Always sit/stand close to a map.
If you do your research and learn the stations and lines, give yourself some time to understand the operation of the public transportation system (how to get in and out, tickets, fares, connections).
9. Always plan your itinerary beforehand
You don’t want to waste your time searching what to eat and what to do during your travel. Always plan your itinerary beforehand at least in your mind and note the important attractions and restaurants. It’ll save you lots of time and make your trip more enjoyable.
You can always be flexible with your itinerary but it’s always good that you have one in hand.
10. Be A True Muslim Ambassador
Always keep in mind that regardless of what you think people may see you as a representative of all Muslim people in the world. This is a big responsibility.
• Thus, always show respect to other cultures, be patient and kind to just about anybody you meet during your travel.
• Try to visit local Muslim communities, that will lead to some great friendships.
• Be extra patient and friendly at the airports who knows maybe you’ll touch their hearts with your kindness and happy face!
• Long story short, try to be kind as kindness is the key to many great things.
P.S. share our salaam with all Muslim brothers and sisters that you may meet on your journey.
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