Many friends are worried about whether traveling to Indonesia during Ramadan will cause inconvenience to the journey, such as diet, clothing, transportation, etc. This article by Claire explains some basic concepts, so that everyone can understand the precautions during Ramadan, so that everyone can relax and visit Indonesia during Ramadan.
Ramadan is the ninth month of the Islamic calendar and is the holiest month for Muslims because they believe that the Holy Quran was revealed during this month. Fasting is one of the "Five Pillars" of Islam. Fasting helps remind Muslims of their spiritual and social purpose; enables Muslims to increase their connection with God and understand the struggles of the poor and needy. All Muslims must abstain from appetite, lust and all evil distractions during Ramadan.
During Ramadan, Muslims fast from sunrise to sunset every day without touching a drop of water, while children, the elderly, pregnant women, menstruating people and people who are sick do not have to fast. They wake up in the morning and eat their first suhur before sunrise. Therefore, at dawn, it is often heard that the nearby mosque recites the verses of the Qur'an through loudspeakers , and children will also wake everyone up to eat Suhoor with drums and songs. Please don't be surprised.
Fasting Muslims do not eat or drink from dawn to dusk, so we must respect the local Indonesian customs. During the fasting period, there are still restaurants open during the day (some only serve non-Muslim tourists), shopping malls and roadside restaurants will also use cloth to cover the dining situation in the windows, and ordinary people will considerately not in front of Muslims Eat or drink as a basic respect for fasting Muslims. Some companies will also leave work early in line with Ramadan, which may reduce work efficiency.
In the afternoon, Pasar Ramadan is easily found on the road selling iftar food and drinks (takjil), which is a great time to find authentic Indonesian iftar delicacies at low prices. And some foods can only be found during Ramadan! For example, Claire’s favorite banana sweet soup (kolak), of course, must mention fruit sweet soup (sop buah), purple rice and red bean porridge ( bubur kampiun ), satay (sate) and so on.
Traffic across Indonesia is busier at dusk, especially on the way to and from shopping malls and restaurants between 4pm and 6pm. It is best to reserve a table when dining out. After evening prayers, Muslims end their day with iftar, also known as buka puasa in Indonesian. Iftar time is also a great chance to get closer and greet the locals.
After the whole month of Ramadan, there will be Eid al-Fitr (Eid al-Fitr), also known as lebaran in Indonesian. Indonesians have a tradition of returning home (mudik) before the New Year. Everyone will celebrate with their families on this day, just like the Chinese Like New Year's! Everyone will be reunited with their families and greet each other. So until the week before Eid al-Fitr, there is a good chance that air and train fares will increase, and be aware that airports and train stations will also be very crowded. Therefore, it is strongly recommended that you book your flight tickets in advance (especially to and from major cities in Java). It's really hard to move without buying early.
After reading the above article, do you have a better understanding of Ramadan in Indonesia? If you meet Muslims in Indonesia, don’t forget to tell them Happy Eid (Selamat Hari Raya Idul Fitri).