As Ramadan is an important Muslim festival, it is also strictly adhered to in Dubai, which has Islam as the main religion. The festival of Ramadan lasts for about a  month and is the ninth month in the Islamic calendar. Muslims ar expected, during the time of Ramadan, not to eat or drink or have sex between dawn and dusk. Regarded as being off-season tourism wise, Ramadan is the time to look for cheap deals at Dubai hotels.

It is important that visitors to the country at Ramadan, do not give offence by inadvertently breaking some of the strict taboos observed during this time. One of the strictest rules in place regards the eating and drinking in public which is not permitted. Women especially are urged to observe the festival and dress conservatively with no tight, revealing clothes or too much make-up. Alcohol is strictly taboo during Ramadan and can only be bought from 7pm till 1 am in restaurants and hotels. Businesses in Dubai either close for the duration of Ramadan or else have shorter working hours. Some shops will be closed during the day but will open at dusk and trade through to the early hours.

When dusk falls, ‘Iftar’ or ‘breaking the fast’ happens. This is usually announced with the firing of cannons and then friends go from house to house exchanging greetings and inviting each other for a meal. During Ramadan, the bigger hotels host ‘iftar feasts’ which attracts both the tourists and the local people. As Ramadan is a time of cleansing the body as well as the mind, the food eaten at this time is healthy and generally based on vegetables. Meat, although allowed, is only eaten in moderation, as Ramadan is about cleansing the body as well as the mind. A typical iftar meal would be a vegetable soup, followed by a variety of salads and pitta or flat bread and washed down with either mint tea or apricot or cranberry juice. What is lacking during the meal is any sort of musical entertainment as there is no live music or dancing allowed.

 Although you have to observe certain protocols during Ramadan, it is still an interesting time to visit Dubai. As it’s an off-season during Ramadan, there are many cheap hotel deals available to entice tourists. Restaurants stage special attractions during Ramadan, including ‘iftar feasts’ and the airlines offer cheap packages. 

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