A change of career brought Yafieda Md Jamil to Cambodia eight years ago. In 2014, she left home in Malaysia to work at an advertising agency in Phnom Penh.
While she was in Cambodia, she also took another leap of faith – a religious one – by travelling during the holy month of Ramadan. Yafieda had travelled to Kep, an off-the-beaten-path destination located about three hours away from the capital.
“Travelling during Ramadan can be a challenge with the hot weather and long hours on the road. If you wanted to pray, you had to wait until you reached your accommodation as there are no such stops (prayer rooms or halls) along the way in Cambodia, except for food or to take bathroom breaks.
“I was also unable to try any local food during the day as I was fasting, of course,” says Yafieda, 42.
“I travelled by bus to Kep which is a popular local holiday spot in the south. It was also famous for its blue swimmer crabs and fresh seafood.
“I remember buying a bag of prawns and eating it with rice and local sambal at the hotel balcony. It was more than enough for breaking fast on that day,” she says.
According to Yafieda, meeting other Muslims on the road during her journey gave her a fresh perspective of the holy month.
“While travelling, I met tuk-tuk drivers who were Muslim and also observing the fasting month of Ramadan. At the Kep market, there were a few Muslim women from the Cham province who would go out to sea and catch the blue swimmer crabs for customers.
“It was the hot season, yet they continued to earn a living just like any other day. I found this dedication and hardworking spirit admirable,” she says.
She documents many of her travels on her Instagram page (@yafiedamj). Since then, Yafieda had also taken another Ramadan trip to Kundasang in Sabah.
“For both travels, I would say that it helped to save some money on food during the month,” she coolly notes.
On the subject of food, travelling during this period takes a bit more preparation due to fasting considerations.
“Travelling during Ramadan is the same as travelling at any other time, except that you need to plan where to break fast in the evenings. I would usually start for my destination in the morning as I prefer to arrive around noon. It will give me some time to get acquainted with the local area before I start my itinerary.
“I would also check the local time for the breaking of fast and plan it within my sightseeing hours. I often bring a bottle of water and some biscuits in case I am not able to get to a restaurant or buy some food on time,” Yafieda shares.
She also has other practical tips for travel during Ramadan.
“Travel with comfortable clothes and keep it light. Try not to skip sahur as it will help maintain your energy during the day. Bring along your own snacks or water if you plan to go sightseeing in the evening and always check the fasting times of your travel destinations,” she says.
Yafieda notes that there are many online resources available that make travelling easier, especially for Muslims.
“I like to refer to HaveHalalWillTravel (havehalalwilltravel.com) as they have a good list of halal food and dining establishments in many travel destinations.”
She hopes the list of resources will expand with time.
“I hope to see more travel apps on Muslim-friendly locations around the world with a list of halal food outlets, local markets, and sightseeing,” she concludes.
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