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  1. Home
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  3. Going overseas for a major cultural or religious event
  4. Ramadan

Ramadan

COVID-19

The advice on this page pre-dates COVID-19 and the Australian Government's overseas travel ban.

You won’t be able to depart Australia to travel overseas, except in very limited circumstances. Many countries have put in place measures in response to COVID-19, including strict entry and movement restrictions. Major events around the world have been affected.

For more information:

  • visit our COVID-19 portal, or read our COVID-19 advice in Arabic
  • read our travel advice for relevant destinations and subscribe for updates
  • follow Smartraveller on Facebook and Twitter

Most of the world's 1.6 billion Muslims observe the holy month of Ramadan each year.

Ramadan is the most important month on the Islamic calendar. It's the month in which the first verses of the Qur’an were revealed to the Prophet Muhammad. During Ramadan, Muslims around the world fast from sunrise to sunset.

Explore this page to learn:

  • where Ramadan is celebrated
  • dates for Ramadan
  • local laws and customs during Ramadan
  • Eid-ul-Fitr, after Ramadan

See our general information and advice on staying safe, and staying within law. Also, read our travel advisory for your destination.

Countries that universally celebrate Ramadan

You can expect to find Ramadan celebrations in countries where Islam is the national religion.

You may also come across Ramadan celebrations in other destinations with Muslim populations. In some destinations, only certain regions are predominantly Muslim.

Dates for Ramadan

The Islamic holy month of Ramadan is expected to begin on or around mid April to mid May 2021. 

The exact dates of Ramadan depends on the sightings of the moon. This can vary from country to country. Seek local advice for the country you're visiting.

Local laws and customs around Ramadan

If you're travelling to a country with a large Muslim community, respect religious and cultural sensitivities, rules and customs.

During Ramadan, the following activities may be illegal in public during the day:

  • eating
  • drinking
  • smoking

If you're not fasting, avoid these around people who are fasting. Seek local advice to avoid offence.

Getting around during Ramadan

At the end of the day, families and friends often meet to break their fast. This may run late into the night.

In the evening, traffic can become congested. Plan your trip accordingly.

Between sunrise and sunset, the following venues may close, or operate with shorter opening hours or less staff:

  • restaurants
  • tourist facilities
  • government agencies
  • courts
  • shops and other businesses

Seek local advice about business hours and closures and plan accordingly.

Eid-ul-Fitr

The end of Ramadan is usually a busy period in Muslim countries. People traditionally visit their families to celebrate Eid-ul-Fitr, the three day festival marking the end of the fast.

One or more of these days may be a public holiday.

Plan ahead if you're travelling at this time. Roads can be congested. Flights are often fully booked.

Read more

  • Read the travel advisory for your destination.
  • See general advice getting around and staying within the law.
  • If you break the local law, you could be arrested or jailed.
  • Understand how and when we can help. Read the Consular Services Charter.

See also

  • See FAQs about about Ramadan (Islamic Council of Victoria).
  • See the Australian Government calendar of cultural and religious dates (Department of Home Affairs),
  • Find an embassy or consulate overseas (Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade).

 

Related content

Going overseas for a major cultural or religious event

If you're travelling overseas for (or during) a major cultural, sporting or religious event, you may need to take extra precautions.

View details
Hajj

Explore this page for information about staying safe and secure during the Hajj pilgrimage in Makkah (Mecca).

View details

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+61 2 6261 3305 from overseas

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For non-urgent enquiries, visit the contact page

About us

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For how we can help you overseas see the Consular Services Charter.

For more information go to about us.

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  • HomeHome
  • Before you go
    • The basics
      • Destinations
      • Passport services
      • Visas
      • Insurance
      • Schengen
      • Travel advice explained
    • Who you are
      • Children
      • Dual nationals
      • LGBTI++
      • Mature
      • School leavers
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      • Adoption
      • Adventure
      • Backpacking
      • Business
      • Living and working overseas
      • Marriage
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    • Major events
      • Hajj
      • Ramadan
    • Health
      • Disability
      • Infectious diseases
      • Medical assistance overseas
      • Medical tourism
      • Medication
      • Mental health
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      • Reciprocal health
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    • Staying safe
      • Assault
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      • Earthquakes and tsunamis
      • Kidnapping
      • Natural disasters
      • Partying safely
      • Piracy
      • Scams
      • Severe weather
      • Sexual assault
      • Terrorism
      • Theft and robbery
    • Laws
      • Carrying or using drugs
      • Child sex offences
      • Female genital mutilation
      • Forced marriage
    • Getting around
      • Air travel
      • Boat travel
      • Cruising
      • Public transport
      • Road safety
  • Destinations
    • View all destinations
    • AfricaBrowse destinations in Africa.
    • AmericasBrowse all destinations in the Americas.
    • AsiaBrowse all destinations in Asia.
    • EuropeBrowse all destinations in Europe.
    • Middle EastBrowse all destinations in the Middle East.
    • PacificBrowse all destinations in the Pacific.
  • While you're away
    • When things go wrong
      • Arrested or jailed
      • Lost property
      • Medical assistance
      • Money problems
      • Someone is missing
      • Someone died
    • Crime overseas
      • Assaulted
      • Kidnapped
      • Robbed or mugged
      • Scammed
      • Sexually assaulted
    • Crisis or emergency
      • Demonstration
      • Earthquake
      • Severe weather
      • Terrorist situation
      • Volcanic eruption
    • Australia's biosecurity and border controls
      • COVID-19 portal
  • Urgent helpLinks to help
  • Our servicesLinks to services
    • Consular Services Charter
      • Arabic
      • Chinese Simplified
      • Chinese Traditional
      • Indonesian
      • Thai
      • Vietnamese
    • Travel advice explained
    • Subscription
    • Crises
    • Passport services
      • Passports in Australia
      • Passports overseas
    • Notarial services
      • Documents
      • Documents in Australia
      • Documents overseas
      • Certificate of No Impediment
      • Notarial forms
    • Voting overseas
    • Communities
      • العربية (Arabic)
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    • Resources
      • Missing overseas
      • Fact sheet: Arrested or jailed overseas
      • Fact sheet: Sexual assault overseas
      • Fact sheet: Death overseas
      • Fact sheet: Travel Smart
      • Consular Privacy Collection Statement
      • CHOICE travel insurance guide
      • Before you go checklist
  • COVID-19
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