My heart is warm with the friends I make,
And better friends I’ll not be knowing,
Yet there isn’t a train I wouldn’t take,
No matter where it’s going.
--- Edna St. Vincent Millay, “Travel”
Of all the reasons we travel — for romance, for architecture, for art — traveling for the sake of exploration, to move and find uncharted territories, and to get lost in the wilderness is seldom thought to be the best one. But it is, leading us to paths that help us make beautiful memories.
Without a doubt, the single greatest glory of foreign travel is being surrounded by the unfamiliar, with every street corner luminous and embedded with opportunities, helping you become anyone you want. By now, you are probably craving a visit overseas. Luckily, with this blog, we have compiled the top ten picturesque holiday destinations for 2021, that will undeniably take your breath away!
Grab your maps, travel boots, and most importantly, your masks and sanitizers, and don’t forget to travel responsibly amidst the coronavirus pandemic.
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Spellbinding Jaipur, Rajasthan’s capital, is India at its most ostentatious. From the city’s vibrant, donkey-cart thronged streets to the grandeur of its century’s old architecture —there’s no shortage of sights to see and things to do in Jaipur. If anything, you will never run out of things to do at this Rajput architectural haven.
Owing to the city’s large Muslim population, there are mosques everywhere you look, including the largest one in India, the grand Jama Masjid! So, be sure to offer one of your daily Salath there. After you spend a long day exploring the royalty of the city, ask a local to point you in the right direction towards all the best Halal restaurants in Jaipur.
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Who hasn’t heard of the Maldives? They are, after all, the world’s highly anticipated travel destinations for couples and friends alike. In the heart of the Maldives, lies Male, a teeny-tiny capital city that has its finger right on the drumming pulse of the nation — but if it’s heated pools and continental buffets that you are in search of, you are better off looking elsewhere! Male might not have your conventional NYC’s worth of sights to see, but what it does have is a character in all its beauty and nature, putting it up a spot on our top 10 picturesque holiday destinations 2021.
Luckily, the Masjid Al-Sultan is the city’s biggest Mosque, which is open 24 hours a day. The capital’s best and most scrumptious halal restaurants are a short walk away from the city center, serving everything from Middle Eastern to Thai.
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Palatial good looks and plenty of old-world romance — the Red City dazzles and excites at every turn! There’s a whole lot of things to do in Marrakech: let the storytellers of Djema El Fna regale you with tales of passion and misadventure, visit the hidden tombs of the Saadian sultans, and definitely, definitely buy that new rug you have been eyeing throughout your trip.
There’s no better place to offer prayers than in Koutoubia, a 12-century Mosque built like something out of a fairytale. And to top it all off? It’s a Muslim city, so the best halal restaurants in Marrakech are numerous and varied. A new holiday destination for 2021? Check.
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Founded in 331 BC, the 2,350-year-old city of Alexandria is the stuff myths are made of. It once boasted a towering lighthouse counted among the seven wonders of the world, and a library housing ancient knowledge, the likes of which we can scarcely imagine. Today, things to do in Alexandria boasts fine dining, excellent shopping, and seafront delights.
The El Nabi Daniel Mosque is your best bet for someplace easy to find when it’s time to perform Salah, as it is constructed in the heart of the beautiful city. As for the best Halal restaurants in Alexandria, well, they’re all great, so eat wherever your heart desires!
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Postcard-perfect skylines, a legendary culinary repertoire, and lush country parks — Hong Kong is a child’s picture-book dream of a city. Whether it’s museums, shopping, or food you’re after, there are tons of things to do in Hong Kong. Istanbul Kebab in Tsim Sha, one of the best halal restaurants in Hong Kong, makes shawarmas that are guaranteed to blow you away. On a short distance, lies the great Jamia Mosque, in the heart of the city center.
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Mountains, ocean, and sprawling lagoons — the gentle city of Muscat is a sight to see. While the sandy beaches are hours away from the city center, they promise a visit full of unending memories. However, if you favor wandering the city’s beautiful promenades till you have worked up an appetite, you will find a food cart on every street’s end to help you indulge in the scrumptious street food of Muscat.
Wait! You can’t leave without doing one of the best things to do in Muscat. Visit the aptly named Grand Mosque, a gift from Sultan Qaboos to celebrate his 30 years of reign. The beautiful Mosque will leave you speechless in your steps.
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Slick, sleek, and stylish — this ever-changing city puts itself on the map in a big way. Lounge, shop, and eat to your heart’s content: the city never sleeps, so you will definitely never run out of things to do in Seoul.
Seoul’s central Mosque is an oasis away from the city’s hubbub, and when it’s the food you want, one of the best halal restaurants in Seoul, Makkan Halal in Yong Sang Gu makes a mean black bean noodle soup, waiting to test your taste buds.
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The world’s most-northerly capital has got stunning architecture, a positively booming cultural scene, and a decided excess of soul. From stunning art galleries to fantastic restaurants and cafes, and lush countryside — there’s a wealth of things to do in Reykjavik.
Reykjavik’s only Mosque is located in the Armuli district on the third floor of an office building. While Mosques may be hard to come by throughout your visit, the best Halal restaurants in Reykjavik are most definitely not! Ali Baba, the city’s favorite Halal restaurant has everyone’s favorite menu.
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Salt-drenched cliffs, skeletal trees, and icebergs a-plenty — if you like rough and tumble adventures, you’ll love the things to do in Newfoundland. It doesn’t get very many tourists either, so, if you are traveling in the midst of the coronavirus pandemic, Newfoundland’s a pretty good and safe option to consider.
Masjid An Noor is Newfoundland’s only Mosque, but there are plenty of Halal restaurants in Newfoundland that serve some great Mediterranean, Indian, and Pakistani food.
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A veritable cultural mishmash of cuisines, art, and everything else, Cape Town’s unlike anywhere else on earth! Stop and smell the roses at its botanical gardens, go whale watching at Hermanus, or just stroll around the city, marveling at the architecture and people --- there’s no shortage of things to do in Cape Town.
The best part? Jumu’a Mosque is easy to find, ensuring you don’t miss a single Salath. And when in the mood to eat, Mariam’s Kitchen at Heerengracht is the best halal restaurant in Cape Town.
That concludes our list of the top 10 picturesque holiday destinations for 2021! So, what are you waiting for? Pack your bags and book a ticket to one of these picturesque holiday destinations.
For more destination ideas, check out our travel blog to find locations of halal restaurants and mosques near you.
