The month of Ramadan – locally known as ‘Bulan Puasa’ – many people across Indonesia will be fasting for the following month.

Every year we receive emails from tourists who are wondering whether to visit Lombok during Ramadan… so now is a good time to dispel some rumours!

Some tour guides and online sources will tell visitors not to go to Lombok during Ramadan because all the restaurants are closed, there’s nothing to eat, you can’t buy a beer, and none of the taxis are operating.

Whether these stories are a result of genuine ignorance about Ramadan, or a bid to keep the tourists in their own backyard, the fact is: Lombok welcomes visitors all year round!

It would be silly to suggest that, with a thriving tourism industry and a multicultural society made up of different religions, the whole island would just grind to a halt!

During Ramadan, hotels and resorts are open for business, restaurants serve meals all day, bars are open and still serve alcohol – and planes, ferries, fast-boats and taxis are all operating as usual!

If you are staying at hotels and resorts in the main tourism areas – Senggigi and the west coast, Kuta and the south coast, and on the three Gili Islands – it’s business as usual.

Small things you may notice are that the mosques are more noisy than usual and that service can get a little slow at times.

 While bars are still open, loud music and late-night parties are curbed during Ramadan out of respect for local people who are waking up early to prepare for their fast.

However, most local people are used to working around religious events. With Lombok’s ethnic diversity of Muslims, Hindus, Christians, Buddhists and more, there is some type of religious holiday or event almost every month!

Ramadan starts with the first sighting of the new moon in the ninth month of the Islamic calendar (which is based on lunar phases; not the Gregorian calendar), so there is always some confusion about the actual start day.

Although with astronomy we can predict the timing of the new moon, a special group will convene for the Isbat deliberation just before the start of Ramadan to physically witness the new moon on the horizon and announce the start of the fasting month.

Ramadan lasts for one lunar month (until the next new moon) and this year is predicted to finish around 9 or 10 April. Also note that the Idul Fitri holidays at the end of Ramadan will last for around 10 days this year (including weekends).

Fasting doesn’t just mean not eating during the daylight hours, but includes abstaining from drinking, smoking, and having sex between sunrise and sunset each day. Extreme emotions, such as anger, are frowned upon during this time.

Ramadan is a month for strengthening self-control; testing willpower and resisting temptations. For many, it is a special time for meditation and reflection.

Muslims believe that fasting also helps them to empathise with the poor and those who never have enough food, and the month of Ramadan is marked by charity and giving to those less fortunate than themselves.

Those living in local communities will be asked to donate to a charitable drive usually around the third week of Ramadan, so that the poor and needy in the community will have enough food and essentials to celebrate the end of the fast at Idul Fitri.

It is also a government regulation that a one-month bonus is paid to all staff and salaried employees near the end of the fasting month. This is referred to as THR (Tunjangan Hari Raya) or the 13th month payment.All adults (those who have reached the age of puberty) are expected to fast but children, women having their period, travellers, people who are sick, pregnant or breastfeeding women and those with long-term illnesses or who are mentally ill are not required to fast.

The fast begins in the morning just before sunrise, at Imsak, and is broken at Maghrib, which falls at sunset. While they are fasting, Muslims will wake early in the morning before the sun rises to prepare and eat their first meal for the day and to say morning prayers. You will often hear people calling “Sahur! Sahur!” to wake up their neighbours.

After sunrise, no food, drinking or smoking is allowed for the rest of the day until sunset.

Most Muslims seem to agree that it’s only the first week or so that’s difficult; after that, their bodies adapt to the new routine. They also agree that it’s better to keep as busy as possible during the day, so they’re not thinking about food!

If you’re travelling in some of the outer areas and small villages which are not geared for tourism, it may be more difficult to find warung or cafés open during the day. It might be easier to buy drinks, snacks and meals to take with you to have in the car, or to eat in your hotel later.

As an aware traveller, you can show courtesy by not eating and drinking in front of fasting people, but generally people are aware that you are a guest and not fasting.

Some restaurants and cafés in the cities may cover their windows with curtains during the day to provide privacy, but are still serving food. In the evening, these places will become busy with people breaking their fast.

For people employed in the service and tourism industries, it’s normal for guests to be eating, drinking and enjoying their holidays.

Buka Puasa (breaking the fast) at the end of the day is a happy occasion, with families gathering together to share their evening meal after a day of abstinence. The fast is usually broken with a cold drink and sweet snacks for energy.

You’ll also notice a lot of interesting foods around this time, as Ramadan brings out the desire for delicious foods to break the fast!  Watch for the stalls on the streets selling Korma, juicy dates from Iraq, the US and Saudi Arabia. These also make nice gifts during Ramadan.

In the late afternoon, street vendors set up along the roadsides selling small sweet snacks called jajan, sweet milky drinks served over ice such as Es Campur, and fresh young coconuts filled with delicious thirst-quenching water.

Many hotels and restaurants offer special buka puasa packages during  this month and these are a great opportunity to sample some of the best traditional foods at this time of the year – at very attractive prices!