Travel in Muslim Countries

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Experiencing new cultures is just one of the things that makes travel so enjoyable.  Complications can arise, however, when you try to force your own belief systems onto whatever cultures your visiting.  As the outsider, you must exhibit a certain degree of flexibility.  Failure to do so necessarily creates friction and tension.  If we could sum up one piece of advice for traveling abroad, it would be, “don’t rock the boat.” 

That being said, some differences are so “foreign” that they deserve closer inspection.  Westerners traveling to Muslim countries are often confronted with social customs that are so alien that the normal “culture shock” that typically accompanies travel is amplified tenfold.   

This section is not designed to judge or criticize the many cultural differences between the West and Islam.  In fact, comprehensive comparisons are next to impossible given that both spheres draw from myriad ethnicities, nationalities, beliefs, rules, philosophies, and histories.  The West is not a monolithic group of people who all believe, act, and do the same things.  The same is true of Islam.  There is no global consensus on what it is to be a Muslim.  From Senegal to Malaysia, Tanzania to Russia, you might encounter a broad spectrum of beliefs systems whose only common ground is the belief in Allah. 

Instead, we have designed this section to alert travelers (especially female travelers) to some of the adjustments they might have to make in order to enjoy a safe and successful medical tourism vacation.