8 Holidays For The Budding Muslim Photographer

As a budding Muslim photographer, it can be hard to find destinations that are ideal for you. You need them to be beautiful, and perfect for photography. But, you also need them to be suitable for your Islamic requirements. So, you might wonder, where are the best travel destinations for Muslim photographers?

 

Sometimes, you have to prepare in advance to get to the wild locations necessary for certain shots, but almost everywhere now features halal-friendly options for Muslim travelers.

 

As Muslim travelers, two of the most important things that we need are halal food and the right, private environment for prayer. Each of our ten-holiday spots will give you access to halal-friendly food, a private prayer space, and other Muslim friendly commodities.

 

8 Top travel destinations for Muslim photographers – They provide scenic views!

 

1. Kyoto, Japan

 

Source: Moyan Brenn on Flickr

 

Kyoto, known for its raw, and almost impenetrable beauty. A lot of Muslim travelers are put off of traveling to Japan, it simply doesn’t seem suitable for our needs.

 

But, we can happily tell you that Kyoto can offer a Muslim traveler everything that they need. You can even eat authentic halal-only ramen noodles. So, let yourself dive into that East Asian culture.

 

As a photographer, there are lots of photo opportunities in Japan. The most frequently visited involve the sakura (cherry blossoms) in spring and the red leaves that look almost like fire in the autumn.

 

You could see festivals, beautiful religious architecture that has stood for hundreds of years, and even the friendly faces of the people of Japan.

 

Most Japanese people will happily share their culture with anyone. Indeed, it is one of the best travel destinations for Muslim photographers.

 

• Make sure you go to Kinkaku-ji, The Golden Pavilion. It presents the budding photographer with a dozen different photo opportunities, especially if the sun is hitting the temple just right.

 

2. London, United Kingdom

 

Source: Barnyz on Flickr

 

London, the most diverse city in the whole of the United Kingdom. With streets full of people from every walk of life, and different cultures that all blend together perfectly in one place.

 

This makes London perfect for Muslim travelers, with everything that we need to be scattered in numerous locations around the city.

 

For photography purposes, London is a haven for street photographers. That diversity allows us to capture hundreds of different shots in a day, and with the business of the city, the photographer can blend in the way every photographer dreams of.

 

When you stick out like a sore thumb, it’s hard to blend in and get people to stop looking at the camera directly. But, when you’re hidden, life goes on around you.

 

• People who aren’t afraid of heights should take a ride on the London Eye, for panoramic views of the city.

 

3. Oslo, Norway

 

Source: Moyan Brenn Flickr

 

Norway can be cold, so make sure you check the weather forecast before heading out to this beautiful destination. Yet, the snow almost paints the scene across a photographer’s camera lens.

 

When visiting Norway what most photographers want is culture, nature, and history. In Oslo, you can have all of that, as well as halal food and mosques.

 

You can head out on scenic expeditions venturing just outside of the city walls or delve into Norwegian culture, full of stories of fearsome Vikings who raided the countries around them.

 

• Visit The Viking Ship Museum in Oslo so that you can see the very boats that the fearsome Vikings used to invade other countries.

 

4. Munich, Bavaria

 

Source: Moyan Brenn on Flickr

 

Munich is a haven. It’s full of beautiful architecture and surrounded by lakes and mountains from all angles. If you enjoy photographing buildings, then it’s the ideal travel destinations for Muslim photographers like you.

 

There’s even a Christmas Market in the winter that leaves Munich lit up like somewhere out of a fairy-tale, perfect for photographs.

 

The best place for Muslims to pray in Munich is the Islamic Centre of Munich, most tourists recommend visiting there while you’re in the city.

 

• Make sure that you visit the beautiful Nymphenburg Palace, it’s 18th-century style stands out among the buildings of Munich.

 

5. Cape Town, South Africa

 

Source: David McAughtry on Flickr

 

Cape Town, a place full of culture as well as stunning geological features. Most of the photographers that visit this part of South Africa do so for nature, with numerous hikes and rambles along both coasts and mountains.

 

You can fall in love with the city, or find yourself face to face with a Lion’s Head. By that, we mean a mountain, called ‘Lion’s Head’, not an actual lion. But, from the peak of Lion’s Head, you can see beautiful panoramic views of the city.

 

• Make sure that you visit Bo-Kaap, the Muslim area of Cape Town is known for its colorful buildings, and its welcoming people.

 

6. Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia

 

Source: David McKelvey on Flickr

 

Kuala Lumpur, where photographs of famous skylines are forged. Not everyone knows about the city, but a lot of people who don’t know will have seen a photograph of the famous skyline and simply not realized.

 

It’s a real gem for Muslim travelers, with halal food and prayer places all around. Let yourself get lost in the beautiful city, or take a train and see the raw nature that Malaysia can offer to the weary traveler and their camera.

 

• The most famous skyline shots of Kuala Lumpur are taken from the Menara Kuala Lumpur, head on up the tower to see why.

 

7. Seoul, South Korea

 

Source: Anh Dinh on Flickr

 

Sometimes, as a photographer, it’s easy to want to take photographs of different things at exactly the same time. Or, maybe you’re not sure what you want to take photographs of.

 

Seoul, situated in South Korea, is one of the perfect travel destinations for Muslim photographers.

 

You could spend a day doing street photography on some of the busiest shopping streets in the world, then the next day, you could be out taking photographs of hot springs and temples.

 

• The Makan Halal Restaurant in Hannam-dong serves some of the tastiest Korean food in the city!

 

8. Banff National Park, Canada

 

Source: Bernard Spragg Flickr

 

Getting out into nature as a Muslim photographer can be difficult. But, Banff National Park is the place of dreams for most photographers, and it is accessible for Muslim travelers.

 

It does require some pre-planning, but by staying in Banff you have several halal food restaurants to choose from, as well as a lot of vegetarian restaurants. Lake Louise also offers several vegetarian options.

 

What is it that makes Lake Louise one of the top travel destinations for Muslim photographers? Nature. The stunning blue waters that run down from the tops of mountains, they leave photographs looking eerily edited, without any editing at all.

 

• If you visit Lake Louise, try to visit as early as possible – it gets quite busy later in the day.

 

Pack up your equipment and travel!

 

While being a Muslim photographer can prove to be difficult at times, it’s worth it. With so many beautiful destinations around the world, it’s almost hard to pick where to travel to.

 

All of the destinations featured in our list will offer a halal atmosphere, with food, prayer spaces, and the ability to see the world in a comfortable way. Get your equipment together, and go see what adventure you and your camera can have next!

 

Did we miss any iconic travel destinations for Muslim photographers in this article? Share with us in the comment box below and we might include it in our list! 😉