Culture & Holidays
The main religious festival for Muslims is the holy month of Ramadan which falls on a different date each year due to the Muslim calendar being based on lunar phases.
This is a special time for all Muslims as it is a month of purification. Those observing Ramadan must not eat, drink or smoke from dawn to dusk. As the sun goes down friends and family join together for 'Iftar' or breakfast. During this month some shops and restaurants are closed during the day and nearly everything will be close for about an hour around the time of Iftar.
Friday is the equivalent of the European Sunday with most banks and government offices closing for the day. In tourist areas shops and restaurants are normally open 7 days a week and usually until late at night.