A Different Kind of Eid: UAE Residents Share Their Journeys

For many UAE residents, Eid Al-Adha has traditionally been about home, family, and gathering around familiar spaces. But in recent years, a quiet shift has been unfolding. More and more UAE citizens are choosing to mark the occasion in a different way—through journeys that take them across borders, into unfamiliar cultures, and often, closer to themselves.

These are not just vacations. They are intentional escapes designed to bring clarity, joy, and a renewed connection to what Eid represents.

• Redefining Tradition Through Travel

Huda, a 35-year-old resident of Abu Dhabi, spent last Eid in the lavender fields of Provence, France. “It was my first Eid away from home, and I was nervous,” she recalls. “But waking up in a quiet village, attending Eid prayers with a small local community—it made me see the beauty of the celebration in a whole new light.”

For many like Huda, travel has become a way to deepen the meaning of the holiday. Far from being a break from tradition, it’s an expansion of it.

• Journeys That Inspire Gratitude

One thing many travelers note is how being abroad during Eid fosters a greater sense of appreciation. Whether it’s enjoying suhoor by a beach in Zanzibar or joining a modest community iftar in Istanbul, the shift in setting invites a slower, more intentional approach to the day.

Nasser, who traveled to Indonesia last year, says, “It made me think about simplicity. About how the heart of Eid is in shared humanity, not just the rituals.”

• Family Bonds in New Environments

For UAE families, Eid trips are becoming opportunities to bond beyond the daily distractions of life. In Morocco, families stroll together through historic medinas. In the Swiss countryside, they gather for picnics after Eid prayers. These moments, while outside the UAE, still carry the warmth and spirit of the festival.

Children, in particular, benefit from seeing how Eid is observed in different cultures. It becomes a living lesson in diversity and shared values.

• Eid in the Unfamiliar

Some residents choose destinations that don’t typically celebrate Eid—places like Italy, Greece, or Japan. In these settings, the holiday takes on a more personal tone. Quiet morning prayers, a special breakfast, a message to loved ones back home—all done with intention.

This solitude can create space for spiritual reflection, something that’s often lost in the busyness of routine celebrations.

• Where the Heart Leads

While Mecca and Medina remain timeless spiritual destinations for many during Eid, others are exploring locations that offer nature, quiet, and emotional renewal. Islands like the Maldives or Bali, mountains in Georgia or Austria—each one provides a backdrop where the soul can breathe.

It’s not about replacing faith with luxury. It’s about using travel to reconnect with it on deeper levels.

• Stories Worth Sharing

What ties all these experiences together is the richness they bring to people’s lives. UAE residents come back from these trips with stories—not just about beautiful views or delicious meals—but about unexpected conversations, peaceful prayers in faraway places, and the kindness of strangers.

These stories become part of how they celebrate Eid in years to come.

Eid Al-Adha is evolving into something deeply personal for many wanderlust-filled citizens of the UAE. Whether they seek reflection, reconnection, or simply a pause from routine, they’re finding meaning on the road—one journey at a time.