Reposted from the web

Summary: This Muslim travel guide to Malaysia follows a family trip to Redang Island and Terengganu, covering The Taaras resort, halal hotel food, beaches, mosque visits, the Crystal Mosque, Tok Aman Bali resort, and Muslim-friendly travel notes.

Redang Island and the Crystal Mosque (Masjid Kristal) in Terengganu Are Beautiful, Uncrowded, and Friendly to Chinese Visitors is presented here as a firsthand travel account in clear English, beginning with this scene: Redang Island is in the state of Terengganu, Malaysia. You can fly from Kuala Lumpur to Terengganu Airport in one hour, then take a taxi to Merang Jetty and ride a boat for about 40 minutes to reach the island. The account keeps its focus on Halal Travel, Yiwu Food, Mosque Travel while preserving the names, places, food, and historical details from the Chinese source.

Redang Island is in the state of Terengganu, Malaysia. You can fly from Kuala Lumpur to Terengganu Airport in one hour, then take a taxi to Merang Jetty and ride a boat for about 40 minutes to reach the island. The boat ride to the island takes 40 to 50 minutes by speedboat. It is a bumpy trip, so I strongly suggest taking motion sickness medicine before you leave. From what I saw, most passengers get seasick. You can also choose a flight and hotel package offered by the hotel to fly directly from Kuala Lumpur to Redang Island, which saves you the trouble of the boat ride. The cost for one person to fly to the island is 700 RM, and it is more cost-effective if you book it together with your room.

The most beautiful beach on the island is the private beach at The Taaras Beach & Spa Resort, which is also the best hotel on Redang Island. Including three meals, accommodation, and activities, the average daily cost is 2,000 RMB. The entire hotel is a resort, and we chose to stay here. We handled all our dining and entertainment inside the hotel, which was very comfortable.



The Taaras Beach & Spa Resort offers Chinese-language services and is considered the most popular Redang Island hotel for Chinese speakers. It is the best choice for friends who enjoy island resort vacations and family trips.



You can occasionally see wild monkeys on the island. We saw them while eating breakfast; as soon as a guest left, a monkey jumped onto the table and grabbed the leftover bread.









The hotel has a mosque on-site with separate areas for men and women, and you can hear the call to prayer for all five daily namaz.











We chose to have all three meals at the hotel. The hotel has three restaurants that serve Western food, Malay food, and Chinese food. Everything, including the Chinese food, is halal. The price per person for each meal is about 60 RM. All expenses inside the hotel can be charged to your room and settled when you check out.















The hotel breakfast is quite rich, featuring mostly Southeast Asian specialties, along with Western and Chinese breakfast options.

















Redang Island is an eco-friendly island with well-protected nature. You can often see various small animals inside the hotel, and I even saw a large lizard.



The white sand on the hotel's private beach is very fine, and the seawater is clear and blue. Fahim can play in the sand all day long.













There are many small white crabs on the sand that run very fast and are hard to catch. The corals and seashells on the island are protected, so you can only look at them and cannot take them away.





The hotel provides snorkeling trips that you can sign up for at different times each day. You do not need to bring your own snorkeling gear, as the hotel boat will take us to two nearby islands for snorkeling.





Fahim was still a bit scared of the ocean, so I pulled him into the water for a quick soak.







Fahim really loved the tomato pasta kids' meal at the restaurant.



I liked their pizza the best, while my wife preferred the Malaysian fried rice (nasi goreng).





The hotel has a kids' play area with a trampoline and a ball pit, and adults can play billiards or board games. Our family of three stayed here for three days and two nights. I walked around the village outside the hotel to buy a charger, but there were hardly any shops and I couldn't find one. I suggest you prepare before arriving on the island or go to KTCC Mall in downtown Terengganu to shop.

Terengganu Crystal Mosque (Masjid Kristal)



After leaving Redang Island and returning to downtown Terengganu, you can visit the Crystal Mosque. It is Malaysia's first smart mosque and is built from glass and steel. Not far from the Crystal Mosque is an Islamic architectural art museum. It has many miniature models of famous mosques from around the world. They looked quite realistic when I passed by, but the museum is outdoors and it was too hot on Friday (Jumu'ah) for me to go inside.





The mosque is built on the water, and they say it looks even more beautiful when the lights come on at night.









It was undergoing renovations when we arrived, but it looked like it was almost finished.



We took a taxi to the largest shopping center in Terengganu, KTCC Mall, and saw that the driver had a flag supporting Palestine in his car.

Secret Recipe



I had coffee and cake at Secret Recipe (Shi Zhi Mi), a famous Malaysian dessert chain, inside KTCC Mall.



My wife said she loved their desserts when she studied in Malaysia ten years ago. The shop's style has changed quite a bit over the years; they added simple meals and the dessert portions are smaller, but the taste remains the same.







JOHNNY'S Thai Restaurant



This place is incredibly busy. We arrived at 3:00 PM and it was still packed with people.



As usual, we started with two glasses of fruit juice, which were cheap and delicious.



Thai tom yum soup (dong yin gong tang) is a famous Thai dish that I really enjoy.







This meal cost 100 yuan, and it was very tasty and worth a visit.



We also stayed one night in Terengganu at the Tok Aman Bali Beach Resort. The hotel is far from the city center and located by the sea. There are very few foreign tourists here, and the hotel guests are almost all Malay.



Since it is on the coast near the mainland, the water is not as clear as on Redang Island, and the sand is not as fine, but it is not commercialized either. This hotel is relatively close to Perhentian Island, and you can take a boat to Perhentian Island from here. Perhentian Island is a new tourist resort island developed in recent years.





I caught a big crab by the beach in the morning. The crabs here are bigger than the ones on Redang Island.





A serving of Malay fried rice at the hotel restaurant only costs a little over ten yuan, which is about the same price as the night market.







The hotel restaurant tastes very good and is very cheap, much lower in cost than on Redang Island. This is the night market held at the hotel every evening.







You can see cats everywhere in Malaysia. Whenever we sit down to eat, cats come over to join us.



I like this resort hotel because it has many play areas for children, which helps them burn off energy and have fun all day.





One side of the breakfast restaurant faces a lake, and the connected river flows toward the sea. I saw a few crocodiles on the other side of the lake.



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Reposted from the web

Summary: This Muslim travel guide to Malacca covers transport, Jonker Street, Nyonya food, pork-free restaurants, local history, a Chinese-style mosque, Jumuah prayer, and conversations about Chinese and Malay life in Malaysia.

Nyonya Cuisine and the Chinese Mosque in Malacca is presented here as a firsthand travel account in clear English, beginning with this scene: To get from Kuala Lumpur to Malacca, I recommend taking a taxi. You can share a ride with a few people, which takes about two hours and costs around 200 RM. The account keeps its focus on Forbidden City, Islamic Art, Persian Culture while preserving the names, places, food, and historical details from the Chinese source.

To get from Kuala Lumpur to Malacca, I recommend taking a taxi. You can share a ride with a few people, which takes about two hours and costs around 200 RM. If you take a bus, buy your ticket at the Melaka Sentral Bus Terminal in Kuala Lumpur. Buses leave every half hour on average. You can also buy tickets online in advance and exchange them for paper tickets at the station. Fares are 11-13 RM, depending on the bus company. The one-way trip takes over 3-4 hours, and transferring back and forth can be a hassle.

Malacca is small, and you can see most of the sights in one day. You can return to Kuala Lumpur that same night, or choose to stay in Malacca. The cost of living here is cheaper than in Kuala Lumpur, making it a good choice for those on a budget.



Jonker Street (Jichang Jie) Cultural Square

Malacca is the oldest city in Malaysia. Before the 14th century, it was just a fishing village belonging to the Srivijaya Kingdom of Sumatra. In 1406, the Yongle Emperor of the Ming Dynasty named Parameswara the King of Malacca, starting the history of the nation. By the time of the third king, Muhammad Shah (1424-1444), the entire royal family had converted to Islam. From then on, Malacca became the first sultanate in Southeast Asia and gradually entered its golden age.

Malaysia's national confidence comes from its Islamic period. Compared to the pre-Islamic era, Islam brought advanced cultures from all over the world. As an important historical transport hub and trade center, Malacca gathered Muslim merchants from many countries, including Zheng He from the Ming Dynasty, who passed through Malacca five times during his seven voyages to the South Seas.



Malacca is now a city where Chinese people make up the majority. According to locals, Malays account for only about 20% of the population here. Jonker Street is a very lively Chinese neighborhood in Malacca, with Chinese signs all along the street. You can eat very unique Nyonya food here. Nyonya people are the descendants of mixed marriages between Malays and Chinese. Men are called Baba (baba), which comes from a Persian term of respect for elders, and women are called Nyonya, which comes from a Portuguese term of respect for women.



Nyonya food is generally not halal, but I found two pork-free Nyonya restaurants. One is the 'Xiao Gu Traditional Nyonya Restaurant' shown above—don't read it as 'Little Girl Nyonya'—and the other is 'Xiuzhen Nyonya Kitchen' shown below.

Xiuzhen Nyonya Kitchen



The door says 'pork free.' Local Chinese told me that Malays in Malacca are different from those in Kuala Lumpur. Because there are fewer of them, Malacca's Malays tend to be more conservative and stricter about food. Some won't eat at pork-free restaurants, only at those with halal certification, and they may even want to see Malay chefs and servers before they eat. Malays in Kuala Lumpur are more relaxed.





The menu mentions the history of Nyonya food. Nyonya cuisine inherits the food culture of the Chinese fathers and the local culture of the mothers. It is based on Fujian Min cuisine and adds the unique culinary features of the Peranakan (Straits-born Chinese) people, who have passed down these traditions for over 600 years. It is truly one of a kind.



The restaurant is decorated in a South Seas style. You do not need to worry about the language here, as you can speak Chinese everywhere.

















Shrimp Nyonya vegetable dish (achar)

The portions at this restaurant are small, so you do not have to worry about leftovers. Nyonya cuisine is mostly salty and spicy, which goes well with rice and suits the local hot and humid climate.



Nyonya golden cups (pie tee)



Beef rendang (rendang)



Nyonya butterfly pea flower rice (nasi kerabu)

The whole meal only cost 69 RM, and a full day of exploring Malacca costs no more than 100 RM.



1. Malacca State Mosque

(Masjid Al Azim)



The Malacca State Mosque was built in 1990. It features a typical traditional Malacca architectural style. This style was influenced by the Ming Dynasty, which immediately reminded me of the mosques on the island of Java in Indonesia, as they share the same style.

















2. Tengkera Mosque

(Masjid Tengkera)



This mosque was built in 1728 with funding from the Dutch East India Company. The highlight is the minaret behind it, which is designed in the style of a Chinese pagoda. It is a mosque that blends Indonesian Javanese, Malay, and Chinese cultures.















I have seen this type of water tank used for wudu on the island of Java in Indonesia.



















Next to the mosque is the tomb of Sultan Hussein Shah of Johor (1776-1835). He signed two treaties with the British and was nominally recognized by them as the Sultan of Johor and Singapore in 1819. He successfully weakened Dutch influence, so he is credited in the history of Singapore's founding, though he held no real power and was more of a puppet monarch. Some described him as a tiger without teeth. Several of his descendants are buried in the Jalan Kubor cemetery in Singapore.





Less than 200 meters across the street from the mosque, you can see a pagoda-style building. This tower is the site of another mosque from 1728.



Across from the pagoda, you can see another cemetery.











3.

Kampung Hulu Mosque (Masjid Kampung)



Walking another two kilometers, you reach Kampung Hulu Mosque. This mosque was built in 1720 or 1728, commissioned by the Dutch East India Company and built by Chinese Muslims. The architectural style combines Javanese and Chinese elements.





The minaret looks like a lighthouse.



The prayer drum (bangke gu) is also influenced by Chinese culture. Traditional mosques on the island of Java in Indonesia also use drums to call people to prayer.





The water pool for wudu has flowing water, and the used water drains away through a channel on the side.















This style of minaret (minbai lou) is influenced by Javanese culture.

4. Kampung Kling Mosque

(Masjid Kampung Kling)



Built in 1748 by Indian Muslims, this mosque looks similar to the Kampung Hulu Mosque, just with a different color.



























5. Malacca Straits Mosque

(Masjid Selat Melaka)



This mosque built on the sea is a landmark of Malacca. It was finished in 2006. When the tide rises, the mosque looks like it is floating on the water from a distance, and its colors are beautiful.





Tourists can visit for free during certain times, while those coming for namaz can enter at any time.







The minaret is 30 meters tall and also serves as a lighthouse.









If you want to go to the beach to take a full side view of the mosque, you need to cross a piece of private land. There is a small shop run by a Chinese person at the entrance. You have to buy something to go in and take photos, and there is no minimum amount. I did not have any cash on me at the time, so I did not go.

6. Malacca Chinese Mosque

(Malacca Chinese Mosque)



Completed in 2014, this is the third Chinese-style mosque built in Malaysia, following those in Kelantan and Perak. It was built under the leadership of the Malacca Chinese Muslim Association and cost 7.5 million RM. The federal government provided 5.9 million RM, and the rest came from public donations.



The mosque's design draws from traditional mosque styles in Beijing, Shanghai, and Xi'an. It features unique Chinese cultural elements like pagodas and calligraphy. Covering 2.8 hectares, it is the largest Chinese-style mosque I have ever visited.



The signs are written in Chinese, Arabic, and Malay.

I found this mosque by accident. I originally planned to attend Friday namaz at the Malacca Straits Mosque. While checking Google Maps, I saw this Chinese-style mosque far from the city center and decided it would be more meaningful to go there for namaz instead.



I used Grab to call a Chinese taxi driver. As soon as I got in, he curiously asked how I knew about this place. He said he had never taken a tourist there and had never heard of it himself. The mosque is in the suburbs, surrounded by empty land.



On the way, we talked about the lives of Chinese people in Malaysia. The driver said he felt it was not easy for Chinese people in Malaysia and Indonesia because of pressure from the Malay government. I told him to compare them with Chinese people in other Southeast Asian countries like Thailand, Myanmar, the Philippines, and Vietnam, who have almost no influence. If life were better there, why would so many Chinese stay in Malaysia and Indonesia? They would have left long ago, right?

The driver suddenly realized my point and agreed. He felt that compared to other Southeast Asian countries, Chinese people in Malaysia and Indonesia still have significant influence. After all, the Chinese are an immigrant group, so it is unrealistic to expect them to be treated exactly the same as the Malay people.



The trip was not smooth because of road construction around the mosque. The driver had to take a long detour to find the entrance. I thought I would miss the Friday prayer, but Allah's grace was with me. I arrived just in time for the congregational prayer. I was shocked to see over a thousand people there, and the imam leading the prayer was Chinese.



Most of the friends (dosti) here look like Malay or Indian-Pakistani people, though some Chinese people get so tanned they are mistaken for Malay, just like me.







Because the location is remote, I was worried about getting a taxi back to the city, so I asked the driver to wait for me until I finished namaz. He was very kind. On the way back, he told me stories about Malay and Chinese people in Singapore. He said Malay people in Singapore feel superior to those in Malaysia, and the Chinese feel the same, but the people in Malaysia do not envy Singapore. They view Singapore's independence with a very calm attitude.

This driver was one of the most well-informed Chinese people I have met. He knows a bit about mainland China, has been to Hong Kong, and often watches short videos about the mainland on Douyin. He said Kuala Lumpur is like a small city in China, and Beijing and Shanghai are much more advanced than Kuala Lumpur. He even thinks Hong Kong has fallen behind China's first-tier cities. Collapse Read »

Reposted from the web

Summary: This Kuala Lumpur halal food guide continues with Taco Bell, Din Tai Fung pork-free and halal notes, soup dumplings, Makan Malay, Indian, and Chinese buffet counters, and practical dining impressions from Malaysia.

Kuala Lumpur Halal Food Map is presented here as a firsthand travel account in clear English, beginning with this scene: We ordered a big table of food for three people, costing 171.2 RM, which is over 200 RMB. In terms of value for money, Canton Boy is the better choice. The account keeps its focus on Halal Travel, Yiwu Food, Beijing while preserving the names, places, food, and historical details from the Chinese source.





We ordered a big table of food for three people, costing 171.2 RM, which is over 200 RMB. In terms of value for money, Canton Boy is the better choice.

14. Taco Bell



This is a Mexican fast-food chain. A taco is a common North American snack made of a corn tortilla filled with various ingredients. I ate here because you rarely see a purely halal taco shop back home in China. In Beijing, you can only find tacos at a few Arab restaurants.



15. Din Tai Fung



Din Tai Fung started in Taiwan and specializes in Taiwanese snacks. It is actually more famous overseas than in Taiwan. There are Din Tai Fung locations in Beijing, but I have only seen halal versions in Dubai, Indonesia, and Malaysia. Not every Din Tai Fung in Malaysia is halal. You have to look for shops that say 'no pork.' These shops might still sell alcohol. Many Malaysians do not mind if a restaurant sells alcohol, but such restaurants will not receive halal certification. In Malaysia, halal certification is only given to restaurants that do not serve alcohol.





Din Tai Fung is very busy, and you often have to wait in line for a table, but it is worth it. Their crab roe soup dumplings (tangbao) are truly the best I have ever eaten.











We wanted more of the soup dumplings, so we ordered another steamer basket.





Our lunch for two cost 129.5 RM, which is less than 200 RMB.

16. MAKAN Malay, Indian, and Chinese Buffet Restaurant



If you want to eat authentic Malay food in Malaysia, I recommend this buffet restaurant located on the 11th floor of the Hilton Hotel in Intermark Mall.



This restaurant is ranked number one on the TripAdvisor app, and the buffet price is 85 RM per person. There are three options, as shown on the sign in the picture. This restaurant has three kitchens: one for Malay style, one for Indian style, and one for Chinese food. All three, including the Chinese one, are halal.



You can freely choose a buffet from any of these styles, but we tried all three.



















At 85 Malaysian Ringgit per person, this buffet is considered quite expensive in Kuala Lumpur. Even so, the restaurant is packed, and many office workers from nearby come here for lunch. After eating, I felt that the tastes of us Chinese people are different from those of the Malay people. The popular restaurants that are hits in Malaysia all tasted average to me. I can only say that Malay people are not very particular about food, but overall, the standard of halal dining in Kuala Lumpur is still world-leading. Collapse Read »

Reposted from the web

Summary: This Beijing halal food guide shares issue 38 of the map, covering Pakistani buffet, halal barbecue buffet, tea space, iron pot stew, Arabic food, Silk Road cuisine, Qingyanglou, Niujie skewers, and newly opened Muslim restaurants.

Beijing Halal Food Map (Issue 38) is presented here as a firsthand travel account in clear English, beginning with this scene: The restaurants in this issue are all newly opened. When I wrote the 10th issue, I worried about running out of unique halal restaurants in Beijing to feature. The account keeps its focus on Beijing Halal Food, Muslim Travel, Middle Eastern Food while preserving the names, places, food, and historical details from the Chinese source.

The restaurants in this issue are all newly opened. When I wrote the 10th issue, I worried about running out of unique halal restaurants in Beijing to feature. It turns out I was overthinking it. New halal restaurants have kept popping up in Beijing over the last two years. Even though many have closed, the variety is getting richer overall. After traveling to the UAE, Saudi Arabia, and Egypt last year, I am even more convinced that no other country or city has a wider variety of halal restaurants than Beijing. Beijing truly deserves to be called the world capital of halal food.

The list of halal restaurants featured in this issue is as follows:

1. Habibi Pakistan Buffet

2. Halal Small Stove Barbecue Buffet (Xiao Luzi)

3. Achuiji Stinky Fried Skewers

4. Sanbanhui Tea and Coffee Space

5. Dunyishou Northeast Iron Pot Stew

6. Habibi Arabic Restaurant

7. Yerushahan Silk Road Cuisine

8. Qingyanglou Fried Cake Xin

9. Jiangweiyuan Aisha Cuisine

10. Maimaiti Western Regions Cuisine

1. Habibi Pakistan Buffet



There is a new Pakistani buffet on Minda West Road. When you see McDonald's, walk inside to the very back and take the elevator to the third floor. The environment is nice and clean. They do not have many types of dishes, and the taste is average, but the highlight is the affordable price of 66 yuan per person.





The owner is a Pakistani friend who speaks Chinese and is very welcoming. Pakistani restaurants in Beijing usually do well, and this one had quite a few diners.

















For Indian and Pakistani food, I still prefer the taste at Hanbaba and Samosa.

2. Halal Small Stove Barbecue (Qingzhen Xiaoluzi Shaokao)



This is a new barbecue buffet on the 8th floor of Souxiu City in Chongwenmen. You can take the elevator from the Souxiu Cinema on the first floor directly there. The restaurant has an industrial decor style that looks like it was never finished. The buffet is 139 yuan per person, but you can grab a 99 yuan package deal on their livestream.



Drinks and ice cream are unlimited, or you can choose a 59 yuan buffet that does not include drinks.



The restaurant is still in its trial period and is clearly short-staffed, so it might be hard to get food during peak hours. We chose to go on a weekday at noon when it was less crowded, so we could eat as much as we wanted.



The skewers are Northeast Chinese style, and you can even see grilled silkworm pupae.









The set meal includes beef brisket stew.



The ice cream is Yili brand.

3. Achuiji Stinky Fried Skewers



Achuiji is a fried skewer shop run by a Beijing couple, and they even have skewers that taste like stinky mandarin fish (chouguiyu).



Their signature beef pie (xianbing) is delicious and cheap at only 22 yuan. I asked and found out they own the building, so they do not have to pay rent.



They have many flavors of fried skewers. Besides the stinky lamb skewers, they have lemon chicken skewers, and I prefer the fresh scent of the lemon ones.



The spicy chicken cutlet rice has a Korean style, but it is not actually very spicy and tastes quite good.



The owner recommended we try the roasted pigeon. It is roasted to order, so it takes a little longer, but the taste is great.



The exploding tofu (baojiang doufu) is excellent. You can taste the owner's care in every dish; they really put their heart into the cooking.



I have been here twice. The second time, I tried the lamb spine hot pot (yangxiezi guo) recommended by the owner, and the meat on the spine was very high quality.



4. Sanbanhui Tea and Coffee Space



Sanbanhui near the West Railway Station is a themed tea and coffee shop with a background in the finance industry. Most people who come here to talk business work in finance. Since the person in charge is a Hui Muslim from Qinghai, the food at this shop is halal.



The simple meals are mostly pizza, pasta, and fried rice, and there are meeting rooms on the second floor.



















5. Dunyishou



Dun Yishou is a Northeast-style iron pot stew (tieguo dun) restaurant located in the Huanhu Town of Tongzhou, which is quite far away.













The restaurant is very spacious and the iron pot stew is delicious, but the only downside is that they do not serve stir-fried dishes, unlike Wanfu in Daxing where you can also get sweet and sour pork (guobaorou).





The two-person set meal comes with white fungus soup (yin'er tang), snacks, and fruit, leaving both of us feeling very full.



6. Habibi Arabic Restaurant



This is a newly opened Arabic restaurant in Jiugong, Daxing. It used to be just a small stall, but the new owner recently invested some money into the renovation.













We ordered a 200-yuan set meal for two, and the taste was very similar to the Arabic food we had in Egypt.









7. Yerushahan Silk Road Cuisine



There is a new Silk Road cuisine restaurant across from Xuanwu Hospital on Changchun Street. Its style is very similar to Samarkand, serving mainly Xinjiang and Northwest Chinese dishes, along with roast duck and seafood. The environment is very beautiful, but the prices are a bit high, averaging 150 to 200 yuan per person. If you are on a date near Niujie, you can come here to eat as it is quite quiet.









The pilaf (zhuafan) has a light flavor and is served in a small electric rice cooker; this small pot costs 68 yuan.



The Middle Eastern avocado salad is 88 yuan, and the rack of lamb (jiazi rou) is 128 yuan, which comes with two pieces of grilled pineapple and tastes quite good.



8. Qingyanglou Fried Cake Xin



A new Beijing-style restaurant just opened in Xianyukou near Qianmen. The founder is Zhagaoxin, so you can buy fried cakes (zhagao) there.







For a restaurant in a tourist area, the food is pretty good. It is not amazing, but you will not be disappointed.









The highlight is their Shengmu yogurt. It is quite thick and tasty, and they even have a sea buckthorn flavor.





The crust of the fried cake was a bit bitter, and I did not get to the filling on my first bite, but the bean paste inside tasted fine and was not too sweet.



There are quite a few halal restaurants around Qianmen Street, but many do not taste very good. This Qingyanglou is a solid choice.

9. Jiangweiyuan Aisha Cuisine (formerly Northwest Muslim Restaurant)



Ever since the Northwest Muslim Restaurant on Niujie moved away, the area lost a great spot for eating skewers. Recently, this old shop moved back, though the location is now on Baiguang Road.



This was our go-to place for skewers when we were students. Even though my classmates do not live on Niujie anymore, they still travel a long way to eat here. When they heard the shop was back, one friend even drove from the suburbs at 11 p.m. just to meet me for skewers.



They stay open until 2 a.m.





Besides the skewers, I also like their noodle dishes.



10. Maimaiti Western Regions Cuisine



This fusion restaurant is run by locals from Linxia. The food really surprised me because the chef perfectly recreates the authentic flavors of Linxia. I asked the owner and found out their head chef has won national awards. Their hand-grabbed lamb (shouzhua) is also incredible.





I first stopped by for a bowl of mixed noodles (banmian) and thought it was delicious, and the grilled skewers (kaochuan) were great too. I went back later for the stir-fried dish (laochao) and liked it even more. Next time, I plan to try their hand-grabbed lamb.



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Reposted from the web

Summary: This Shaanxi halal food guide visits Ankang Hui Muslim Street, seven old mosques, West Mosque, North Mosque, Xingwen Mosque, Jingning South Mosque, local shaobing, fried snacks, halal dishes, and the Han River night view.

Ankang Hui Muslim Street Guide: Halal Food and Muslim Heritage in Shaanxi is presented here as a firsthand travel account in clear English, beginning with this scene: Ten of my travelogues were deleted recently, likely due to title violations. I have revised and reposted them. The account keeps its focus on Ankang Muslim Street, Halal Food, Shaanxi Travel while preserving the names, places, food, and historical details from the Chinese source.

Ten of my travelogues were deleted recently, likely due to title violations. I have revised and reposted them.

In Shaanxi, Hui Muslims mostly live in the Xi'an Muslim Quarter, but there are also small groups in Hanzhong and Ankang to the south. During my road trip through the southwest, I passed through Ankang and visited four mosques located within two kilometers of each other in the city.

Ankang has seven mosques: Xingwen Mosque, North Mosque, South Mosque, Inner City Mosque, Middle Mosque, West Mosque, and East Mosque. Over ten thousand Hui Muslims live around these mosques in the East and West Gates. The West Gate has been torn down, but the East Gate is the oldest part of Ankang. The East Gate stretches over half a kilometer from south to north and has three streets filled with halal snacks.

Ankang West Mosque



Ankang West Mosque was built in the first year of the Xianfeng reign of the Qing Dynasty and has separate prayer halls for men and women.















Ankang North Mosque



Ankang North Mosque was first built in the 15th year of the Hongzhi reign of the Ming Dynasty (1502). The North Mosque's



The minaret of the North Mosque is 46.4 meters tall.

















The graveyard for imams inside the North Mosque.





Ankang Xingwen Mosque



Xingwen Mosque was built during the Daoguang reign of the Qing Dynasty. It was named for its focus on education and historically ran schools like the Hui Muslim Charity School and the Northwest Ankang Primary School.







Jingning South Mosque



Rumor has it that Jingning South Mosque in Ankang was built during the Tang Dynasty. A stone tablet inside says the Tang government built Xingwen Mosque after asking the Arabs for military help to stop the An Lushan Rebellion, but there is no proof of this. The oldest reliable records show it was built at least by the Ming Dynasty.







The stone tablet lists the names of the imams who have taught at the mosque throughout Ankang's history.











There are many halal snack shops in the old town of Hanbin District, but most were closed when I arrived.



The small shops around Dongguan are mostly run by local Hui Muslims. They mostly sell fried foods, steamed buns (baozi), and noodles. The hanging-griddle flatbread (diao'ao shaobing) is unique.



We ate stir-fried dishes at Yong'an Kangjia, which is a local restaurant that has been open for many years.



Because Ankang is close to Sichuan, the stir-fried dishes here taste very similar to Sichuan food.



The pickled vegetables and sour radishes on the menu are local specialties.



I ordered the twice-cooked winter melon (huiguo donggua). I thought it was twice-cooked pork, but it turned out to be winter melon cooked in the same style instead of meat.



The steamed beef with alfalfa (muxu zhengrou) is made with beef, a cooking style just like in Sichuan cuisine.



The Han River flows through the city. We took a walk by the river at night to enjoy the night view.



If not for the Hui Muslim uprisings in the late Qing Dynasty, there would be many more Hui Muslims in Shaanxi today, and they would likely be living better lives. My regret in Ankang is that I did not get to eat many local halal snacks. Maybe I came at the wrong time. Hui Muslim snacks in Ankang are completely different from those in the Xi'an Muslim Quarter. They have distinct features and are worth another visit. We only stayed in Ankang for one night and left for Sichuan early the next morning. Collapse Read »

Reposted from the web

Summary: This Sichuan halal food guide maps Mianyang and Deyang, including halal breakfast, Mulanting food, Fucheng Mosque, Ma Laowu, Xiaoquan Mosque, fruit juice beef, Hui Muslim heritage, and local halal Sichuan dishes.

A Map of Halal Food in Mianyang and Deyang, Sichuan is presented here as a firsthand travel account in clear English, beginning with this scene: Ten of my travelogues were deleted recently, likely due to title violations. I have revised and reposted them. The account keeps its focus on Halal Travel, Yiwu Food, Mosque Travel while preserving the names, places, food, and historical details from the Chinese source.

Ten of my travelogues were deleted recently, likely due to title violations. I have revised and reposted them.



Our group recently partnered with the Yingke (Mianyang) Law Firm. We now offer professional wealth management consulting by combining insurance brokers and lawyers. Insurance brokers who understand law and lawyers who understand insurance are rare in the market, and I look forward to our future.

Taking this opportunity, I visited Mianyang for the second time after two years. Mianyang, Jiangyou, Deyang, Pengzhou, and Chengdu are areas where Hui Muslims are concentrated in Sichuan. If you are interested in Sichuan halal food culture, you can plan a trip to this region. My previous article about Mianyang is here: A Halal Tour of Mianyang, Sichuan—Jiangyou Mosque in the Hometown of Li Bai.



I recommend staying at the Hampton by Hilton in Mianyang. A Hui Muslim friend of mine in Mianyang introduced me to it, and the owner is also a Hui Muslim who provides halal breakfast.

Mulanting Sichuan-style Halal



The flight from Beijing to Mianyang takes over two hours. For my first meal after arriving, my partner Dosti took me to this very artistic restaurant, Mulanting, to eat Sichuan-style halal food.



Sitting in the courtyard with comfortable temperatures and a quiet atmosphere, I felt especially relaxed while enjoying the food. The restaurant has a great environment and the food is delicious, especially the brown sugar flatbread (guokui) and diced rabbit (tuding), which are both local specialties. Prices in Mianyang are not high, costing about 50-60 yuan per person.



Stewed beef tendon



Braised eggplant with green beans



Brown sugar stuffed flatbread (guokui)



Diced rabbit with chopped chili (duojiao tuding)

Fucheng Mosque in Mianyang



I visited the Mianyang mosque and saw the renovation is finished. The exterior looks very different. Fucheng Mosque was first built during the Xianfeng era of the Qing Dynasty, and the current building was renovated in 2022. It serves over 10,000 Muslims in the city.









Ma Laowu Restaurant



Ma Laowu Restaurant is a Sichuan-style halal eatery. The top left corner says it is a time-honored brand from Yanting, which means the owner is from Yanting. Yanting is the county with the most Hui Muslims in Mianyang.







Halal restaurants in Sichuan mainly serve beef. With the unique spicy and numbing flavor of Sichuan, these stir-fried dishes go perfectly with rice.



Cold jelly noodles (liangban liangfen)



Dry-fried beef (ganbian niurou)



Shredded potato with green pepper (qingjiao tudousi)



Mianyang oil and vinegar noodles (youcu mian)

Oil and vinegar noodles are a local Mianyang specialty. The noodles are thin and soft with a slightly spicy taste. We originally wanted rice, but it wasn't ready when we arrived, so we tried these special noodles instead.



Beef meatball soup (niurou wanzi tang)

Maijia Impression Restaurant (Maijia Yinxiang Canting)



This Sichuan restaurant is on the first floor of a mosque. They do not sell alcohol. The shops around the Fucheng Mosque in Mianyang belong to the mosque, so none of the halal restaurants here sell alcohol. You can eat here with peace of mind.



When you eat local halal stir-fry in Mianyang, you cannot go wrong. Every dish is delicious.





Century egg with pickled peppers (paojiao pidan)



Pickled vegetable and vermicelli soup (suancai fensi tang)



Cold tossed beef (liangban niurou)



Beef with tofu pudding (douhua niurou)

Below are halal eateries around the Fucheng Mosque in Mianyang, including snack shops, teahouses, and grocery stores.

















Wenji Night Banquet (Wenji Yeyan)



This is a halal restaurant in Mianyang that specializes in bold, local-style dishes. We already ate plenty of beef, so this meal focuses on fish. Mianyang has many ways to cook fish, and they serve types of river fish that are rarely seen in the north.



Fish with giant hyssop (huoxiang liugen yu)



Chicken feet with green peppers (qingjiao fengzhua)



Spicy grilled fish (mala kaoyu)



Grilled eggplant (kao qiezi)



Grilled oysters (kao shenghao)

Pinyuexuan



Pinyuexuan is a long-standing Sichuan restaurant in Jiangyou, Mianyang. It has been open for at least twenty years and is the largest halal restaurant in the Jiangyou area.





Stir-fried celery with meat (qincai chaorou)



Vermicelli with minced meat (mayi shangshu)



Radish soup (luobo tang)



Diced beef with green peppers served with corn buns (qingjiao niurouli pei wotou)



Beef brisket stewed with tofu (niunan dun doufu)



The owner of Pinyuexuan seen from behind. He is very welcoming, and we greeted each other with salaam.

Deyang, Xiaoquan Ancient Town, Huilanyuan Slaughterhouse Hot Pot



It takes about an hour to drive from Mianyang to Deyang. In Xiaoquan Ancient Town, there is a street dedicated to halal food.



This local halal hot pot restaurant has been open for six years in a very quiet setting. The meat comes from the slaughterhouse right next door, which has its own professional butchers. We even ran into one of the butchers while we were praying at the Xiaoquan Mosque.







We chose a mild spicy beef tallow hot pot. It did not taste too spicy to me; the flavor was just right.





Steamed dumplings (shaomai)







Banbian Street in Xiaoquan Ancient Town



This street is full of small shops serving local halal specialties. It used to have a Central Asian style, but after renovations, it now features a blue-toned design.

















A specialty of Xiaoquan is this fruit juice beef (guozhi niurou), a type of beef jerky made with rock sugar syrup. It is salty, fresh, and spicy with a sweet aftertaste, making it a delicious snack to have with tea.













Xiaoquan Mosque



Xiaoquan Mosque was first built during the Daoguang period of the Qing Dynasty. The original building was an ancestral hall belonging to a Han Chinese family named Feng. Two Muslim families, the Dengs and the Mas, bought it and converted it into a mosque while keeping the original architectural style.



Turning an ancestral hall into a mosque is a very open-minded idea. There are many examples today of churches being converted into mosques. This saves money, helps the mosque blend into the local culture, and does not go against Islamic teachings, so it is worth promoting.





































Xiaoquan Mosque has a cultural exhibition room, the first of its kind in a Sichuan mosque. They set aside a room specifically for cultural displays, and People say other religious sites in Sichuan have since followed Xiaoquan Mosque's lead by creating their own exhibition spaces.







The exhibition hall displays some famous Hui Muslims from Xiaoquan, and these individuals still held a strong sense of their faith.









Xiaoquan is famous for its values of virtue and filial piety, and many stories about these traits are passed down here. One of them is the Eternal Monument, which records the story of a Muslim named Zhang Zongfa and how he showed filial piety to his parents both while they were alive and after they returned to Allah.



The story says that Zhang Zongfa learned the importance of filial piety from the Prophet and ancient Chinese classics. He served his parents with all his heart while they were alive. After they returned to Allah, he donated grain and land to the mosque, hoping to make up for any missed namaz his parents had during their lives. He also taught his descendants never to forget the importance of filial piety. Collapse Read »

Reposted from the web

Summary: This China mosque travel guide follows the Yunnan Long March route through Xundian and Kedu, covering Yuping Mosque, Dangui and Huihui villages, halal Xundian food, Tuogu, Zhaotong Baxian Mosque, and Hui Muslim history along the road.

A Road Trip Through Yunnan: Three Ancient Mosques on the Long March Route is presented here as a firsthand travel account in clear English, beginning with this scene: In Kedu Town, located in the Xundian Hui and Yi Autonomous County under Kunming, Yunnan, there are two Hui Muslim villages called Dangui Village and Huihui Village. The account keeps its focus on Halal Travel, Yiwu Food, Mosque Travel while preserving the names, places, food, and historical details from the Chinese source.

In Kedu Town, located in the Xundian Hui and Yi Autonomous County under Kunming, Yunnan, there are two Hui Muslim villages called Dangui Village and Huihui Village. These villages once served as the headquarters for the Central Red Army. Leaders including Mao Zedong, Zhou Enlai, Zhu De, Liu Bocheng, Zhang Wentian, and Wang Jiaxiang all stayed here. The Central Red Army made specific plans here to cross the Jinsha River at Jiaoping Ferry, which allowed the Red Army to cross the river successfully.

Yuping Mosque in Xundian



Kedu Town is an 80-kilometer drive from the Xundian county seat. We rested in the county seat for a day to prepare for our trip to Kedu Town the next morning. While drinking coffee in the county seat, we happened to see the Yuping Mosque across the street and went there to perform a prayer.



Yuping Mosque was first built between the late Ming and early Qing dynasties, and the current main hall was built in 2010.



Jinxingyue Restaurant



A local young lady in Xundian invited our family of three to eat authentic Xundian food at Jinxingyue. This restaurant has been open for at least 10 years and is one of the top choices for engagement banquets among Xundian locals. The food and the environment are both excellent, and most restaurants on the streets of Xundian are halal.







Fahim was playing in the courtyard when another young lady took a liking to him and chased after him to play together.





Local specialty pan-fried tea (jiancha). This stove can be used for heating, boiling tea, and grilling.



Xundian's oil-drizzled dried beef (youlin niuganba). The locals have high standards for food. They think Kunming doesn't have as much good food as Xundian. Xundian is where people from Kunming go for weekend getaways and farm-style meals.



Roasted chicken and potato pancakes (yangyu bing) are specialties. The roasted chicken is tender and flavorful, and the potato pancakes are salty, fresh, and crispy.





Thick pea porridge (xi doufen) and wheat flatbread (mai baba). Yunnan people call things like steamed buns baba. The wheat flatbread is very soft and fluffy, and it tastes great when dipped in the thick pea porridge to soak up the soup.





Jibao Beef Restaurant



This is another hidden gem that locals love. People say you even have to wait in line at night because it is so popular.



At this Yunnan-style restaurant, you pick your own vegetables. You choose from a variety of wild greens in the freezer, and the kitchen cooks them for you.





The cold sliced beef (liangpian) from Xundian is boiled in plain water and served with a spicy and sour dipping sauce.





This sweet and sour pork tenderloin (tangcu liji) is made with pineapple and is mainly served to help children eat their rice.



Yunnan bitter melon is delicious, and I enjoy the bitter taste.



Kedu Town



The road to Kedu Town is a winding mountain path. Because it is a red tourism town, the government pays close attention to it, so the road nearby is well-maintained and not too difficult to drive. Just watch your speed, and expect the drive to take at least an hour and a half.



The town is deep in the mountains with nice scenery. Most of the paths the Red Army took during the Long March were these kinds of remote mountain roads.



Dangui Red Army Village



The Red Army Long March Memorial Hall in Dangui Village is open to the public for free.



The Party could not have gained national power without the support of ethnic minorities. The relationship between Chinese Muslims and various Chinese regimes throughout history is the same. Whenever they stayed in line with the central government, they developed; otherwise, they suffered major setbacks. You can refer to the book 'Chinese Regimes and Islam Throughout History' for details.















Because the Party's founding members were treated well by ethnic minorities during difficult times, they had a positive view of them, which led to the ethnic minority policies established after the founding of the country.









The red halal restaurant in the village is called Huadamen Restaurant.







The village walls are decorated with folk songs from Hui Muslims and other ethnic minorities, all praising the Red Army.

Dangui Mosque.



The founding date of Dangui Mosque is unknown, but it was renovated in the 22nd year of the Guangxu reign of the Qing Dynasty and is now a provincial-level cultural heritage site.







On the mosque's crossbeams, there is a slogan left by the Red Army that says, "The Red Army absolutely does not press-gang." This means they did not force men into military service.























































On the third floor of the minaret, there is a poster showing a story from the past. After the Red Army defeated local tyrants, they took ham to cook at Huihui Mosque. When Commander-in-Chief Zhu De found out, he walked to the mosque to apologize to Imam Jin.



Looking down at Dangui Village from the top of the minaret.



The Huihui Village mentioned above shares the same name as the Huihui Village in Sanya and is two kilometers away from Dangui Village.

Huihui Village Mosque.



Huihui Mosque is built in the center of the village, and it also has a slogan left by the Red Army.





The slogan is on the side of the minaret and reads, "The Red Army absolutely protects the interests of the Hui worker and peasant masses." "Hui home" refers to the homes of Hui Muslims, as the term Hui Muslims was not yet used as an official name before liberation.



















The founding record of the Chinese-Arabic school inside the Huihui Village mosque.



Patterns on the gate of a house across from the Huihui mosque.

Tuogu Village in Ludian.



On the way back to Beijing from Xundian, I passed a small halal shop at the entrance of Tuogu Village. They had Ma Laobiao rice noodles (mixian), and I bought plenty of instant food for the trip.



Tuogu grilled tofu (shaodoufu) for one yuan a piece.

Tuogu mosque.



Tuogu mosque was first built in the eighth year of the Yongzheng reign. It covers 7,000 square meters, is the largest mosque in northeastern Yunnan, and is now a provincial-level cultural heritage site.













































Zhaotong Baxian grand mosque.



Zhaotong Baxian mosque is one of the eight scenic spots in Zhaoyang. It was first built during the Yongzheng period. It was once the site of the 43rd Division headquarters of the People's Liberation Army and includes a party school inside.











Collapse Read »

Reposted from the web

Summary: This China mosque travel guide continues the Yunnan road trip on the Long March route, focusing on Fur Goods Street, the Old Mosque, Hui Muslim memories, a temporary prayer space, demolition and renovation, and reflections on history.

A Road Trip Through Yunnan: Three Ancient Mosques on the Long March Route is presented here as a firsthand travel account in clear English, beginning with this scene: Fur Goods Street (Maohuo Jie) was a market for fur products in the past, which is how it got its name. The account keeps its focus on Mosque Travel, Islamic Heritage, Muslim Travel while preserving the names, places, food, and historical details from the Chinese source.

































Fur Goods Street (Maohuo Jie)



Fur Goods Street (Maohuo Jie) was a market for fur products in the past, which is how it got its name. Many Hui Muslims live nearby. The Old Mosque (Qingzhen Gusi) on Fur Goods Street used to run a school all year round and accepted students from outside, so many people have memories of studying here. Fur Goods Street is currently being demolished and renovated. Very few shops remain inside. When I arrived, I only saw a temporary prayer space for the Old Mosque.

Temporary prayer space for the Old Mosque



Throughout history and across the world, nations have been strong when they were open and inclusive, and backward when they were closed and narrow-minded. We can learn a lot from history. Looking at things from a historical perspective, what we are going through right now is not a big deal. Collapse Read »

Reposted from the web

Summary: This China mosque travel guide follows a Yunnan road trip through Jianshui, Dazhuang, and nearby Shadian, covering ancient mosques, halal rice noodles, local restaurants, stone tablets, Hajj door signs, Xinzhai Mosque, and Hui Muslim history.

A Road Trip in Yunnan: Searching for Old Mosques in Jianshui and Dazhuang is presented here as a firsthand travel account in clear English, beginning with this scene: Ten of my travelogues were deleted one after another recently, likely due to title violations, so I am reposting them after making edits. The account keeps its focus on Halal Travel, Yiwu Food, Mosque Travel while preserving the names, places, food, and historical details from the Chinese source.

Ten of my travelogues were deleted one after another recently, likely due to title violations, so I am reposting them after making edits.

I remember my first trip to Shadian. I asked the locals what good food they had, and they told me there wasn't much. They usually go to Jianshui and Dazhuang to find good food because there is more to eat there. That is why I kept those two places in mind. Jianshui, Dazhuang, and Shadian are less than 100 miles apart. It takes an hour to drive between them, and they form a triangle. If you plan to visit Shadian, it is best to visit all three places together.

Jianshui Ancient City Hanlin Garden (Hanlin Yuan)



Jianshui is a bit busier than other ancient cities in Yunnan. We chose to stay at Hanlin Garden, which is in the center of the ancient city. It is a state-owned hotel with a classic garden style. The rooms are huge and have complete facilities. The parking lot is right at the hotel entrance. The staff told us to use Gaode Maps to navigate to the hotel instead of Baidu, or we would go the wrong way.



The hotel breakfast offers halal rice noodles (mixian), but you must book them in advance. The staff goes to a halal shop outside to buy them early in the morning.



The little person next to the flower pot in the distance is Fahim. He can play to his heart's content in this garden.



Jianshui Ancient Mosque (Jianshui Qingzhen Gusi)



The ancient mosque is on Randengsi Street next to the ancient city. It was first built during the Huangqing era of the Yuan Dynasty. It is the oldest mosque in southern Yunnan, and the hall in front of the main prayer hall dates back to the Yuan Dynasty.



Randeng Mosque is a Buddhist mosque built during the Jiaqing era of the Ming Dynasty, and it is less than 100 meters away from the mosque.









When I arrived, the women's study group at the mosque was having a class.







There are a few small halal shops on Mashi Street next to the Jianshui ancient mosque, but they only open at noon. I arrived too early and didn't see anything. Locals prefer to come here, but if you want more food, it is all concentrated on Zitao Street.



There are a few halal shops in the old town that are easy to find. I asked a student of mine named Ma from Shadian if I could use facial recognition payment here, and he said he had never even seen beef pancakes (niuroubing) in Shadian.









Koule Bakery is a chain store selling Western-style desserts that a local friend recommended. I bought some flower cakes (xianhuabing), but they were a bit too sweet; I still think the ones in Dali are better.





Jiahe Restaurant



Jiahe Restaurant is across from the Walmart supermarket at the entrance of the old town. We came out of the supermarket and didn't want to walk too far, so we went straight into this shop.



The owner's daughter took a liking to Fahim and tried to trade her Ultraman toy for the snacks in his hand, but Fahim wasn't interested.



We chatted and learned the owner is from Wenshan and married into Jianshui, where she has run this shop for many years. We actually have a mutual friend; her classmate is currently studying at the China Islamic Institute.



The owner recommended a few local specialties, including iron-plate tofu (tieban doufu) and steam-pot chicken (qiguo ji).



Everything was delicious. Jianshui tofu has a smooth texture and can be eaten in many different ways.



Zitao Street



Jianshui's Zitao Street is like the Muslim Quarter (Huimin Jie) in Xi'an. Most of the food stalls inside are halal, and they also sell some small goods.



Yingfeng Grilled Rice Cake (shao erkua). There used to be a shop in Beijing, but it closed down.





The grilled tofu (shao doufu) is very popular locally. It costs one yuan per piece and is grilled fresh to order.



They sell big-pot beef rice noodles (niurou mixian) across the street. The seasonings and side dishes are self-serve, and a huge bowl only costs 10 yuan.



My friends in Jianshui do not think much of Purple Pottery Street (Zitao Jie). They find it expensive and say it is just for tourists. We actually liked it after we arrived. Tourists have different needs than locals, and some people just enjoy this kind of lively, bustling market. That is why the Hui Muslim Street in Xi'an is so popular. Locals should support it instead of tearing it down.











Lion cake (shizi gao) is probably the same as Beijing's sachima. It does not taste very good.







We bought grilled beef jerky (niuganba). It is delicious and comes in original and spicy flavors. This stall looks clean and hygienic.

Dazhuang Mosque in Kaiyuan



Dazhuang in Kaiyuan has two mosques, a new one and an old one. The old mosque was built during the Wanli period of the Ming Dynasty, and the new mosque was built during an expansion in the Jiaqing period of the Qing Dynasty. The old mosque was then converted into a women's mosque. The new mosque covers nearly 10,000 square meters and is now a provincial-level cultural relic protection site.



I have seen schools in almost every mosque I visited in Yunnan. Dazhuang Mosque belongs to the Gedimu tradition.





























This stone tablet is from the Daoguang period of the Qing Dynasty and records a list of charitable deeds.



This stone tablet is from the Republic of China era. The full text of the above tablets is included in the book "Kaiyuan Stone Tablets."



While walking around the village, I noticed many houses have a red sign on their doors that says "Obey Allah's Command to Perform Hajj." Families who have completed the Hajj (hadji) likely hang these signs to show their honor.

Xinzhai Mosque



Xinzhai Mosque was not originally on my planned route. I was on my way to Dazhuang when I saw a huge mosque by the road. I was so attracted to it that I turned in to visit.



Xinzhai Mosque was built during the Tongzhi reign of the Qing Dynasty and has just been renovated.











I saw a martyr monument (shexide) here just like the one in Shadian.





The Xinzhai martyr monument commemorates the Shadian Incident. Many friends (dosti) in Xinzhai suffered back then, and by percentage, the death toll here was even higher than in Shadian.





Every martyr has a name, with three hundred and fifty people in total.







The back is carved with a Quranic verse: Do not say that those who are killed in the way of Allah are dead; they are alive, but you do not perceive it. (2:154) Collapse Read »

Reposted from the web

Summary: This Muslim travel guide to Sichuan visits Xichang, Jianchang Ancient Town, Tianba Hui Muslim Village, old mosques, Hui Muslim residences, beef offal and chicken hot pot, youxiang, and the mountain-valley Muslim culture of Panxi.

The Hui Muslims Village in Tianba, Xichang is presented here as a firsthand travel account in clear English, beginning with this scene: Ten of my travelogues were deleted one after another recently, likely due to title violations, so I am reposting them after making edits. The account keeps its focus on Halal Travel, Yiwu Food, Mosque Travel while preserving the names, places, food, and historical details from the Chinese source.

Ten of my travelogues were deleted one after another recently, likely due to title violations, so I am reposting them after making edits.

Panxi is the combined name for Xichang and Panzhihua in southwest Sichuan. It sits near Yunnan and has the largest population of Hui Muslims in Sichuan, even more than Songpan. The area is home to descendants of Hui Muslim soldiers from Ming Dynasty military colonies, as well as Hui Muslims from Shaanxi and Gansu who settled here for business in modern times.

Old Town Beef Offal and Chicken Hot Pot



The hot pot restaurant is inside the Jianchang Ancient Town in Xichang. There is an old mosque called Jiyang Lane Mosque (Jiyang Xiang Qingzhen Si) in the town, built during the Ming Dynasty. Because the surrounding area is under renovation, people cannot get through right now, and the mosque is temporarily closed.



This shop is run by Hui Muslims from Xichang and has been open for many years. It is usually quite busy. I chatted with the owner for a bit, but their dialect was too heavy for me to understand.



There are a few other mosques in the Xichang area. You can find them on a map, but the roads to get there are not very easy to travel.





This is fried dough (youxiang) made by Hui Muslims in Xichang. It has a slightly sweet taste.



The beef offal and chicken pieces are cooked in a copper pot. The chicken is silky fowl (wuji). You can choose to have more beef offal or more chicken, and there are clear broth or spicy broth options. We were with Fahim and could not eat spicy food, so we chose the clear broth. It contained cordyceps flowers and vegetables. It was very comfortable to sit under the city wall and eat.



Across from the hot pot restaurant is the Ma Family Courtyard (Ma Jia Dayuan), a Hui Muslim residence built during the late Qing Dynasty.



The scale of the Ma Family Courtyard shows that Hui Muslims had significant influence in Jianchang Ancient Town during the Ming and Qing Dynasties. The son and grandson of Sayyid Ajjal Shams al-Din (who served as the equivalent of the governor of Yunnan in the Yuan Dynasty) both held important positions in Jianchang.





Jianchang Ancient Town is very lively at night. There is no entrance fee, and it is clean and well-maintained, making it a great place for a stroll.



East Mosque (Qingzhen Dongsi)



Xichang East Mosque (Qingzhen Dongsi) was first built during the Ming Dynasty. It was destroyed many times in history, and the current building was rebuilt in 2001.



The East Mosque is in an alley on Hedong Street. The road is very narrow, so it is not easy to drive there.











Fahim is telling everyone about the sermon (wa'z), but this kid wants to climb the minaret (minbailou) as soon as he sees it.













Inscriptions in the mosque record that during the Republic of China era, the Nationalist army burned down the East Mosque before retreating. It was not rebuilt with raised funds until after the liberation, but it is not as large as it used to be.









Xichang West Mosque (Qingzhen Xisi)



Xichang West Mosque was first built during the Jiaqing reign of the Qing Dynasty. The main prayer hall is slightly larger than the one at the East Mosque. It was destroyed along with the East Mosque in the fire during the Republic of China era and was rebuilt after the liberation.



The road leading to the main prayer hall is not easy to walk on, and the surrounding area is currently being demolished.





















The height of this main prayer hall reminds me of the Nanguan Mosque in Anqing, Anhui, which is also very tall.







There are many halal restaurants and snack shops around the West Mosque, all featuring Sichuan flavors. The largest one is called Mecca Restaurant (Maijia Fandian).









Qionghai National Wetland Park, which is far from the city center, is also a beautiful free scenic spot. It looks very much like Fuxian Lake in Yuxi.







Skipping stones by the lake with Fahim.



The white sand beach by the lake makes you think you have arrived at the seaside.

Halal Youde Garden (Youde Yuan)



This halal farmhouse restaurant by Qionghai Lake is in Walnut Village (Hetao Cun). I found a mosque in the village when I came here to eat.





The farmhouse food is simple and rustic, but it goes great with rice. While waiting for my meal, I went up to the village to visit the Walnut Village Mosque.





Islamic elements are rare in the village. I happened to see a sign for halal snacks on a wall. The mosque is built on the mountain, so I climbed all the way to the highest point of the village to reach it.



Walnut Village Mosque





It was first built in the Ming Dynasty, and the current building was rebuilt in 2003.



The Hui Muslims in the village with the surname Ma are descendants of the Ming Dynasty general Ma Jun. Ma Jun was responsible for putting down the rebellion of Yuelu Timur, the grandson of Sayyid Ajjal Shams al-Din. Interestingly, the descendants of Sayyid Ajjal Shams al-Din still live in Xichang and are said to be Hui Muslims with the surname Sha.









When I arrived at the mosque, I happened to see a group of people posing for photos at the entrance. They seemed to be friends (dost) visiting relatives, but I could not understand the language they were speaking.



Huihui Village Mosque



On the way from Xichang to Panzhihua, I passed by this Huihui Village Mosque. It was closed and looked quite simple, so I did not try to contact anyone to open it and continued on to the Heying Mosque.

Heying Mosque



Located in Heying Village, Jingjiu Township, this mosque was built in the same period as several other mosques in Xichang, all dating back to the Hongwu era of the Ming Dynasty.



Heying Mosque is quite large, and its current buildings were finished in 2004.



Most Hui Muslims in Heying Village have the surname Sha, and their family records show they are descendants of the Yunnan governor Sayyid Ajjal Shams al-Din.













I did not see any halal restaurants or prayer hangings (dua) on the doors of homes in Heying Village.



Tianba Hui Muslim Village in Panzhihua City.



You arrive at Tianba Hui Muslim Village as soon as you exit the highway, and the village is home to the Miyi Guabang Mosque, which is a protected cultural site in Sichuan.







The mosque was first built during the Kangxi period of the Qing Dynasty. The Moon-Sighting Tower (wangyuelou) originally had five stories, but local residents thought it brought them bad luck and illness. To keep peace with their neighbors, the Hui Muslims reduced it to three stories and added a screen wall in front of it.







The imam at the mosque is from Yunnan, and this place is less than a three-hour drive from Dali, Yunnan.





Tianba Hui Muslim Village has halal restaurants and homestays; if you need them, just ask at the mosque.



The scenery around Miyi County is beautiful. It is a small, misty mountain valley with a river flowing through the town.







Two old stone tablets in the mosque record its history. The building style and the food of the Hui Muslims here are very similar to Yunnan. After a short stay, we will continue toward Yunnan, with Dali as our next stop. Collapse Read »

Reposted from the web

Summary: This Muslim travel guide to Xinjiang follows the route through Shawan, Urumqi, and Hami, covering big plate chicken, Hui Muslim restaurants, Urumqi halal food, shrines, Hami mosques, and final reflections from a region-wide journey.

Travel Notes from Shawan, Urumqi, and Hami is presented here as a firsthand travel account in clear English, beginning with this scene: Ten of my travelogues were deleted one after another recently, likely due to title violations, so I am reposting them after making edits. The account keeps its focus on Urumqi Halal Food, Hui Muslims, Xinjiang Travel while preserving the names, places, food, and historical details from the Chinese source.

Ten of my travelogues were deleted one after another recently, likely due to title violations, so I am reposting them after making edits.

Leaving Yili for Urumqi, you pass through Shawan City in the Tacheng region. Shawan is less than two hundred kilometers from Urumqi and is a very small city, but it is said to be the birthplace of the famous Xinjiang dish, big plate chicken (dapanji).

We arrived in downtown Shawan around 11:00 PM. I called Yulan Qiaotou Big Plate Chicken and Yuwentao Qiaotoubao Big Plate Chicken on the way, only to find out they had sold out of chicken by 7:00 PM. In the city, police stopped our car and checked our IDs. I said salaam to the officer, and he was stunned, asking, 'Are you Hui Muslim?' I said yes and asked if he hadn't already seen my ID. I decided to ask the officer which big plate chicken place was good. He said they were all about the same and we could eat anywhere on this street, so we ended up eating at this Jimiba No. 8 flagship store on Urumqi West Road.

Jimiba No. 8 Flagship Store



There were still many people at this shop at midnight. What surprised me even more was seeing the long-lost halal certification sign in the shop. This was the first halal sign we had seen in our many days of traveling through Xinjiang.



I asked the owner why the shop was called Jimiba No. 8, and she said they were the eighth shop to open on this street, so they have always been called No. 8.



The specialty of Shawan big plate chicken is that it uses a whole chicken per plate. It costs 130 yuan per serving. Since there were two of us, we split it into two large plates, and adding noodles costs extra. This shop is considered an old establishment in Shawan. The taste is fine, but it is not amazing enough to make you scream. Actually, big plate chicken appeared to serve passing truck drivers, focusing on being economical and affordable. It is basically at the level of a rest area fast food for drivers, so there is no need to come to Shawan specifically for it. Besides, I think many Xinjiang restaurants in Beijing can match this level, and some even suit my taste better. Shawan's big plate chicken is quite spicy and the chicken is tough, while Beijingers are used to soft, tender, salty, and savory flavors, so they might not be used to the authentic Shawan taste.



We stayed in Shawan for one night and arrived in Urumqi the next morning. Before checking in, we went straight to the Hamude Restaurant in Midong District, which I had wanted to visit for a long time, for lunch.

Hamude Restaurant



Hamude Restaurant is a family business. Three generations of the family are old Urumqi Hui Muslims who have worked in the catering industry. It is a restaurant family, and everyone from the kitchen to the front of the house is family. The owner is very strict about choosing ingredients. They do not trust meat from slaughterhouses and insist on finding an imam they know to slaughter the beef, lamb, and chicken. This increases their costs, but it guarantees quality.



The authorities think the name Hamude does not meet regulations, so they have not issued a halal certification mark. However, this shop is actually more reliable than many restaurants that have the certification, and they do not sell alcohol.



We had been traveling all the way without a proper big meal. This first meal in Urumqi really filled us up, so much so that we only ate this one meal for the day and were not hungry until dinner.









Hamude's big plate chicken (dapanji) is made in the authentic Urumqi Hui Muslim style. The chicken is soft and tender, and the wide belt noodles (pidaimian) served with it are very chewy. It suits our taste better than the one we had in Shawan.



This grilled meat (kaorou) is a very popular barbecue dish in the shop. Many customers think it is cheap and delicious because the owner puts a lot of effort into the ingredients.



Hamude is located at commercial unit S7-101, Vanke Park No. 5, Midong District. It is a ground-floor shop.

Rumi's Secret



Rumi's Secret used to be in Beijing and just moved back to Urumqi. The owner is a Uyghur from Urumqi, and he insisted on not selling alcohol even when he was in Beijing.



This shop is located inside Greentown Rose Garden in the Shuimogou District of Urumqi. The environment is much better than it was in Beijing, as it now has a garden and a pond.







In the evening, there are singers performing with ethnic musical instruments, and the atmosphere is incredibly stylish.



The owner explained that since the outdoor space is the main feature, the restaurant is only open for half the year and closes during the winter. The owner is preparing a branch in Sanya, so you can visit Rumi's Secret in Sanya during the winter in the future.



Friends can come here for coffee and afternoon tea, or host parties and gatherings. The food and service are both excellent.





Address: Inside Greentown Rose Garden, Shuimogou District.

Aiju Restaurant.



If you like Western food and care about the atmosphere, you can come to Aiju Restaurant in Tianshan District, right across from Vanke Plaza.



A Uyghur friend brought me here specifically. Most of the people inside are young Uyghurs, and there is a live band performance.



The Western food tastes just as good as in Beijing, and the prices are about the same, with an average cost of over 200 per person.







The dishes look, smell, and taste great, and the steak is also good. With unique ethnic singers performing, it is a great place for a date with a wonderful atmosphere.





We stayed at the China Southern Pearl Hotel in Urumqi for three days. It is a halal hotel, and there is a Muqam halal restaurant on the second floor.



The China Southern Pearl Hotel is also the designated hotel for flight crews, so it is mostly filled with flight attendants and pilots.



Erdaoqiao Baida Mosque.



The Baida Mosque in Urumqi is less than a hundred years old. This is my second time here. It is currently open, but you can only enter during prayer times.



Being able to quietly join a congregational namaz here is a luxury.











For breakfast in Urumqi, head over to the area near Sunshine City Wenlan Mansion (Yangguangcheng Wenlan Gongguan). There are many small shops here with local ethnic character.





I had steamed buns (baozi) and milk tea at Babahan Milk Tea House, and I also tried the milk rice (naizifan).



This is my third time in Urumqi. I am meeting friends every day, so what I eat does not really matter anymore.



After breakfast, I visited colleagues at the Mingya Xinjiang branch. I met many of them for the first time. My team's furthest partner is in Kashgar, and I welcome everyone to join our Xinjiang branch.





The company has a children's play area for moms who bring their kids to work. At Mingya, you can balance both family and career.



We left Urumqi and headed east, arriving at Tuyugou Mazar Village in less than half a day.



Tuyugou Mazar is said to be the site of the story of the Seven Sleepers and their dog mentioned in the Quran, and locals call it the Saint's Tomb. However, this legend is not widely accepted, as it is generally believed that the story of the seven people and the dog took place in Jordan.



The Mazar is called the Ashab-i-Kahf Mazar. People say a group of people from a country in the west traveled east to seek the truth, reached a cave in the Turpan area, entered it to practice their faith, and never came out again. You need to buy a ticket to enter Mazar Village. I saw the Mazar was closed, so I gave up on the idea of visiting the village because it was just too hot, with daytime temperatures reaching nearly 50 degrees. I have visited the Emin Minaret (Sugongta), Grape Valley, and the Karez Well in Turpan before, so I did not stop there on this trip.



Hami is the last stop on our Xinjiang trip because the Gaisi Gongbei is here, even though the Tomb of the Hami Kings is more famous.



Tuluke Buzuerrega Mosque



The mosque was closed, the shrine (gongbei) was not open, and some Islamic historical sites I found online do not actually exist anymore.



We wandered over to this place, Bayawan Food, to have some mixed noodles (banmian).







I ordered a serving of mushroom and meat mixed noodles (banmian). It was delicious. You really cannot go wrong with mixed noodles in Xinjiang.



Gais, Wuais, and Wangasi were three Arab sages who came to China to spread the faith during the Tang Dynasty. Gais passed away from illness while passing through Xingxingxia. The King of Hami built a shrine (gongbei) for him there, but his remains were moved to Hami during the Republic of China era. There is no mosque in Xingxingxia now.



When Sheng Shicai was in power, he had the remains of Gais thrown into the wilderness, but Hui Muslim and Uyghur brothers from Hami secretly recovered them and moved them to the suburbs of Hami for burial.



I could only catch a glimpse of the dome of the Gais tomb from the side of the road.



Zhongshan South Road Mosque







Lingmingtang Hami Branch

The Lingmingtang was also closed. I asked someone there and learned that even the elders cannot come to visit the graves right now.



The shrines (gongbei) at Lingmingtang are built in a very grand style and have a distinct traditional Chinese charm.

Hami Shaanxi Grand Mosque



The Hami Shaanxi Grand Mosque was first built during the Tongzhi reign of the Qing Dynasty. It is currently open, and I chatted for a while with an elder from Gansu at the mosque entrance.













Behind the Shaanxi Grand Mosque (Shaanxi Dasi) is the Uyghur mosque. The Shaanxi Grand Mosque was not necessarily built by people from Shaanxi, but most of the people who pray there are Hui Muslims.



After I finished my namaz at the Shaanxi Grand Mosque in Hami, I went over to the Uyghur mosque to pray two rak'ahs. No one said anything, and the atmosphere was harmonious.



My trip to Xinjiang ends here. This was my third time in Xinjiang, and I have now traveled across the entire region and met the people I wanted to see. My only regret is that I could not enter some of the historical sites. I look forward to coming back in the near future to make up for this. Collapse Read »

Reposted from the web

Summary: This Muslim travel guide to the UAE starts in Dubai and Abu Dhabi before Umrah, covering halal Emirates flights, visa-free entry, hotel prayer rugs, Dubai Mall, family travel, Abu Dhabi beach resorts, and Sheikh Zayed Grand Mosque.

Travels in Three Arab Countries: Traditional and Modern UAE is presented here as a firsthand travel account in clear English, beginning with this scene: Before I made my intention (niyyah) for Umrah, my friends suggested we meet in Dubai to buy supplies. The account keeps its focus on Halal Travel, Yiwu Food, Mosque Travel while preserving the names, places, food, and historical details from the Chinese source.



Before I made my intention (niyyah) for Umrah, my friends suggested we meet in Dubai to buy supplies. I had never been interested in Dubai. I always thought it was too flashy and lacked cultural depth. The Burj Khalifa, the world's tallest building, and the seven-star Burj Al Arab hotel seemed tacky to me. I felt only the nouveau riche would be interested in such things.

However, after spending five days in Dubai and Abu Dhabi preparing for Umrah, my impression of the UAE improved. Especially after comparing it to Saudi Arabia and Egypt later in my trip, the UAE didn't seem so bad compared to those other two Middle Eastern powers.

Dubai is one of the seven emirates and the most populous city in the UAE. Many people think Dubai is the capital, but Abu Dhabi is the actual capital. The famous Sheikh Zayed Grand Mosque is also located in Abu Dhabi.

Dubai started its economy with oil, but because reserves are limited, it couldn't rely on it forever. Dubai shifted its focus to tourism, aviation, trade, and finance. Now, oil accounts for less than 5% of Dubai's economy. This sets a great example for other Middle Eastern countries, showing that moving away from oil dependence is the right path.



Emirates is a state-owned pillar of the UAE and a five-star international airline. You don't need to request a halal meal because all meals served are halal and very delicious. On every flight, flight attendants take free photos for children that are ready instantly, and they also give out toys as souvenirs.



The weather in Dubai in December is cool, with daytime temperatures around 20 degrees Celsius and nighttime temperatures around 17 or 18 degrees. It is a great place for a winter vacation, but try to avoid visiting in the summer. Summer temperatures can reach 50 degrees, which is unbearable for outdoor activities.

Chinese passport holders can enter the UAE visa-free for up to 30 days. On your first entry into Dubai, you must use the manual lane to have your fingerprints taken; do not use the automated gates as you won't be able to pass. After your fingerprints are recorded, you can use the automated gates on future visits. At the manual lane, you can get a free Dubai SIM card with 1GB of data, which is enough for a day.

The best way to enjoy Dubai is by staying in a hotel and shopping. You can easily treat this place as a transit stop for two or three days before flying to other countries like nearby Qatar, Bahrain, Jordan, or Lebanon.

If you are transiting in Dubai, you can stay at the Holiday Inn, which is closest to the airport. It is an InterContinental chain brand, the price is reasonable, it offers good value, and the breakfast is rich.



The hotel room provides a prayer rug (sajjadah), and there are prayer rooms on the floor separated by gender where you can perform wudu. This is standard in the UAE; it would be strange if it weren't there.



The prayer room is fully equipped and even has various religious books.







Domino's Pizza fast food restaurant.



There is a Domino's Pizza fast-food shop next to the hotel. It is an American chain, and the pizza is tasty.









Atlantis Hotel



I checked Xiaohongshu and found that the Atlantis Hotel in Dubai is perfect for family trips and ranks number one. It has the world's largest water park, and booking a room includes free tickets. I booked two nights and was very satisfied with the experience. It offers much better value than the Atlantis in Sanya.



There are two Atlantis hotels in Dubai, and they are right next to each other. The newly built one has a more modern style, which is great for couples. The older one feels more like a dream and has more facilities designed for children.



Looking out from the room, you can see a panoramic view of Dubai. It is truly filled with skyscrapers. It reminds me of the signs of the end times, where nomads compete in wealth and build high-rises. The Arabs actually do this on purpose, knowing it helps fulfill the conditions for the end times.





The room also provides a prayer mat. I asked customer service, and they said it is a gift for guests to keep after checking out, so I brought it home with me.



I have seen this facility in bathrooms at hotels in the UAE and Saudi Arabia. The one on the left is a bidet for wudu (ablution). Please do not mistake it for a toilet and use it to relieve yourself.





The pool downstairs has a comfortable water temperature. People are made of water, and what child doesn't love playing in it?



There is a huge aquarium inside the hotel. When I was a child, I loved watching the underwater world; I found the deep sea mysterious and a bit scary.



I saw this manta ray in the wild while snorkeling in Indonesia. I have traveled through most of Southeast Asia and have many memories. Those countries aren't wealthy either and rely on tourism for a living, but they aren't as annoying as Egypt.



There is a Michelin-starred French restaurant on the first floor. I asked about it, and it requires a reservation. The meal takes over three hours, you cannot order off a menu, you just eat what they serve, and it costs about 3,000 RMB per person. My first thought was that Fahim wouldn't be able to sit still, and I also didn't want to feel like a sucker, so I chose the Lebanese restaurant in the picture below instead.



This restaurant is very comfortable. It has a great atmosphere, and sitting in the courtyard at night to watch the light show is lovely, plus the service is excellent.



The waiter brought Fahim some brushes and a writing pad to keep him quiet for a while so we could enjoy our meal.



The fruit juice at the restaurant was excellent, with a thick texture that tasted like it had not a single drop of water added.



The whole meal cost us about 1,000 RMB. A small incident happened when we mentioned to the waiter that the vegetable salad was too salty. They brought the manager over to apologize and made us a fresh one.









Breakfast at Atlantis is very rich, and there are two breakfast halls. I visited both. They serve food from all over the world, including Middle Eastern specialties, Southeast Asian flavors, and Chinese food. It runs from 7:00 to 11:30, so you can eat early and then go back at 11:00 to skip lunch. People here usually eat two meals a day: a brunch and a late dinner.































Hotel guests get free tickets to the water park, and Atlantis currently has the largest water park in the world.









The park has a play area for toddlers, but Fahim is only a year old, so he could not do many of the activities.



He was most interested in the sand under the trees by the road, where he could play for an hour.

THE QASAB Turkish Restaurant



We found this Turkish restaurant by the sea on Palm Jumeirah and had a very authentic Turkish meal.





















Restaurants on Palm Jumeirah are not expensive, with an average cost of about 150 RMB per person.

Dubai Desert Day Tour



I had no interest in a desert trip, but my travel companions really wanted to experience it. We bought a day tour package on Trip.com for 350 RMB per person, which included round-trip transportation, camel riding, dune bashing, a dance performance, and a dinner buffet.



There is a prayer room where you rent motorcycles, which you can find everywhere in the UAE.



A quick heads-up about dune bashing: the drivers use Toyota Land Cruisers. Everyone in the car must buckle their seatbelts as the vehicle speeds up and down the desert dunes. It lasts about half an hour and is very exciting, but it can be tough if you get motion sickness, as you might feel nauseous or vomit.



The vehicles used for dune bashing are all Toyota Land Cruisers.



After dune bashing, we arrived at this tent camp to wait for dinner and the show.



I asked the staff where the prayer room was. After looking for a while, I realized this was it. This style of prayer room is based on the earliest prototypes of the mosque.



There are two types of buffets. One is free, where you line up at the bottom to get your food. The other is a VIP option that costs extra; you sit on a viewing platform, don't have to wait in line, and have a better view.



There is a variety of Arabic grilled meats, including chicken, beef, and lamb, for you to choose from.









The viewing platform is mostly filled with tourists from Europe and America. They wear Arabic headscarves and look just like the locals.



There are three performances: a belly dance, a Turkish whirling dance, and a firework show.



Fahim caught the eye of an Arab gentleman who kept taking photos of his face, while another man behind them was performing namaz.

Hurricane's Grill steakhouse.



The Palm Jumeirah is a bit far from the city center, so for dinner, we went to Dubai Mall, the largest shopping center in Dubai, and ate at a delicious American-style steakhouse.



This shop is on the first floor of the mall, near the fountain. If you sit outside the restaurant at night, you can enjoy the musical fountain show.



American-style steak is known for its large portions. This serving is enough for four people, and the steak is grilled to be very tender.





There is a Din Tai Fung chain on the first floor of the mall. It is a Taiwanese Cantonese restaurant that is quite famous in Southeast Asia.



There is an Arabian-style street in the mall. We bought robes at this SENSO clothing store. They have a complete selection of styles and reasonable prices, with one robe costing about 1,000 RMB.

Abu Dhabi



It takes about an hour to drive from Dubai to Abu Dhabi. Public transport is more troublesome and takes two to three hours. Since there were seven of us, it was more cost-effective to use Uber. We just hailed a business van, and it turned out to be a Mercedes.

The Ritz-Carlton, Abu Dhabi



We stayed at The Ritz-Carlton in Abu Dhabi. It is the closest hotel to the Sheikh Zayed Grand Mosque. The main entrance faces the mosque, offering a beautiful view. Although it is very close, it is still a two-kilometer walk.

Many people visit Abu Dhabi as a day trip from Dubai. After experiencing it ourselves, we felt that staying one night in Abu Dhabi is more comfortable. The hotels here offer better value than in Dubai and the environment is cleaner, while Dubai has some air pollution.



When guests enter the lobby, staff hand them local specialty drinks and dates. These dates are chocolate-flavored and extremely sweet.





A bellhop from Uganda drove a luggage cart to help us take our bags to our room. He could carry five pieces of luggage by himself and was very capable. I wanted to give him a tip on the spot, but we didn't have any cash on us. I kept thinking about it, planning to give him the tip when I saw him again.





The Ritz-Carlton backs onto a canal. At night, there are band performances by the canal. Sitting on the windowsill drinking black tea, eating steak, and listening to music is relaxing and pleasant.



You can ask the staff to bring your meal to your room. Dining in a hotel room here costs about 200 RMB per meal.



Breakfast at the Ritz-Carlton in Abu Dhabi is even more refined than at the Atlantis in Dubai. Just looking at how the food is plated is a treat. When staying at hotels in China, I have fewer breakfast options because the food is not halal, but in the UAE, I can enjoy it to my heart's content.















After breakfast, we took the kids for a walk in the hotel garden.







The beach and the water are definitely what Fahim likes most. You hardly see anyone on the Ritz-Carlton's private beach during the day. The staff brought us sand toys, and I think staying at the hotel to play with the kids without going out is the most comfortable way to travel.



This children's water play area has a sensor switch. Press it once, and it will spray water for about 10 minutes.



After that, we prepared to go to the Grand Mosque. You need to book your visit to the Grand Mosque online at szgmc.gov.ae.

The mosque is free to visit. I suggest arriving during prayer time so you can join the congregational prayer inside. Since the mosque is for flowing tours, you cannot stay long if you are not there for prayer.



There are many shops on the bottom floor of the Grand Mosque where you can choose to eat and shop.







Sheikh Zayed Grand Mosque



Tourists can only walk around the square. The main hall is usually not open, so you can only pray in the side hall next to it. It is nearly a 1-kilometer walk from the entrance to the inside of the mosque, but they have free shuttle buses and escalators, which is very thoughtful.



The side hall is also large. When it is time for prayer, two people in brown robes come to lead the service: one to recite the adhan and one imam.







The main hall only opens for Friday prayers (Jumu'ah), or during Eid al-Fitr and Eid al-Adha. Tourists can take photos from the doorway.









The ablution room (wudu room) contains a circular water basin.



The Grand Mosque is a palace of art and is truly magnificent, but there are so many tourists that it is hard to find peace for namaz inside.



Fahim cannot appreciate the beauty of the Grand Mosque yet; he is only interested in the stones by the side of the road.

Louvre Abu Dhabi



To boost the cultural depth of the UAE, Abu Dhabi partnered with the Louvre in France to build a new branch in Abu Dhabi. Most of the collection inside is rented from France. Collapse Read »