Other Muslim friendly Cities in Algeria

Algiers — With nearly 3 million inhabitants, Algiers is the capital of Algeria and the nation's political and cultural center. Annaba — A town with 200,000 inhabitants in the east of the country next to the border of Tunisia. Batna Bechar — Small city in the Sahara, not far from the Moroccan border. Constantine - Algeria's 3rd largest city with a canyon going down through it. Oran — Algeria's 2nd largest city after Algiers, also called "second Paris" by Algerians, with many impressive buildings from colonial times. Sétif — Centre of the Kabyle with quite moderate temperatures and occasional snow falls in the winter. Tamanrasset — Largest town in the south and starting point for expeditions to the Sahara and the Hoggar Mountains. Timimoun — A small Saharan oasis town which makes a good base for trips to the desert.

Other Muslim Friendly Destinations in Algeria

• Roman ruins at Timgad - outside Batna
• El-Oued with its domed architecture & nearby Grand Erg Oriental—the Sahara's second largest dune field
• Hippo Regius, 2 km south of Annaba, an ancient Numidian city once an early center of Christianity with well preserved Roman baths and forum
• The fantastic architecture of the M'zab Valley
• Tassili N'Ajjer

Introduction

Algeria had a long history of colonization by the French. It won its independence in the famous revolution of the First November 1954, quite a bloody war that left scars. In spite of the brutality of the fighting and French attempts to suppress the independence movement, Algeria and France still maintain close ties, with many Algerians and people of Algerian descent in France and French still commonly spoken as a second or third language in Algeria today.

Algeria's fantastic diversity of landscapes and extremely rich cultural legacy (boasting no less than 7 World Heritage sites), combined with its high level of economical and social development (at least by African standards), could easily make it one of the most popular tourist spots in Africa. Unfortunately, the country still has a number of security issues, such as armed terrorist groups, which often target foreigners.

Electricity

Officially, 220 V 50 Hz. Outlets are the GCC standard CEE-7/7 "Schukostecker" or "Schuko", or the compatible, but not always grounded, CEE-7/16 "Europlug" types. Canadian and US travellers should pack an adapter for these outlets if they plan to use North American electrical equipment in Algeria.

Travel to Algeria

Visa restrictions: Due to the Arab League Boycott of entry will be refused to citizens of Israel and to those who show stamps and/or visas from Israel. See also: Visa trouble

Entry requirements

Visas are required for most nationalities, except for citizens of Libya, Malaysia, Mali, Mauritania, Morocco, Western Sahara, Seychelles, Tunisia and Yemen. Issue of a visa seems to be unpredictable, it could be granted easily, but it could also take several weeks or even be rejected. It is highly recommended to give your application to a visa agency that has some experience with Algerian consulates. In general, it is required to provide proof of income, health insurance, flight and hotel reservations etc. The Algerian government does not make it easy for Muslim travellers who want to travel on their own, however if you get a visa, you can easily travel to any other places not mentioned in your visa application without getting any problems. Also, there seems to be no problem with travelling to the south alone (except for, maybe, the border regions and the very far south), despite the consulates state clearly that trips to the south must be applied for and accompanied by an authorized travel agency.

Travel by plane to Algeria

• Houari Boumediene Airport IATA Code: ALG https://www.elmatar.com/ 36.694444,3.216944 Houari Boumediene Airport - Aeroport Houari Boumediene IMG 1383 - Most major European airlines such as (Lufthansa, British Airways, Air France, Iberia, Alitalia, TAP Portugal, Turkish Airlines) fly daily to Algiers but there are also some long-haul routes such as (Beijing, Montreal, Doha)
  From the United Kingdom flying via Barcelona or Madrid can be cheaper than flying direct.
  From the United States the cheapest way to get into Algiers is via London (British Airways), Paris (Air France) or Frankfurt (Lufthansa).
  The national airline, Air Algerie, flies to many destinations in Europe, mainly France but also to some cities in Africa and the Middle East. All destinations served by Air Algerie from Algiers: Abidjan, Alicante, Bamako, Barcelona, Basel, Beijing, Beirut, Berlin, Brussels, Cairo, Casablanca, Dakar, Damascus, Dubai, Frankfurt, Geneva, Istanbul, London, Madrid, Milan, Montreal, Moscow, Niamey, Paris, Rome, Tripoli, Tunis.

Travel by train to Algeria

The Algerian train company is named SNTF and tickets can be bought at train stations. On-line booking does not appear to be possible any more; timetables are subject to changes; the best way is to ask at the train station. The network in the north is dense. You can reach Algeria by train from Tunisia, although you will have to switch trains at the border post. All border points with Morocco are closed.

If you can, try to catch the newer trains as they are more comfortable and climate-controlled.

Travel by car to Algeria

North African cuisine

Algerian food is delicious. Note that some French dishes are variations from it.

• Fettate (Sahara speciality, in Tamanrasset)
• Taguella (bread of sand, a nomad speciality)
• Couscous (steamed semolina with sauce containing meat and/or potatoes, carrots, courgette and chick peas)
• Buseluf (cooked lambs head)
• Dowara (stew of stomach and intestines with courgette & chick peas)
• Chorba (a meaty soup)
• Rechta (hand made spaghetti, usually served with a clear chicken broth, potatoes & chick peas)
• Chakchouka (normally, it has green peppers, onions and tomatoes; egg may be added)
• Mechoui (charcoal grilled lamb)
• Algerian pizza
• Tajine (stew)
• Mhadjeb

Desserts and snacks

• Qalb El Louz (dessert containing almonds)
• Baklawa (almond cakes drenched in honey)
• Ktayef (a kind of baked vermicelli, filled with almonds and drenched in sugar, syrup and honey)

Algeria produces a selection of wine (not in big volume) and also beer. Algeria was once famous for its high quality wines. The new production is also of very high quality, particularly the red wine. Locally produced beer is also of a very high standard. Algeria is a majority Muslim country, so you do not find alcohol sold everywhere, but it is not hard to find it. Wine and none-alcoholic drinks are sold in the few bar restaurants in the big cities, better hotels and night clubs. Some bar/restaurants can be found in nice parks, so if you are in a nice wooded park, look for the restaurants. The fast food restaurants that are open and affordable to the public do not sell and the coffee shops do not sell alcohol. If you visit Algiers or coastal cities, there are fish restaurants in almost every fishing port, the fishing is traditional and the fish sold is very fresh; usually, these restaurants sell alcohol but you have to ask (do not expect to see it, some times it is on the menu, some times not).

Finally, you can buy your own bottle of Algerian wine to take home in discreet shops that sell soft drinks. It is better to buy it at the Algiers airport, though expect to pay €15 per bottle. In smaller towns, buying soft drinks can be challenging; you usually find them at the edge of the towns in sketchy areas and the conditions in which the alcohol was kept are sometimes questionable. Some Muslims drink but they consider it a sin. It is in private but socially. If someone invites you into his home and does not offer alcohol, he expects you not to be drunk or smell of alcohol and does not expect you to bring your own bottle or even discuss drinking alcohol in front of his wife and children.

Non-alcoholic

• Mediterranean juices (grenadine, orange)
• Very sweet green tea
• Strong coffee

Muslim Friendly Hotels in Algeria

Most hotels and resorts in Algeria do not offer Halal food, however you can order Halal groceries from eHalal Group if you are booking your stay with eHalal Hotels and we will deliver your halal food to the property you will be staying in Algeria.

For housing, it really is not difficult, as there are luxury hotels and affordable ones throughout the country. The price of a beautiful deluxe room for a couple costs between €150 and €250 per day, as there are rooms from €10 to €45 for low budget tourists. Many services are available in luxury hotels, such as the cafeteria, bar, restaurant, nightclub, pool. During the summer season from June 15 to August 31, many owners rent houses and cottages on the Mediterranean Sea from Port Say (Marsa Ben M'hidi) in El-Kala. Prices vary depending on the number of pieces, usually €700-3000 per month, electricity included, but it is best to book in advance through an acquaintance or a travel agency. Also, many Algerian uses the site on the Internet ads, bids are sometimes interesting and even opportunities to be missed, but it is always best to send a loved one to visit the place before paying money to the deal. There is also the complex Meskoutine Hammam (spa, pool, etc.) which is located near a waterfall from which flows a source of hot water at 98 °C. This is the second source the hottest in the world after the geyser in Iceland. The price, depending on the number of rooms in the bungalow, varies between 1500 and 3000  DA per day.

Study as a Muslim in Algeria

The safest way and most friendly to learn is to get closer to a small circle of people and listen. There is also a tradition of oral transmission of knowledge. It is also good to be open to others and not to refuse what they offer: accept it willingly.

Language courses are available in all large cities: they offer mainly French and English.

How to work legally in Algeria

Despite high unemployment 'generally who stopped going to school', the government encourages foreign investment in different sectors. Unemployment is, however, one major problem in Algeria. In fact, it is very difficult to identify the phenomenon in the absence of a real substantive work, able to give an exact idea of the exact extent of the phenomenon. What we know, for cons, is that the informal economy and undeclared work occupies a vast majority of Algerians and spares no industry. Some sources estimate that about 40% of the part played by the informal sector in the country's economic activity and the phenomenon has never been considered in the evaluation of the unemployment rate in Algeria.

Stay safe as a Muslim in Algeria

{{Warningbox|There is a risk of terrorist activities and kidnappings near the borders between Algeria and Libya, Mali, Mauritania, Niger and Tunisia. The government of New Zealand has issued an "Extreme Risk" advisory to these parts of Algeria. |nz=https://www.safetravel.govt.nz/algeria |canada=https://travel.gc.ca/destinations/algeria |de=https://www.auswaertiges-amt.de/de/algeriensicherheit/219044

Terrorists are highly active in southern Algeria.

Do not travel after nightfall; travel by plane if you can, instead of by car; avoid minor roads; ask the police or gendarmes if you are unsure about your surroundings. Check the travel advice on the Australian, Canadian, Irish and New Zealand government websites.

Medical Issues in Algeria

Algiers is sometimes struck by localised power cuts, which means that refrigerated foods may go bad. Therefore, you should keep that in mind when eating in restaurants, as the likelihood of getting food poisoning is always there 'not in familial restaurants'.

Mosquitoes are also a problem in Algeria, but they are just a nuisance, as malaria is not common 'they don't transport diseases'. In urban areas, there is periodic city-wide spraying against mosquitoes.

Do not expect very good water quality, for drinking you can buy bottles of water instead of soft-drinking tap water, they are affordable at DA 30 for 2L, so 5L of good water costs less than US$1.

Local Customs in Algeria

As in all of North Africa, the dominant religion in Algeria is Islam and appropriate religious prohibitions and attitudes should be in order. If visiting a mosque, for example, be sure to be dressed conservatively and remove your shoes before entering it. Alcohol policy is not the same all over the country, with some cities prohibiting bars and/or liquor stores. Keep in mind to drink only at home or in a bar; never in public.

Also, given the ongoing political strife, talking politics is not advisable.

Though many Algerians speak French (usually as a second language), do not act as if Algeria is French.

Smoking

All cigarettes are sold freely.

Smoking in the presence of someone who is not a smoker in a public place requires his permission. If someone does not like the smoke, coughs, or asks you not to smoke, just stop and say sorry. This is what the locals do. If you are invited to someone's house, do not smoke unless the host does and after he does, you can ask for permission to smoke.

If you are in a restaurant or coffee terrace where people smoke, you can smoke, but if you are with locals who are not smokers, ask them first if it is okay. Fewer and fewer people smoke, because of a global health awareness. It is also culturally unacceptable for women to smoke and women who do so are stigmatized.

If you are a European non-smoker, you will still find it unfriendly in many public places because of smoking.

Telecommunication

Mobile phone connections

There are 3 main mobile services in Algeria - Mobilis, Djezzy and Ooredoo "Nedjma before". It is easy to procure a pre-paid sim card for one of these operators at any airport. Mobilis offers a pre-paid card for DA 200 which includes DA 100 in calling credit. There are several general stores all over the country which will sell you refill cards for these carriers. 4G services were launched on 1 December 2013, And 4G is available in a selection of major cities (soon everywhere) by all carriers .

Internet Connection

The only internet provider is the government owned Algerie Telecom which offers ADSL internet with speeds that vary from 1 mbps to 20 mbps and prices of 1600 DA to 7200 DA respectively. 4G LTE is also available, but speeds are very slow and service is not very good in rural areas.

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