Halal All-Inclusive Resort in Punta Cana, Dominican Republic
We traveled to the Nickelodeon Resort in Punta Cana with Husna Vacations, and they did something I’ve never experienced before: they booked out the entire resort and made it halal!
No alcohol. No gelatin checking. Just sun, slides, and Salaams. Here’s our experience…
First, some context
I want to set the context here because this experience is unique. You can book the Nickelodeon Resort on your own any time of year, but you won’t get this experience.
We love to travel as a family, but the reality of traveling with a baby and as a family is there’s still a mental load. We’re 50% relaxing and 50% investigating ingredient labels or hovering over the kids.
But this trip, for five days, I completely turned that part of my brain off.
Husna Vacations organizes specific dates where they take over the property. You aren’t the “odd one out”, no walking back to your room to pray, no checking food labels to make sure it’s halal. You are part of a massive community. It changes a vacation from just a “trip” to a real “retreat.”
You can check out my videos here, here, here and here.
To answer the big question – what’s different at a halal all-inclusive
Before this trip, I assumed it was just a resort with halal food? It turned out to be much more about the environment and experience.
- Community feel – Letting Z walk around the buffet or grab his own sliders without me needing to supervise was a weight off my shoulders. We saw a lot of young families and those with older school-aged kids, they can do their own thing at the Kids’ Club, Teens programs, or play in the waterpark.
- The staff – Imagine walking into a Caribbean resort lobby and the first things you hear are “Hola,” and a warm “Salaam!”. The Husna staff and volunteers, along with those at the resort were amazing.
- A “Dry” Resort – for these few days, the resort is alcohol-free, nasheeds on the speakers, adhan on the loudspeakers at maghrib, and people are dressed appropriately on the beach.
Now Let’s Talk About The Food
You’re not stuck sifting through veggie pastas or seafood options. We walked up to the buffet tray of ribs and wings, or picked the Angus Beef Burger on the dinner menu.
- Plenty of Choice – the buffet had many options, several items changed during our stay so it wasn’t too repetitive
- The Desserts: pretty good selection of mousse, cakes, and treats. Honestly, I skipped most of those for delicious papaya, watermelon, and canteloupes! Our favorite desserts were from the ice cream shop across the buffet area
- Dinner variety – there are 4 specialty restaurants for dinner, you do need to make a reservation beforehand
What’s there to do?
The Spirituality & Connection
- Jummah: Praying Friday prayers on a lush green lawn under the open sky with hundreds of other families was a new core memory.
- Maghrib by the Sea: We stood in prayer on a deck right by the ocean. Hearing the Imam recite the Quran while the waves crashed in front of us was a reset for my heart.
Activities & Sports
If you think a halal resort is just sitting around, think again. The energy was high! The Husna team organized all sorts of activities to keep everyone involved, from kids to seniors:
- daily beach volleyball
- swimming competitions
- table tennis tournaments
- 3-on-3 basketball tournaments
- Family movie nights
- Evening shows, talks, mini-circus show and so much more…
Wellness
- Mental Health: I slipped away for a session with Sister Sadaf, there was a movement and mental health workshop that helped me ground myself.
- Self-Care: The Vassa Spa is stunning and I finally got braids!
- Giving Back: The “Palestine Night” was an emotional evening where we raised funds for orphans. It’s a privilege to help those in need.
For the Kids (The “Nick” Experience)
- Aqua Nick – This water park is huge. We spent whole days on the slides and lazy river.
- Character Meetings – We bumped into Dora the Explorer on the way to breakfast one day, took pics in front of SpongeBob’s House, and Z high-fived Squidward.
- Excursions – lots of options, we didn’t go on any this time
Final Thoughts
Husna Vacations is offering something very unique. It was an all around reset for us physically and mentally. There was no code-switching, no ingredient-checking, and no compromising. It was the perfect mix of Deen (faith) and Dunya (world). Highly recommend!
Make sure you check out Husna Vacations to join their next trip!
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