Turkey - DO NOT...

  • DO NOT walk past a person praying from the front
  • DO NOT wear shoes in worship places
  • DO NOT show the OK gesture– forefinger touches the thumb (signalling homosexuality) 
  • DO NOT ignore the table Etiquette*

 

  • DO NOT go against smoking at the dinner table
  • DO NOT disrespect anything that related ramadan

 

  • DO NOT take a cab without a taxi logo
  • DO NOT wear revealing clothes
  • DO NOT leaving food on your plate
  • DO NOT misuse the Turkish language
  • DO NOT consume an intolerable amount of alcohol. Stay sober or just a bit tipsy 😁
  • DO NOT in public directly addressing a Turkish woman 

 

  • DO NOT buy cultural artefacts (stones or fossils)
  • DO NOT buy stuff without bargaining
  • DO NOT disrespect Kemal Ataturk*

 

*On your plate put your knife and fork side-by-side to indicate you are done. Left hand should not be used when dining (considered unclean).  Smoking while eating is common so don’t ask your dining partners to stop.

 

*Ramadan is important tradition to follow in Turkey,  including fasting for an entire month as one of the Five Pillars of Islam. Celebrated according to the Islamic calendar and if you travel at this period then try to not drink or eat anything in public nor offer/ give a gift  to a Turkish citizen who practices Ramadan.

*It’s illegal to export stones and fossils, and know that  many shopkeepers will try to make you buy it even though most of them are fake. 

* Respect to founding fathers of the Turkish Republic, Ataturk.

United Arab Emirates - DO NOT...

 

  • DO NOT engage in any criminal activity* (Murder, human trafficking, any drug related offences)
  • DO NOT discuss and mock openly the culture, religion , laws, Royal family, and politics
  • DO NOT stay together in the hotel if you are unmarried
  • DO NOT display public affection

 

  • DO NOT use your left hand To Greet Anyone (Considered unclean)
  • DO NOT indulge In PDA
  • DO NOT ignore the Sha’aria law*
  • DO NOT make pictures without permission

 

  • DO NOT bring and carry all your medicines
  • DO NOT eat-in public during Ramadan*
  • DO NOT cuss in public and while driving as well as make any rude hand gestures 
  • DO NOT have adult content books and even women fashion magazines

 

  • DO NOT bring any products that are made in Israel
  • DO NOT have with you bacon or any pork related items
  • DO NOT practice cross-dress( dressing as per your gender) 
  • DO NOT wear Ripped jeans
  • DO NOT drink in Public
  • DO NOT dance In Public

 

*Most common crimes – petty theft and scams. Surprisingly there is also a high rate of sexual harassment.

* Dress modestly requirement to all tourists and residents. Knee-length dresses not tight with short sleeves, or sleeveless. No tight pants and too short t’shirts and shorts. 

* Ramadan Dates are dependent on the sighting of the crescent moon and may vary by a day. It is likely to be in the mid of April and end in the mid of.  The holy month of Ramadan is about Muslims commemorate the revelation of the the religious text of Islam (Quran) to the Prophet Muhammad. It is possible to visit the country(UAE) during this holy month but keep in mind even that most things remain open, states/cities will look empty, including Dubai and Abu Dhaby . With every evening at sunset Muslims’ break their fast so then you can enjoy more of dining out life.

SAUDI ARABIA - DO NOT...

  • DO NOT engage in any criminal activity* (Murder, human trafficking, any drug related offences)
  • DO NOT discuss and mock openly the culture, religion , laws, Royal family, and politics
  • DO NOT go to Mecca or Medinah as a non-Muslim, the two holiest cities in Islam*

 

  • DO NOT hold two passports at the time you crossed the boarder( One passport will be confiscated if it will be discovered)
  • DO NOT importing pork products 
  • DO NOT Stay together in the hotel if you are unmarried
  • DO NOT dine with an unmarried woman in the family section of a restaurant 

 

  • DO NOT (for women)not have signed permission from a close male relative, including husband, son, father, uncle or grandson (mahram) before crossing the border and travel
  • DO NOT (for women)not wearing hijabs or covering up your head 
  • DO NOT subject women or children to anything that could put them in danger, including jokes/pranks

 

  • DO NOT display public affection (3,000 riyals=$800)
  • DO NOT take a sit in a priority seats (200 riyals= $53)
  • DO NOT play a loud music in public- especially during each of the 20-minute prayer times (five times a day) (fine is 500 riyals= $133,  during the prayers 1,000 riyals)
  • DO NOT use Your Left Hand To Greet Anyone (Considered unclean as reserved for the personal hygiene)
  • DO NOT cary pornographic material, or of illustrations of scantily dressed people, especially women
  • DO NOT bringing drones for commercial or personal use with you (Need an approval of  the Saudi General Authority of Civil Aviation)
  • DO NOT make pictures without permission
  • DO NOT have drugs /Bring and carry all your medicines without a doctor’s prescription

 

  • DO NOT eat-in public during Ramadan*
  • DO NOT lighting barbecues or shisha pipes in public
  • DO NOT gamble *
  • DO NOT cuss in public and while driving as well as make any rude hand gestures 

 

  • DO NOT ignore the queuing etiquette 
  • DO NOT spitting in the streets
  • DO NOT have adult content books 
  • DO NOT bring any products that are made in Israel
  • DO NOT have with you bacon or any pork related items
  • DO NOT practice cross-dress( dressing as per your gender) and showing that you are gay or transgender

 

  • DO NOT waving your Bible around the streets 
  • DO NOT being careless about celebrating some of non-muslims dates -Valentine’s Day*
  • DO NOT drink in Public
  • DO NOT dance In Public

 

*Most common crimes – theft

*Mecca and Medinah  are forbidden cities for non-Muslim. Dont try to go there if you are not practicing Islam. Sufficient fine, deportation or other type of punishment will be applied. 

*Gambling is prohibited and can cause serious troubles. Online gambling is perhaps the one way that some use in the country but be mindful about it and remember about ‘private network’ system.

*Non-muslim celebrations like Valentine’s day. Even though country does not taking it to a legal extreme it is still formally banned and so keep in mind dont try to impress your partner on the Valentine’s Day if you are in Saudi Arabia… 

Qatar - DO NOT...

  • DO NOT walk past a person praying from the front
  • DO NOT wear shoes in worship places
  • DO NOT show the OK gesture– forefinger touches the thumb (signalling homosexuality) 
  • DO NOT ignore the table Etiquette*
  • DO NOT bargain offensively* 
  • DO NOT  reject an invitation by a Qatari

 

  • DO NOT go against smoking at the dinner table
  • DO NOT disrespect anything that related ramadan*
  • DO NOT take a cab without a taxi logo

 

  • DO NOT wear revealing clothes*
  • DO NOT leaving food on your plate
  • DO NOT consume an intolerable amount of alcohol. Stay sober or just a bit tipsy 😁
  • DO NOT film or photograph etiquette.

 

  • DO NOT in public directly addressing a Qatari woman 
  • DO NOT buy cultural artefacts (stones or fossils)

 

*On your plate put your knife and fork side-by-side to indicate you are done. Left hand should not be used when dining (considered unclean).  Smoking while eating is common so don’t ask your dining partners to stop.

*Bargaining and asking for better price would be easy if you look like (wear) and have enough knowledge about prices as like the locals then vendors will accept your offers. However, for newbies /inexperienced tourists, vendors will not be so nice or easygoing. Vendor will offer you the best price, and if you will keep nagging to get it cheaper – it will be considered an insult, and you will more likely lose the bargain. NOTE: don’t start bargaining, when you not planning on buying anything, therefore you should always end up buying something (don’t waste time talking with the vendor)

*Ramadan is important tradition to follow in Qatar,  including fasting for an entire month as one of the Five Pillars of Islam. Celebrated according to the Islamic calendar and if you travel at this period then try to not drink or eat anything in public nor offer/ give a gift  to a Qatari citizen who practices Ramadan.

*Wear modestly not showing too much skin in public, especially shoulders, upper arms, and knees and leggings are also banned. For men, wear long trousers and shirts. NOTE: dress-code rule changes once you are in a private area – in your hotel, and clubs. For the beach – check the dress code of the specific beach place area: usually allow shorts, but not short tight shirts.

 

*It’s illegal to export stones and fossils, and know that  many shopkeepers will try to make you buy it even though most of them are fake. 

Jordan - DO NOT...

Quite liberal compared to some of its neighbours 

  • DO NOT engage in any criminal activity* (Murder, human trafficking, any drug related offences)
  • DO NOT wear inappropriately (short clothes)
  • DO NOT drink or consume drugs
  • DO NOT disrespect mosques
  • DO NOT disrespect or flirt with women 

 

  • DO NOT carry weapons
  • DO NOT wear something that shows you are from Israel

 

  • DO NOT mock unique heritage and tradition
  • DO NOT litter at an Omani tourist sites, including the attraction, or break any public property –“Take nothing BUT memories ,Leave nothing BUT footprints”
  • DO NOT refuse the invitation from the host to visit his home ( Offensive if only you have a good reason not to go)

 

* Most common crimes – pickpocketing and bag snatching.

OMAN - DO NOT...

  • DO NOT engage in any criminal activity* (Murder, human trafficking, any drug related offences)
  • DO NOT wear inappropriately (short clothes)
  • DO NOT drink or consume drugs

 

  • DO NOT disrespect mosques
  • DO NOT disrespect or flirt with women 

 

  • DO NOT carry weapons
  • DO NOT mock unique heritage and tradition
  • DO NOT litter at an Omani tourist sites, including the attraction, or break any public property –“Take nothing BUT memories ,Leave nothing BUT footprints”
  • DO NOT refuse the invitation from the host to visit his home

 

*Most common crimes – robbery.

KUWAIT - DO NOT...

  • DO NOT engage in any criminal activity* (Murder, human trafficking, any drug related offences)
  • DO NOT walk on a prayer mat
  • DO NOT stare at people when praying
  • DO NOT entering a mosque without permission
  • DO NOT stay together in the hotel if you are unmarried

 

  • DO NOT display public affection (PDA)
  • DO NOT use your Left Hand to greet anyone (Considered unclean)

 

  • DO NOT make pictures without permission
  • DO NOT bring and carry all your medicines
  • DO NOT eat-in public during Ramadan*

 

  • DO NOT cuss in public and while driving as well as make any rude hand gestures 
  • DO NOT have adult content books and even women fashion magazines

 

  • DO NOT ave with you bacon or any pork related items
  • DO NOT practice cross-dress*
  • DO NOT wear Ripped jeans
  • DO NOT drink In Public
  • DO NOT dance In Public

 

*Most common crimes – corruption and bribery.

*Important to dress as per your gender! Otherwise would be the case of serious offences.