Dubai is a beautiful big city built on top of the sandy Arabian Desert on the Persian Gulf. It is a tourist’s paradise. It is also called the “City of Superlatives” because of its tall skyscrapers, old-world charm, beautiful markets, and very hot and cold weather.
It also has the world’s tallest tower, the world’s largest man-made archipelago of islands, the world’s tallest hotel, the world’s largest “performing” fountain, and many other things that bring people from all over the world all year long. So, if Dubai is where you want to go on your next vacation, keep these things in mind so you don’t get into trouble while you’re there. Here are some of the 16 things you should not do while on a Dubai city tour.
16 things you should not do while visiting Dubai
1. Don’t greet anyone with your left hand.
When you use your hands in Dubai, you need to be careful. In Dubai, you should never use your left hand to eat, greet people, open doors, or give someone something, especially food. Why do you ask? Before toilet paper, toilets, and flushing water, people in places like Dubai, India, and other places cleaned up with their left hand.
So, even if your left hand is clean, it is still regarded as dirty. You can, however, use your left hand to drink. So, if you’re left-handed, you should try to be as ambidextrous as possible in public so you don’t offend people and get dirty looks.
2. Don’t give in to PDA.
You can’t do some things in Dubai, and PDA is one of them. In Dubai, it is considered rude to hold hands, hug, or kiss in public, and if you are caught doing these things, you could go to jail. Many people from other countries have already felt the effects. Do not follow the crowd. This is one of the most important things people say you shouldn’t do in Dubai. You also shouldn’t play loud music or dance in public. The people who live there don’t like it. When you go to Dubai’s tourist spots, you need to be careful about this.
3. Do not wear the wrong clothes.
In public places in Dubai, like malls, markets, beaches, theatres, mosques, and so on, women are expected to dress modestly. So, even though Dubai is the fashion capital of the world, you can’t wear short, tight, skimpy clothes in public that show a lot of skin. Aside from this, you can stay comfortable in the hot and dry climate of Dubai by wearing loose, modest clothes.
So, when you pack your bag, make sure you have enough loose, modest clothes that cover your arms, legs, and chest. This way, you won’t attract unwanted attention, you won’t get fined for wearing inappropriate clothes in public, and you’ll be comfortable as you move around the city.
4. Don’t swear in public.
When you are out in public or talking to a local in Dubai, you need to be very careful about what you say. During your trip to Dubai, don’t use bad language and don’t say any slang, curse words, or other bad words. Also, don’t say anything that could be taken as an insult to Islam or Muslims. It is a crime in Dubai, and you could end up in jail if you do it. And you wouldn’t want to spend your vacation time in jail.
5. Don’t take pictures without being asked.
One important thing not to do in Dubai is take pictures of people without their permission. Dubai has beautiful scenery, which might make you want to take pictures as you walk around the city. But you have to be very careful when taking pictures in Dubai. People there care a lot about modesty and safety, and you can’t take pictures of people without their permission, especially of women and children. So, either remember the images or pay attention to the scenery.
6. Don’t bring all your medicines with you.
UAE has a very strict policy against drugs, which means that you shouldn’t bring prescription drugs or illegal drugs to Dubai. No, you can’t even take your anti-anxiety pills. Airports are always on high alert, and if you break a rule and get caught, you could be sent to prison for up to four years. Not a pretty scene for a vacation, so check the UAE’s official website to find out which medicines you can bring with you and which you can’t. And if you need to bring medicine with you, don’t forget to bring the prescription with you as well.
7. During Ramadan, don’t eat in public.
If you go to Dubai during the holy month of Ramadan, you should know that you can’t eat, drink, or smoke in public from dawn until dusk, because Muslims in the city are fasting. No, you can’t eat anything in public, not even in your car. You can, however, eat in the privacy of your hotel room or at a restaurant where the eating area is separated from the rest of the restaurant with a screen. Children and women who are pregnant can eat, but it’s best to be careful not to upset anyone.
8. Don’t make rude gestures with your hands while driving.
If you’re in Dubai and want to make things more exciting, you can drive a sports car around the city. You can rent a sports car for a day in many places in Dubai, but you need to be very careful. In your country, it might be okay to make rude hand gestures while driving to show the other driver that you don’t like something.
But in Dubai, it is not okay. If someone or something makes you angry while you’re driving, you need to keep your temper in check and not swear or make rude hand gestures that will upset him. It can get you into a lot of trouble and ruin your trip. It is one of the most important things not to do in Dubai.
9. Don’t bring things that aren’t allowed.
Well, if you’re going to Dubai, you need to be extra careful when you pack because not everything is allowed in the country. First of all, if you want to read on your trip, don’t bring magazines or books for women that have adult content in them. Next, you can’t bring anything that was made in Israel, and you can’t bring bacon or anything else made with pork.
10. Don’t be rude to the royals in public.
When you go to a new country, you can’t help but form some opinions. If this is your first trip to Dubai, you might have some thoughts about the culture, the royal family, the laws, the politics, the people, etc. Yes, that’s normal, but you shouldn’t talk about them in public. In Dubai, it is not okay to openly make fun of, criticise, or insult the royal family, the government, the culture, the laws, or the religion. Even if you weren’t, it is taken very seriously, and if you don’t pay, you can get in a lot of trouble.
11. Don’t miss out on going to the most-visited places.
Dubai has a lot of pretty things to see, so don’t stay in your hotel room the whole time you’re there on vacation. Get out and look around. Visit the 2,716-foot-tall Burj Khalifa, which is three times as tall as the Eiffel Tower in Paris.
If you’re not afraid of heights, you can go to “At the Top,” which is the world’s highest observation deck and has a terrace outside. You can eat at the restaurant on the 122nd floor and check out the pool on the 76th floor, which is thought to be the highest pool in the world.
Visit the Dubai Old Creek to enjoy the old buildings and historic feel of this old town, which are based on Arabian architecture. You can also take a ride on a wooden dhow around the city or at sunset to end the day.
You should also go to the souks, which are traditional Arabian markets where you can buy things like gold, spices, fabrics, perfumes, and more. Last but not least, don’t leave Dubai until you’ve been on a desert safari. You can enjoy the Arabian Desert at any time of day, along with live dance and music shows, camel rides, a BBQ feast, and other things.
12. If you’re not married, don’t stay in the same hotel room.
Whether you are coming from the east or the west, you should know that it is against the law in Dubai for two people to stay together, even in a hotel, without getting married. Just living together can lead to jail, a fine, and being sent away. So, if you don’t want to go back as soon as you check into your hotel in Dubai and you’re not married, make sure you’re staying in different hotels. This is probably the worst thing you can do in Dubai, so just don’t do it.
13. Cross-dressing is not allowed.
Dubai is not very accepting of homosexuality, so if you’re planning a trip there and cross-dress, things may not go your way. In this country, the rule is that you should dress for your gender, and if you don’t, the police may stop you. In 2008, about 40 tourists did the same thing that got them arrested. This is one of the most important rules for tourists to follow in Dubai.
14. Don’t have a drink in public.
Dubai is not the place for you if you want to hold a can of beer in public and sip from it until your next stop or just hang out with your friends and drink alcohol in public. Both being drunk in public and drinking in public are against the law, and if you do either, you will get fined or go to jail. Make sure you don’t do this if you want your trip to Dubai to be perfect.
15. Don’t move around in public.
Even if you don’t believe it, dancing in public is seen as rude. If you want to avoid getting fined a lot, you should only dance in licenced clubs or in your own room. Even listening to loud music in public is against the law in Dubai, and if caught, you could face a heavy fine. Well, don’t wait for the other things on this list of things tourists shouldn’t do in Dubai. Instead, do what you can to stay within the law.
16. It is considered an insult in Arab culture to point the bottom of one’s shoe in the direction of an Arab.
It is assumed that the shoe is filthy because it has been in contact with the ground and is worn on the foot, which is the lowest portion of the body. As you sit with your legs crossed, you should check to make sure that the bottoms of your feet are not facing an Arab. In conclusion, do not let all of the regulations damper your mood throughout the season.
To have a successful interaction with a group of people, all you need to do is show that you respect their laws, their culture, and their religious practises, and avoid going too far. If you want to visit Dubai sightseeing tours with family, take a Dubai city tour package and then go on a Dubai half-day city tour.
