Do’s and Don’ts When Visiting Dubai (2024 Guide)

Dubai is every bit a tourist delight. There’s nothing that can be termed as uninteresting in Dubai. The people, places, and hospitality; everything makes complete sense in Dubai and is perfectly blended with its tourism promotion. But there’s no denial that Dubai is a part of the conservative Arabian country practicing Islam as the religion and there are certain factors of the city that you need to be fully aware of before enjoying a trip to this amazing city. You don’t want to end up wasting your Dubai visa with embarrassing situations in this city.

There are a few do’s and don’ts of Dubai that make it distinct from most of the destinations you’ve visited till now.

Check out the list of dos and don’ts in Dubai for a memorable and hassle-free vacation.

1. What to and what not to wear in Dubai

 

• Dressing up decently is the basic requirement in the public places of Dubai. Dresses and skirts above the knee and skimpy clothes are frowned upon. Even men are expected to dress decently and not go topless.

• The rule applies not only to the tourists but also to the locales. Around the conservative areas and the public places, dressing modestly is expected from everyone.

• Swimwear for both men and women are only allowed at the private beaches and private swimming pools. Everywhere else, including the public beaches skimpy swimwear is not allowed.

• While visiting spiritual areas such as mosques and other religious sites, loose fitting clothes should be worn and shoulders, legs and arms should be covered.

• Women will be required to wear a headscarf while entering the mosques.

2. How to invite and interact in Dubai

• Majlis is an Arabic term that means a place to sit for people during a common gathering or for discussions. If you are invited to Majlis in a house of an Arabian, ensure you remove your shoes at the entrance.

• Don’t be surprised if men and women are escorted to different sections of the house by a local. In many households, there are different places for men and women seating and they don’t sit together at gatherings.

• It is considered rude to start talking about business right from the start. If there’s a plan of meal sharing, accept the food and refreshments before starting the discussions of business.

• Remember, you are going to an Islamic country and some of the regular pleasing gestures are not valid here, such as the handshake. Yes, while traveling to any Muslim country, ensure you don’t offer a handshake to them. It is considered rude. You can extend a hand for a handshake only if they offer it first.

• Whenever you’re in a room with guests and an older or higher ranking people enter, you’re expected to stand up and greet them. Same is the case when a woman enters the room.

• While we all eat with our right hands, we don’t really pay attention as to from which hands are we accepting the food. While in Dubai or any other Muslim country, consciously accept food offerings from your right hands. Accepting them with left hand is considered disrespectful.

• It is considered highly rude to show the soles of your feet to the person in front. Even pointing your foot should be avoided, especially in front of guests.

• While hosting Islamic guests at home, make sure not to offer them alcohol beverages and food with pork as ingredients. These elements are banned in Islam.

3. What gestures should be done or avoided in Dubai

• Pointing fingers or beckoning is considered to be rude and a sign of extreme bad manners. If you need to use any sort of hand gestures, use the whole hand.

• Try using any obscene hand gestures in public and you may land up in prison without any warning in Dubai.

4. How to behave in Public

• If you don’t want to end up paying a fine or worse, going to jail, do not be disorderly in public or get drunk and roam. The entire UAE has zero tolerance for drunk driving. This also applies to holding alcohol or any drug in possession, no matter even in minuscule quantity.

• As a tourist, you would want to enjoy photography and explore the landscapes of the place. keep yourself restricted to that only. In UAE, you are not allowed to snap locals, especially women without their permission.

• Maintain your public displays of affection to the minimum (limited to holding hands, that too if you’re madly in love honeymooner) anything more than holding hands such as kissing and hugging in public might land you with a hefty fine or in jail.

• Any kind of comments, obscene gestures, bad language, noise disruptions, o showing disrespect to the religion of Islam in any way is a serious offense and will no doubt land you up in jail.

• During the Ramadan, avoid going to Dubai if you’re a foodie. If you are in Dubai during the holy month, ensure you don’t eat in public or drink water around people who are fasting. You are free to eat and drink in public after evening.

• Sex and baby out of wedlock, cohabitation, possession of banned drugs, homosexuality, and adultery are considered illegal.

Being an Islamic emirate, Dubai has a long list of dos and don’ts but that does not deter millions of visitors every year from visiting this dream city. Just ensure a few important traditions and cultural duties to be respected and you can enjoy a cherished trip to Dubai.Here is a further more detail information about travel advice to be followed in Dubai.