A cultural travel guide to the world

Etiquette & taboos

Etiquette & taboos

Understanding local customs is where a journey begins. Find the topics that matter to you and feel at ease wherever you go.

10 rules found

Essential restrictionsEveryday mannersCountry-wide guidance · Germany

Germany: Keep quiet on Sundays and at night

Do

  • Do noisy chores such as vacuuming, spin cycles and drilling on weekday daytimes
  • At night (usually 10 pm to 6 or 7 am), keep sound low enough that neighbours can't hear it with the door shut
  • When you move in, read the house rules (Hausordnung) posted in the building
  • If you hold a party, tell your neighbours in advance and turn it down by 10 pm

Don’t

  • Don't use power tools such as drills or lawnmowers on Sundays and public holidays
  • Don't throw bottles into public glass bins on Sundays or at night (check the sign on the bin)
  • Don't make noise during the midday quiet period (often 1 to 3 pm) where it applies

Quiet hours are set by state law, local bylaws and house rules rather than a single national law. Repeated disturbances can lead to complaints from neighbours, action by the public order office or police, and fines; amounts are as officially published.

Verified Oct 19, 2026Source: Germany Focus Guide: German Ruhezeit and Sunday etiquette

Essential restrictionsSafetyCountry-wide guidance · Germany

Germany: Pedestrians, stay out of cycle lanes

Do

  • Before crossing or stopping for photos, check whether you are on the pavement or a cycle lane
  • When cycling, keep right and overtake on the left
  • On shared paths, give way to pedestrians and slow down
  • Children under 8 must cycle on the pavement; those aged 8 to 10 may choose

Don’t

  • Don't stand or walk in cycle lanes (a blue round sign with a bicycle marks a dedicated lane)
  • Don't cycle on the pavement unless a sign allows it

Cycle lanes are part of the road: stepping into one can bring a fine and, more importantly, a collision with a fast-moving cyclist. Cycling on the pavement without permission is also fined; amounts are as officially published.

Verified Oct 19, 2026Source: Live in Germany: Cycling in Germany

Essential restrictionsHot springsCountry-wide guidance · Japan

Mixed, open-air and private baths: read the signs, don't stare, never take photos

Do

  • Check the signs before entering; mixed baths are clearly marked, and joining is entirely your choice
  • Most mixed baths are nude only, with no swimwear; some allow or lend special bathing wraps or towels, so follow the bath's rules
  • If you prefer not to bathe mixed, use the separate men's and women's baths or a private bath
  • Outdoor baths are slippery and the temperature changes sharply; hold the handrails when moving
  • Use a private bath only within your booked slot and leave on time
  • Tohoku and other regions still have many therapeutic hot springs with mixed bathing; for long therapeutic stays, follow the ryokan's and your doctor's advice

Don’t

  • Don't stare at other bathers, strike up conversations, or linger to watch
  • Don't take photos or videos in the bath area
  • Don't overstay a private bath; the next group is waiting

Mixed bathing works only because bathers keep their eyes to themselves; staring or taking photos will get you asked to leave, and filming others in a bath may break local law.

Verified Oct 19, 2026Source: Wikipedia (Japanese): Konyoku

Essential restrictionsPhotos & dronesCountry-wide guidance · Japan

Stay off private land, and ask before photographing children or people

Do

  • Ask parents' permission before photographing their children
  • Ask geiko, maiko, and other working people before photographing them
  • Check for 撮影禁止 (no photography) signs, and ask staff if there are none
  • Photograph trains and stations themselves without disrupting operations

Don’t

  • Do not enter private homes or land for a shot
  • Do not photograph the inside of homes
  • Do not aim your camera at individual passengers on trains or buses
  • Do not step into rice paddies, flower beds, or along railway tracks for photos
  • Do not use selfie sticks or tripods in crowds or dangerous spots
  • Do not chase or stop geiko or maiko

Trespassing on private land is illegal and can get you told to leave or to delete your photos. Shooting in no-photo areas will be stopped, and photographing children is seen as an invasion of privacy.

Verified Oct 19, 2026Source: Aichi Now: Sightseeing Manners

Essential restrictionsHot springsCountry-wide guidance · Japan

Bathe nude in the onsen and keep your towel out of the water

Do

  • Bathe fully nude, without swimwear or underwear
  • Rest your small towel on your head or the edge of the bath
  • Tie up long hair so it stays out of the water
  • Enter the bath slowly and keep quiet
  • Leave your phone in the locker
  • Keep your first soak short, and dry off before returning to the changing room

Don’t

  • Do not dip your towel into the bath
  • Do not swim, dive, or talk loudly in the bath
  • Do not take photos anywhere in the bathing area
  • Do not wrap your yukata right side over left; that is how the deceased are dressed

Most of these are written bathhouse rules. Breaking them gets you a reminder from staff, and in serious cases you may be asked to leave. Soaking too long can also make you dizzy.

Verified Oct 19, 2026Source: Authentic Local Japan: Onsen Etiquette

Essential restrictionsEntryCountry-wide guidance · Australia

Entering Australia: food, plant and animal products must be declared

Do

  • Truthfully declare all food (even small, packaged snacks), plants and animal products on your arrival card
  • If in doubt, declare it

Don’t

  • Bringing fresh fruit and vegetables, meat, seeds or wooden souvenirs without declaring them

You can be issued an infringement notice; your visa may be cancelled, you may be refused entry and barred from returning for up to 3 years.

Not yet verifiedSource: Australian Department of Agriculture: travelling to Australia

Essential restrictionsDrivingCountry-wide guidance · United States

Driving in the US: what to do when police pull you over

Do

  • Signal right and pull over safely to the right
  • Roll down your window after stopping, before the officer reaches you
  • At night, turn on the interior light
  • Keep both hands on the wheel and ask passengers to keep their hands visible too

Don’t

  • Getting out and walking towards the police car
  • Suddenly reaching for the glovebox, a pocket or under the seat

Sudden movements may be read as a threat and become dangerous. The wording of the rules varies slightly between states.

Not yet verifiedSource: Texas Department of Public Safety driver handbook

Essential restrictionsPhotos & dronesCountry-wide guidance · Thailand

Drones must be registered in Thailand

Do

  • Register with Thailand's National Broadcasting and Telecommunications Commission (NBTC) within 30 days of arrival or purchase, even if you don't plan to fly

Don’t

  • Bringing in an unregistered drone

Fines of up to THB 100,000 or 5 years in prison, or both.

Verified Oct 19, 2026Source: GOV.UK: Thailand travel advice

Essential restrictionsEntryCountry-wide guidance · Thailand

E-cigarettes are completely illegal in Thailand

Do

  • Leave e-cigarettes, pods and e-liquids at home before you travel

Don’t

  • Carrying or using e-cigarettes, pods, e-liquids or heated-tobacco devices

Confiscation, fines (usually THB 5,000–30,000), detention and prosecution; no exceptions for tourists or personal use.

Verified Oct 19, 2026Source: GOV.UK: Thailand travel advice