TabooDressSri Lanka
Sri Lanka: cover legs and shoulders and remove shoes and hats at Buddhist temples
- Cover your legs and shoulders, and take off your shoes and hat before entering a shrine
- Nude or topless sunbathing
At Buddhist temples you must cover your legs and shoulders and remove shoes and hats, or you will offend worshippers; nude or topless sunbathing is not allowed.
Verified Oct 19, 2026Source: GOV.UK: Sri Lanka travel advice
TabooTemples & religious sitesNepal
Nepal: temple etiquette
- Wear clothes that cover your knees and shoulders in temples
- Take off your shoes when asked
- Wearing shorts or a vest at holy sites
- Entering areas reserved for Hindus
It offends worshippers; some areas of Hindu temples are closed to non-Hindus.
Verified Oct 19, 2026Source: GOV.UK: Nepal travel advice
TabooPhotos & dronesUzbekistan
Uzbekistan: check before you take photos
- Ask before taking photos near airports, border posts, military bases, bridges, police stations and metro stations
- Photographing government buildings
It may annoy the authorities; posting content on social media that disrespects the flag, food or customs can lead to fines or detention.
Verified Oct 19, 2026Source: GOV.UK: Uzbekistan travel advice
TabooEveryday mannersMorocco
Morocco: avoid public displays of affection
- Show restraint near religious sites and in tourist areas
- Kissing or hugging in public
It causes offence; same-sex intimacy can be prosecuted in Morocco.
Verified Oct 19, 2026Source: GOV.UK: Morocco travel advice
TabooEveryday mannersMorocco
Morocco: during Ramadan, don't eat or drink in public by day
- Check opening hours during Ramadan
- Dress according to local custom
- Eating, drinking, smoking, chewing gum or swearing in public during the day
It offends people who are fasting.
Verified Oct 19, 2026Source: GOV.UK: Morocco travel advice
TabooDressUnited Arab Emirates
UAE: cover shoulders and knees in malls and other public places
- Women should cover shoulders and knees
- Wear swimwear only at the beach or pool
- Wearing see-through clothes or clothes with offensive images or words
It offends local people; some venues have their own dress codes.
Verified Oct 19, 2026Source: GOV.UK: United Arab Emirates travel advice
TabooDressEgypt
Egypt: dress modestly and avoid public displays of affection
- Dress conservatively in villages, mosques and markets
- Kissing or hugging in public (holding hands is usually fine)
Behaviour accepted in resorts may be seen as offensive elsewhere.
Verified Oct 19, 2026Source: GOV.UK: Egypt travel advice
TabooEveryday mannersTürkiye
Türkiye: during Ramadan, don't eat or drink in public by day
- During Ramadan, check shop opening hours and be patient with people who are fasting
- Eating, drinking, smoking or chewing gum in public during the day (including in a car)
- Playing loud music, dancing or swearing
It offends people who are fasting.
Verified Oct 19, 2026Source: GOV.UK: Turkey travel advice
TabooDressTürkiye
Türkiye: dress properly in mosques
- Cover shoulders and knees; women cover their hair
- Ask permission before photographing people
- Wearing shorts or a vest in a mosque or holy site
It offends local people; inappropriate dress is more likely to cause offence during Ramadan.
Verified Oct 19, 2026Source: GOV.UK: Turkey travel advice
TabooSafetyCanada
Canada: keep your distance from wildlife in national parks
- Follow park rules
- Take all rubbish and food with you so you don't attract animals
- Approaching wildlife, including marine animals and birds
Keeping a safe distance is a basic park rule.
Verified Oct 19, 2026Source: GOV.UK: Canada travel advice
TabooEveryday mannersPhilippines
Philippines: avoid too much intimacy in public
- Behave appropriately in public
- Overly intimate behaviour in public
It may be treated as 'grave scandal', punishable by a fine or 6 months in prison.
Verified Oct 19, 2026Source: GOV.UK: Philippines travel advice
TabooPhotos & dronesCambodia
Cambodia: ask before photographing monks
- Ask before photographing people, especially monks
- Photographing monks and religious figures without permission
Respect local customs.
Verified Oct 19, 2026Source: GOV.UK: Cambodia travel advice
TabooDressCambodia
Cambodia: cover shoulders and knees at Angkor Wat and other religious sites
- Cover your shoulders and wear trousers or a skirt below the knee
- Wearing shorts or a skirt above the knee
You may be refused entry to Angkor Wat and other religious sites.
Verified Oct 19, 2026Source: GOV.UK: Cambodia travel advice
TabooDressVietnam
Vietnam: cover shoulders and knees at temples and cultural sites
- Cover your shoulders and knees when entering religious and cultural sites
- Wearing a vest or shorts into a temple
Respect local customs.
Verified Oct 19, 2026Source: GOV.UK: Vietnam travel advice
TabooPublic transportNetherlands
Netherlands: cycle paths are not footpaths
- Before crossing, look for bicycles and e-bikes first — they have priority over cars
- Use pedestrian crossings
- Standing or walking on a cycle path
Traffic on cycle paths is fast; crossing outside a pedestrian crossing can bring a fine.
Verified Oct 19, 2026Source: GOV.UK: Netherlands travel advice
TabooTippingUnited States
USA: tipping is almost always expected
- Restaurants with table service: 15–20% of the pre-tax bill
- Bartenders: US$1–2 a drink, or 15–20% of the bill
- Taxis: 15–20% of the fare, at least US$1
- Hotel housekeeping: US$2–5 a day
- Not tipping at restaurants with table service
Not illegal, but seen as very rude.
Verified Oct 19, 2026Source: Emily Post Institute: tipping guide
TabooDressVatican City
The Vatican and churches: cover shoulders and knees and keep quiet
- Wear a sleeved top and something below the knee, and carry a scarf just in case
- Take off your hat and keep quiet indoors
- Entering St Peter's Basilica in a sleeveless top, shorts or a miniskirt
You will be turned away at the entrance.
Not yet verifiedSource: Vatican dress code (travel guide)
TabooEveryday mannersMalaysia
Malaysia: pass things and eat with your right hand
- Use your right hand to eat with your fingers, to pass and receive things, and to shake hands
- To point the way, make a loose fist and point with your right thumb
- Pointing at people or things with your index finger
Not illegal, but seen as rude.
Not yet verifiedSource: Tourism Malaysia: travel guide
TabooDressThailand
Temples and the Grand Palace: cover shoulders and knees
- Wear sleeved tops and long trousers or skirts below the knee
- Take off your shoes before entering a hall
- When seated, don't point the soles of your feet at a Buddha image
- Entering in a vest, shorts or see-through clothes
- Covering a sleeveless top only with a shawl may not be accepted at the Grand Palace
You will be refused entry and will need to rent or buy a sarong at the gate.
Not yet verifiedSource: Grand Palace dress code and visiting rules (travel guide)
TabooEveryday mannersJapan
Take off your shoes when you see a genkan (entrance step)
- Take off your shoes at the entrance of homes, some restaurants, temples and hot-spring facilities
- If unsure, look for a shoe rack or slippers at the entrance
- Stepping onto tatami or indoor wooden floors in shoes
It is seen as very rude.
Verified Oct 19, 2026Source: JNTO: Japanese etiquette
TabooPublic transportJapan
No phone calls on trains and the shinkansen; queue to board
- Put your phone on silent; on the shinkansen, take calls in the area between carriages
- Queue at the marked spots on either side of the train door, and let people off before you get on
- Give priority seats to older people, pregnant women and passengers with limited mobility
- Talking on the phone or playing sound aloud in the train
Not illegal, but you will get looks and a reminder from the conductor.
Verified Oct 19, 2026Source: JNTO: Japanese etiquette
TabooHot springsJapan
If you have tattoos, check the rules before using a hot spring
- Before you go, email the facility to ask about its rules
- Small to medium tattoos can be covered with skin-coloured patches (some onsen sell them)
- Choose a tattoo-friendly onsen, or book a private bath (kashikiri-buro) in advance
- Ignoring 'no tattoos' signs and getting in anyway
Most onsen do not allow guests with tattoos to bathe, but rules vary by facility and are often more relaxed for foreign visitors.
Verified Oct 19, 2026Source: JNTO: tattoo rules and etiquette at onsen
TabooHot springsJapan
Wash your body thoroughly before getting into a hot spring
- Before getting in, sit on the small stool in the washing area and wash your whole body with the shower or a bucket, leaving no soap
- Leave your small towel at the edge of the bath or fold it on your head
- Getting into the bath without rinsing first
- Dipping your towel in the bath water
- Leaving a used towel in the washing area
Not illegal, but other guests and the staff will see it as very rude. Most onsen require you to be fully naked in the bathing area.
Verified Oct 19, 2026Source: JNTO: a beginner's guide to onsen
