Dos & Don'ts

The UAE is a tolerant but rule-based country. As a tourist, you will rarely encounter problems if you show respect — but some rules are different from those in Europe:

✅ Dos

• Greet with “As-salamu alaikum" (Peace be upon you) — it is always appreciated
• Show respect for Emirati culture and Islam
• Dress appropriately in malls and public buildings (shoulders + knees covered)
• Ask for permission before photographing locals (especially women)
• Use the right hand for eating, greeting, and giving — the left is considered unclean
• Do not show the soles of your feet towards others (considered rude)
• Accept offered Arabic coffee and dates — refusal can be seen as impolite

❌ Don'ts

• No public affection: Holding hands is tolerated, kissing and hugging in public is not. Penalty: Fine up to deportation.
• No swearing: Offensive gestures or insults (even in traffic!) can lead to arrest.
• No photographing government buildings, military installations, or palaces
• No drugs: Absolute zero tolerance. Possession of even the smallest amounts (even traces in the blood) can lead to years of imprisonment. Cannabis residues on shoes from the last Amsterdam trip? Theoretically punishable.
• No criticism of the ruling family or the government — neither in person nor on social media
• No cohabitation outside marriage: Officially decriminalized since 2022, but culturally still sensitive