Dubai is a dream destination for many, and understandably so. This place is like a luxurious mirage in the middle of a desert, except it’s not a mirage, it’s real. It’s beautiful, mesmerizing and very expensive. Why? Well, there are rooftop bars, rooftop pools, rooftop tennis courts and anything you can and can’t imagine on a rooftop. There’s also man made islands and a skyline so gorgeous New York pales in comparison. You can find the best haute couture and designer shops here and the trendiest, newest, most expensive cars. The only downside? You have to abide by the Sharia laws. So let’ take a look at some of the things you might want to do, but definitely shouldn’t if you don’t want to end up jail.
Drinking
Dubai is known for its incredible nightlife, and yes, that means bars and clubs where you can drink alcohol. However, you can only drink in the designated places, and nowhere else. So like if you’re thinking of having a beer on the beach or just as you’re walking down the street – it’ll get you in trouble. Same goes for walking around the city while being drunk – not a good idea. If you’re acting drunk – you might get arrested or fined.
PDA
This might be weird for westerners, but kissing or even holding hands in public is frowned upon in Dubai. So if you love public displays of affection you might want to cool it down while you’re here. And if you like making out with people in clubs – forget it! You risk jail time if you do this. A couple has been arrested in Dubai and jailed for 3 months for getting all hot and heavy at the beach. On the plus side – gawking at women is also forbidden, so for once you’ll be treated with respect by men.
Driving
We’ve mentioned that Dubai has the newest most luxurious cars. And yes, you can rent them for a drive along the gorgeous streets. But as with everything, Dubai has very strict driving rules and even the slightest speeding, tailgating or even something as harmless as flashing your lights just for show could result in a very expensive fine. So it’s better to just take a cab, after all, those are also fancy as hell here.
Medicine
Last but not least – you should be very careful when bringing medicine over the border. As you know, Dubai takes drugs seriously, and all sorts of recreational drugs are prohibited here. In fact, their rules are so strict that some of your cough medicine or painkillers might also be on the list of illegal meds here, so it’s best to be thorough and check what you can and can not bring here, even if it’s something so harmless as ibuprofen.
Showing Too Much Skin
You don’t have to be completely covered, but do consider that Dubai is used to modesty. There’s a courtesy policy which requires you to wear respectable clothes. No short shorts, no crop tops and no micro dresses. And it’s not just women who are affected by these rules. Men also aren’t allowed to be shirtless no matter how hot it gets. So you now, think “would my mother/grandma approve of this outfit?” and you’ll probably be ok.
Taking Photos
Dubai is very impressive and you’ll definitely want to take thousands of pictures wherever you go, but you should keep in mind that it’s considered rude to take pictures of people without asking their permission first. So while you’re free to snap away as many pictures of the incredible architecture as you want – make sure not to include any locals in your pics.
Cursing
Cursing is a big no-no in Dubai. In most western countries cursing is just a part of life. No one will be surprised by you dropping an F bomb in Europe or America, but in Dubai you might actually get arrested for swearing. Same goes for blasphemy. So it’s best not to curse while you’re there.
