40 Of The Strangest Rules People In Dubai Must Obey

How often do you hang your wet towels and clothes out to dry on the balcony on vacation? It’s a pretty normal habit, but it’s one that’s forbidden in Dubai. Why, though? According to Emirates247.com, doing so could affect the beauty of the city and potentially create a fire hazard. Also, no satellite dishes or rubbish can be on the balconies, either. Ignore this, and a fine of up to $400 could be coming your way.

If it’s been a while since you took your car through a car wash, you may want to avoid Dubai. Yep, it turns out parking your dirty motor in a public place could see you slapped with a fine of nearly $140. And being stubborn won’t pay off in this situation. Authorities will impound your car if you don’t pay. It’s as simple as that.

Picture the scene: you approach your car in Dubai and realize it’s a helluva lot dirtier than the other motors on the street. You spot a hose in a nearby garage and consider heading over there to give your car a quick clean. Think again! UAE law means that vehicle owners cannot clean their own cars in public. Instead, they must go to a licensed car wash with accredited workers. Well, at least you don’t have to do the chore yourself!

Do you like filming the sights when you’re abroad? Well, maybe think twice before hitting that record button if you’re in Dubai. In 2013 the authorities jailed and later released an American man who’d created a satiric video about youth culture in the city. And another individual was arrested that same year after sharing a clip he’d captured in which a member of the government could be seen getting violent with a motorist.

A curious no-no in Dubai and many other Arabic countries is displaying the soles of your footwear. Shoes are considered dirty. Who knows where they’ve been, right? And you should always take them off when going indoors, too! Unless you’re at the mall, of course. We think you’ll be okay there.

After wandering about in the oppressive heat of Dubai, the metro may seem like the perfect place for you to rest your legs and take a sip of your water. Well, don’t. According to The Culture Trip, consuming food or a beverage on public transport could see you pay nearly $40 in fines. That’s one way to keep public transport clean!

If the Dubai authorities spot you eating with your left hand, you may well be punished for it. It sounds unusually strict, right? But there is a logic behind it. The left hand is seen as being dirty in Arab culture because people are meant to use it to wipe themselves in the bathroom. So, lefties, you best practice eating with your right hand before traveling!

While visiting Dubai, you might feel the urge to fit in by walking around in the local dress. But according to The Culture Trip, you really shouldn’t. It’s actually seen as disrespectful for foreigners to don such clothes. The only time you can do it is when you’re invited by an Emirati to do so – such as on a desert safari.

Some people can’t get enough of snapping pictures of planes. But plane spotting is not something you want to be doing if you’re in Dubai. The United Arab Emirates government does not take kindly to the pastime. When three friends from the U.K. were caught plane spotting near Fujairah International Airport, for instance, they were detained and accused of spying. Wowzers.

Planning a vacation with your unmarried partner? Dubai may not be the place for you if you want to sleep in the same hotel room. That’s because it’s actually against the law to stay with a member of the opposite sex to whom you’re not married or closely related. You’ve been warned!

In 2017 an Australian man called Scott Richards found himself on the wrong side of the law in Dubai for the most curious of reasons. Unaware of laws prohibiting individuals from promoting overseas charities, he’d shared a Facebook post in support of an organization helping refugees in Afghanistan. Richards was later released from prison, but the lesson was surely learned!

Having a runny nose isn’t a crime, is it? Well, in Dubai it’s probably worth keeping a tissue handy! In 2017 British woman Caren Harmon was accused of snorting illicit substances on her flight to Dubai. In reality, though, she was simply feeling a little sniffly and under the weather.

We all know using fake currency is a crime, but what if you handed it over by accident in Dubai? Billy Barclay from Edinburgh, Scotland, found out the hard way. His counterfeit money saw him restrained and marched off to jail as his wife and children looked on. It’s surely good practice, then, to check your notes carefully.

People visiting Dubai need to be very careful about what they write or say about the UAE government. Yep, Amnesty International says that it is actually illegal to be critical of the authorities, its officials, the royals or the police. That kind of thing can get you arrested and in serious trouble, so watch out and keep your lips sealed.

Staying in a gorgeous private villa in Dubai sounds like the dream – until your air conditioning unit begins to leak, that is. Not only is it a nuisance, but you also have to face the full force of the law. Yep, accidental leakage of an air conditioning unit’s water – or any kind of H2O – on the pavement or roads can land you a fine of just over $25.

The UAE has its friends and enemies. And one of those foes in recent times has been Qatar. In June 2017 the government introduced a law that made it illegal to display sympathy for the rival Gulf nation online, in print or vocally. There was a slight thawing of relations in January 2021, though, so watch this space.

Despite being a modern business and travel hub, the UAE is also very conservative. And with that conservatism comes a law against cross-dressing. Breaking it could see you fined or even put in jail, so it’s probably best just to wait until you get home. At least you’ll have more room in the suitcase now!

If you’re a woman, getting whistled at in the street is unfortunately still fairly common in western countries such as the United States and Britain. But it’s a lot rarer in Dubai. In fact, the Khaleej Times notes that any action that makes women feel uncomfortable – such as dropping phone numbers, long stares and cat-calls – can lead to a fine or even a prison sentence.

We know what you’re thinking: there’s nothing wrong with a bit of innocent flirting to make the day more interesting. Nuh-uh. Not in Dubai. Anyone engaging in this behavior could land themselves in a sticky situation. Flirting is viewed as disrespecting women here. And according to lawyer Ashish Mehta, you could be looking at a year’s jail time, deportation or a heavy fine.

Are you one of those people who likes to play your portable stereo on the beach or around the pool? If yes, know that this kind of thing is generally frowned upon in Dubai. And during Ramadan, it is actually a punishable crime. The city shuts all of its nightclubs and bars during this sacred month in the Islamic calendar, too. Best put those headphones on instead!

You might think that throwing the “okay” sign with your hand to a local would be acceptable anywhere in the world. But not in Dubai. In Arabic culture, it apparently represents the evil eye. So if a restauranteur asks if your food is good, just say yes. Unless, of course, it’s not. In which case, we’re sure the chef will be more than obliging.

Dancing is allowed in certain nightspots in Dubai, though there are rules that you must follow to avoid getting in trouble. The authorities do not take kindly to any kind of dirty or amorous dancing, for example. And they’ll punish those seen doing it. Of course, you are welcome to dance how you like in your hotel room or a private club. Just keep an eye on your moves in public bars!

Emirati people are very hospitable to guests, and they like to show off their culture. Personal greetings often include hugs, kisses and praises to Allah. But be warned: you shouldn’t shake an Emirati woman’s hand unless they hold out theirs. And unless she makes the first move, don’t reach out for a kiss or cuddle, either.

If you are someone who curses a fair bit, then going to Dubai is probably a bad idea. That’s because swearing in public is a crime in the UAE. Article 373 of the UAE Penal Code asserts that it “disgraces the honor or the modesty” of a person. Cursing could, in fact, land you in prison for up to a year and with a fine for as much as $3,000.

Using binoculars on vacation allows you to see the sights from a whole new, up-close-and-personal perspective. But you should resist the urge to use them in Dubai, as there’s a good chance you’ll get in trouble. Yes, word is you need a license for them. And the same can be said for satellite phones, recording devices and powerful cameras, too.

We all like indulging in a bit of tittle-tattle now and then, right? It seems innocent enough, but gossiping in Dubai – particularly on social media – can see you locked up for three years and fined up to $275,000. So, be careful what you post.

Hand signals you may feel are harmless or even complimentary may be quite insulting in Dubai. Take beckoning someone with your finger, for instance. This is offensive to Emirati Arabs because they use the gesture to get their dog’s attention.

Dubai may not be the best destination for honeymooners. And that’s because public displays of affection – from kissing to holding hands – are simply not allowed. When two British friends allegedly kissed while dining out back in 2010, they were thrown in jail for a month.

We’ve all been there: you’re in a packed bar, and your drink is full to the brim and at risk of spilling. So, you tap the person nearby who looks like they may knock it over. This is exactly what happened to Scottish man Jamie Harron while in Dubai in 2017. He ended up spending three months in jail for “public indecency” and even lost his job in the process.

Flipping the bird or making a known obscene gesture is not a pleasant thing to do anywhere. But it’s actually against the law in Dubai. Yep, sticking your middle finger up at someone can land you in jail, as U.K. citizen Jamil Ahmed Mukadam discovered back in 2017. He apparently flipped the bird at a driver tailgating his hire car. Whoops!

Obviously, being drunk and disorderly in any country is not a good idea. But in Dubai, the behavior is deemed to be extremely offensive – particularly given that Emirati locals don’t drink. Tipsy behavior can land you in prison here, so be careful.

Have you ever sneakily checked your partner’s phone to see what they’re up to? Well, we wouldn’t recommend doing so in Dubai, as the UAE has very stringent privacy laws. And we’re not just saying that. In 2018 a British woman was jailed for three months after copying data from her husband’s phone without his consent or knowledge.

We all love taking photos on vacation, right? The pictures capture memories of special times with family and friends. Though in Dubai you have to be very careful not to snap people without their consent. Reports say lots of men have been taken into custody for allegedly photographing women on the beach. And the fines are substantial.

Social media is the best place to have a grumble – especially if you’ve got a photo to help back up your point. Though this is not the done thing in Dubai. When an Australian woman shared a picture of someone parked across a disabled parking space back in 2015, the strict UAE cybercrime laws meant that she was later arrested. Best to keep your complaints to yourself, then. You’ve been warned!

Giving the thumbs up can never be offensive, can it? Erm, yes it can, actually. In Dubai and other parts of the Arab world, it seems the gesture is roughly the equivalent of flipping the bird. So, if you stand on the road with your thumb up, you’ll probably get more than a free ride – and we don’t mean in a good way.

Conservatism in the UAE means the people are very strict about dressing modestly. Visitors must be sure to cover both the tops of their legs and arms. And your underwear should never be on show, either. Bagging up some lightweight trousers and shirts before your visit would be a very good idea.

You might be surprised to learn that eating and drinking in public could land you in prison in the UAE. Okay, it’s a bit more complicated than that. The law only applies during the month of Ramadan, when locals fast from dawn until dusk. Don’t worry, though. No one’s going to arrest you if you devour your sandwich in the comfort of your hotel room.

Swearing on messaging platforms in Dubai could land you in pretty hot water. A British woman discovered this in 2021 after cursing at her flatmate during a WhatsApp conversation. She was later put into custody after trying to board a flight home. Beware: defaming someone on a social media platform can lead to fines of up to nearly $140,000 or a year in prison. Neither sounds like an option you’d want to face!

You won’t find your favorite poppy-seed-covered bagel in Dubai, that’s for sure! The little seeds are seriously frowned upon in the UAE, as they originate from heroin and opium. If you bring so much as one into the country, you could pay for it in prison time. In the past, one poor Swiss man was reportedly jailed for four years on drug possession charges after being found with four poppy seeds from a bagel he had eaten on his travels.

Now, we’ve all stood on something by mistake – from dog dirt to chewing gum. But visitors to Dubai need to be extra careful of what they step on. Take British tourist Keith Brown, for instance. BBC News notes that he received a four-year jail sentence after customs officials found 0.003 grams of marijuana stuck to his shoe. And, no, that’s not a typo.

That’s the beautiful thing about the world. No two countries or cultures are exactly the same. And there’s one group in particular that stands out as being a little different. Most of you have, no doubt, heard of the Amish community. They, too, have to follow some unique and strict rules – from rejecting modern technology to wearing the same hairstyle every day.

At the heart of the Amish way of life is the Ordnung – the set of codes guiding their way of life. But what many of you may not know is that it isn’t actually written down. Instead, it’s passed on from person to person. And its precise nature can vary between Amish communities – depending on the specific circumstances of each neighborhood.

Amish clothing is easy to identify; after all, the community’s fashion sense is so plain that it inadvertently stands out. Amish ladies tend to don long, plain dresses, which are designed to be modest. And when they attend church, their dresses can advertise their relationship status. Apparently, if they wear a white apron it means they’re unmarried, whereas the apron is black if they are.

The Amish are opposed to standing out as individuals. Instead, they seek to concentrate on their communities and a reverence to God. A focus on the self is something to be resisted, with actions placing the collective first being much more desirable.

The Amish have a strong inclination for communal activity and largely reject individuality. So as you can imagine, they are pretty suspicious of technology. According to Ranker, they believe anything that helps individuals to do something on their own will ultimately put a strain on the collective. And this means that electricity is banned within Amish residences.

Like other kids in America, Amish children learn to read, write and do basic math from a young age. But Ranker notes that they then focus on learning more practical skills after eighth grade. Yep, things like running a farm or perfecting a craft are considered to be much more important.

The Amish are very suspicious of institutions, so decisions are taken at a local level. Each district adheres to its own version of the Ordnung – without a dominant authority dictating life for everyone else. It’s instead down to smaller groups to decide on the best course of action to take.

Amish men apparently don’t grow any facial hair until after they’ve married. From then on, they can let their beards grow out. Yet they still need to keep shaving away their mustaches. This is because hair over the upper lip reminds the pacifist Amish of military figures from the 19th century, according to the BBC. And these people are to be scorned by the community.

The Amish won’t ever become cops or sign up to the military, but they have their reasons. They’re an unequivocally non-violent community. And this stance is held so strongly that members won’t even concern themselves with the workings of the American courts. Legal proceedings are themselves perceived as acts of violence.

Having kids is a huge deal in Amish culture, and big family units are common. Throughout the course of its history, in fact, the Amish community has largely been opposed to birth control. Having said that, there are indications that maybe these old-fashioned attitudes are beginning to change a little. Author Donald Kraybill told the website Amish America that some in the community utilize both artificial and natural forms of birth control.

Marriage is a big step in anyone’s life, but there are some rules that Amish people must adhere to. Mainly, they have to tie the knot with other members of the community. This limits the amount of potential partners out there for Amish people, but that doesn’t mean they can marry close relatives. Cousins strictly aren’t allowed to wed, and second cousins are advised not to.

No doubt you’ll remember playing with dolls as child. But imagine being given one without facial features. Yes, the Amish give kids dolls which also lack other recognizable features like toes, hair and fingers, Ranker claims. And there’s a good reason for this. It means that no singular one is better than any other – ultimately averting a situation where one child has a better toy than another. As a result, this means kids won’t become vain.

The majority of Christians go to a church in order to worship. But the Amish actually do this at home – with individual residences taking it in turns to host the services. Sometimes, Ranker claims that the preacher delivering these sermons has to go from room to room so that everyone can hear what they are saying.

Back in 1965 the U.S. Congress allowed the Amish community to break from the Social Security system. In other words, they would no longer contribute funding to it – nor would they be eligible to collect money either. The Amish are instead happier to look after each other without relying on the program.

Generally speaking, music in Amish communities will come exclusively from the use of people’s voices. Instruments tend to be banned, as they’re considered to go against the Amish way of life. Yet according to Ranker, the harmonica is one of a limited variety of instruments that’s occasionally allowed.

The Amish are a culturally conservative people, and they have strict views on how women should live their lives. These ideas, of course, extend to the way that the group’s religious activities are run. Specifically, females in the community aren’t allowed to take up any prominent roles within the church.

The clothes of the Amish are plain – ensuring that individuals aren’t elevated over their peers by the things they wear. But there are also even more specific fashion rules that must be adhered to. Ranker writes that pockets are often prohibited, as are zippers and buttons. Instead, clothing can be secured in place with pins.

The Amish are a sexually conservative group, and they’ve even developed a practice to help keep young people from engaging in premarital relations. Ranker notes that the custom is called “bundling,” and it involves an unmarried pair lying in bed alongside one another. The couple aren’t allowed to touch, and they might even be rolled up into blankets to keep contact from occurring. They then stay up chatting – apparently.

Plenty of religious groups are delighted when they receive new members – often going to great lengths to make it happen. The Amish, on the other hand, like to keep their community closed off from outsiders. This doesn’t mean that they turn away wannabe members, but they don’t actively seek people out, either.

You aren’t likely to ever see a member of the Amish community getting behind the wheel of a car. No, they prefer to get around the place with the help of a horse-drawn carriage instead. And these buggies are often painted a certain color to represent the specific group that they belong to, according to Ranker.

Amish are banned from ever driving an automobile, but that doesn’t mean they can’t hitch a ride. Ranker notes that members of the community are allowed to sit with an outsider. They can even book a chauffeur to get them from A to B if necessary.

The Amish tend to give mechanical farm machinery a wide berth and opt for horses instead. But in some cases, you might actually see tractors being used on their farms. According to the BBC, these vehicles have wheels made out of steel, so they can’t be driven on a road.

Given the old-fashioned nature of Amish society, women are often tasked with running the family and the household. Though there are instances in which young ladies can take up work outside of the home. Typically, these young women could be teachers, textile workers or waitresses in Amish establishments.

The Amish are expected to live by the community’s rules, and they have a system for dealing with people who don’t. The BBC notes that if there’s a misbehaver in the group, all the other members may “shun” this person. This means that they do not speak or consume food with them. The ignored person will then be reintegrated if the group decides that they’ve been redeemed.

Individuals within the Amish community who've been found to have behaved particularly badly are kicked out of the community entirely. This isn’t a decision taken lightly, and the group will try other things first to pull the misbehaver back in line. But if they fail and everybody agrees to it, the individual can be banished.

Did you know that the Amish tend to avoid baptizing their children? Yes, instead they apparently wait until a person has grown up and is capable of voluntarily making such a decision themselves, Ranker notes. The idea is that this means young people join the Amish faith of their own accord.

Amish tradition dictates that members of the community can’t swear an oath in court, according to the BBC. Similarly, they can’t become politicians. For that matter, they’re prohibited from taking up any roles in elected office. And generally speaking, Amish people won’t be found on their way to the voting booths for any elections.

The Amish generally keep to themselves, but that doesn’t exactly mean that they’re totally isolated from wider society. As a matter of fact, they do sometimes interact with people from beyond their own community. As per the BBC, they refer to these outsiders as “English,” and they can sometimes forge beneficial relationships with them.

A certain degree of interaction with the outside world does exist within the Amish community, though it tends to be minimal. And contact is generally avoid whenever possible. That’s why the Amish aren’t allowed phones inside of their homes, though they can apparently be found in some communal spaces.

The Amish hold some very old-fashioned values when it comes to the subject of family. Relationships may only take place between a man and a woman, and couples aren’t allowed to engage in sexual relations before they get married. And you'd better pick the right partner, because divorces aren't permitted in the community.

Erecting barns within an Amish community is a huge deal. They even have a specific term for the act. A “frolic” sees men doing the heavy lifting and the women running the festivities. Though Ranker claims that agriculture is becoming less important to the Amish, so frolics aren’t occurring as much as they used to.

When an Amish kid is 16 years old, they’re sent to the outside world in a practice known as Rumspringa. This allows them to see what life outside the community is really like. This means that they can make an informed decision as to whether or not they want to commit to the Amish lifestyle for the rest of their lives.

Ministers in Amish society aren’t compensated for running religious services. No, it’s just another aspect to their duties within the community – like farming or any other tasks. Ministers are selected by the community, and they are made up of three ranks. At the top is a bishop, followed by a preacher and a deacon.

The Ausbund is the established hymn within Amish culture, yet it doesn’t actually have a set tune. Instead, it’s actually different for each community. Other songs can be performed during an Amish religious service, with some even going on for half an hour, according to Ranker. And the singing itself is often delivered in a slow manner.

The holy days that are most important to other Christian communities are also observed by the Amish. It’s just that the specifics might look a little different. Christmas, for example, won’t involve kids getting to meet Santa Claus. But other traditions like baking traditional cookies can be seen in Amish communities.

If you ever visit an Amish settlement, it might be better to leave the camera at home. Most communities don’t take kindly to outsiders coming in and photographing them. According to Ranker, they are of the view that taking pictures is against biblical ideas of idol worship and humility. The publication adds that not only do Amish not like posed shots, they even receive government identification documents without a picture.

Every effort is taken to avoid outside intervention when things go wrong in an Amish community. Where possible, the problems will be dealt with by bringing everyone together and trying to work things out. But there have been instances where lawyers have been called in to help sort things out.

The Amish don’t want their way of life to be tainted by external forces. Naturally, then, they don’t own TVs or radio sets. In an article from 2009, the BBC quoted one Amish person as saying, “Television is the sewer line that connects you directly to the cesspool of Hollywood.” But any Amish out there looking to get their fill needn’t worry too much. There’s apparently a loophole which allows them to use someone else’s devices.

It’s an innocent and joyous act for many of us, but the Amish think of dancing as an indecent act. Grown-up members of the community are consequently banned from ever getting down and having a boogie, according to Ranker. Younger folk, though, can shake it during their trip to the outside world during the Rumspringa.

The Amish are compelled to dress in a plain and simple manner. And this, of course, extends to the ways in which ladies wear their hair. Generally speaking, women should tie it into a bun, which they’ll then cover with a cap. And it probably won’t be a surprise to learn that they can’t apply any makeup.

It’s an important belief within the Amish community that God wants us humans to appreciate and respect nature. That’s why you’ll always find the group living in the countryside – rather than in any urban areas. Ultimately, members of the group seek to experience their lives in unity with the natural world.