When in the Emirates, do what the locals do and be respectful of the dress standards. Find out how to stay out of trouble with these tips to dress appropriately in the UAE.

Dress codes for travelers in the UAE

The UAE is a Muslim country, and so there are expectations of how visitors should dress. For visitors that stay in resorts and hotels, the dress code is whatever you want to wear, but in areas where there are more local people, dress conservatively. There are also slightly different standards depending on which Emirate you find yourself in, in Dubai, the dress code is much more relaxed than in Sharjah or Ajman, for example.

There are guidelines setting out the dress code, and there are signs at the entrances to malls and hotels reminding visitors of the rules, in particular the covering of shoulders and knees, which goes for both men and women. Women should cover their hair when visiting a mosque and everyone should cover their arms and legs before entering a place of worship. Beach clothes should only be worn at the beach or pool.

What’s acceptable dress in Dubai?

Even in Dubai, arguably the most relaxed Emirate, for both men and women, officially, it means covering the shoulders and the knees (and everything in between). Spaghetti straps will raise eyebrows, and in some places where the clientele is more local, you may get stopped by security and reminded to cover up.

You do not have to hide your figure, as you do in Iran, but tight-fitting clothing can still cause offense. That said, go to any of the popular weekend brunches, and you’d be forgiven for thinking you are in Europe during a heatwave. But then, these events are rarely attended by locals, nor Muslims.

All genders should keep sports clothes on the sports field, including cycling shorts (name me a culture where cycling shorts are NOT considered offensive!), but everyone understands that when you are walking home from the gym, you might be a little under-dressed.

At the hotel and resort beaches, but not all public beaches, women can wear bikinis, but going topless, even in private resorts, is not ok. Young children can wear whatever you want them to, but don’t let them run around completely nude, for the sun alone, if nothing else.

While there is no law against this, try to avoid clothing with offensive slogans or symbols. Think carefully and conservatively about this one.

What if my dress offends in Dubai?

If what you’ve chosen to wear doesn’t quite meet the dress code, expect to be turned away at the entrance to a mall or a public building. An easy way around this is to carry a large, loose shirt, or a scarf in your bag to cover up what needs covering up at short notice.

Before departing for Vietnam, prepare key factors for a smooth trip. Enable essential phone features, update credit/debit card info, and download payment and navigation apps. Opt for international roaming plans to stay connected and secure, ensuring uninterrupted access to services like hotels, taxis, and restaurants, crucial in emergencies.

Stay connected with International Roaming plans

When travelling, choosing an international roaming plan is essential for uninterrupted connectivity.

Stay in touch with loved ones and easily access crucial services like hotels, taxis, and restaurants. These plans offer invaluable support during emergencies, providing peace of mind and swift assistance.

Stay prepared with emergency contacts

Being prepared for emergencies includes saving crucial contacts on your phone. Ensure you have numbers for the police, fire department, ambulance, and helplines for natural disasters. Having these contacts readily available will ensure a quick response during critical situations.

Ensure smooth financial transactions

To ensure a seamless financial experience during your trip to Vietnam, it’s crucial to prepare your payment methods in advance. Begin by ensuring your debit/credit cards are set for international use. Access your bank’s app or net banking portal to enable international transactions, or visit a branch for assistance if needed.

Consider acquiring a Forex card for convenient spending and ATM withdrawals. Load the desired amount onto the card before your trip for easy access to funds while abroad. These steps will help you avoid any financial hiccups during your travels, ensuring a worry-free and financially secure experience. With your finances in order, you can focus on creating lasting memories in Vietnam.

Important apps to download for your Vietnam trip

Here’s a list of important apps for navigation, public transport, cab-hailing services, food delivery, and more for Vietnam:

Google Maps: For navigation and finding places of interest.

Google Translate: Helpful for translating Vietnamese text.

XE Currency: To quickly convert between Vietnamese Dong and your home currency.

Grab: A popular ride-hailing app in Vietnam, similar to Uber.

Vietnam eVisa: If you need a visa, this app provides eVisa services.

Vietnamese by Nemo: Language learning app for basic Vietnamese phrases.

Traveloka: For booking flights, hotels, and activities in Vietnam.

GrabFood: GrabFood is part of the Grab app and offers a wide range of food delivery options from local restaurants and chains.

Moovit: Moovit provides information on public transportation routes, schedules, and real-time updates for buses, trains, and other modes of transport in major cities like Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City.

BusMap: BusMap offers bus routes and schedules in major cities, including Hanoi, Ho Chi Minh City, and Da Nang, helping users navigate the public transport system.

Transit: Transit is another app that offers public transport information, including bus and metro schedules, in cities around the world, including Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City.

With heatwaves becoming the norm around the world, here’s how to cope and stay safe when traveling in extreme heat conditions.

The world is seeing hotter temperatures, year after year. In June 2024, temperatures in Mecca reached 125°F (52°C), causing hundreds of fatalities among Hajj pilgrims. And the western and southern US experienced record-breaking heatwaves in late June and early July this year. It goes without saying that when the weather heats up, it’s important to stay hydrated; but water isn’t the only factor in staying cool in the extreme heat. Here’s what you need to know about staying safe and hydrated when traveling in hot climates and unusually hot weather.

Stay hydrated

Regardless of how long you’ll be in the sun, it’s crucial to always to bring sufficient water along. If you do a lot of hiking, you may even want to invest in a hydration pack, which is basically a mini backpack with a removable “water bladder” inside. A tube connects the water bladder to a mouthpiece, which runs up and along one of the backpack’s straps so you can easily sip while walking. These hydration packs come in different sizes and can usually accommodate some snacks, your phone, and perhaps a light jacket. Many large backpacker-style backpacks also have a hydration sleeve to slide the bladder in, so you don’t have to purchase separate bladders for different backpacks.

If a hydration pack isn’t your style (or it’s not in your budget), there’s nothing wrong with packing good old-fashioned reusable water bottles. If you’ll need more water than you can or want to carry that day, bring a high-quality water filter so you can drink from streams, rivers, and questionable public water sources. Some travelers like to bring one large water bottle or canteen, but I like to bring several small ones since I think they’re easier to whip out and drink from.

Most backpacks have side pockets that can accommodate water bottles; if not, you can throw them inside if they are leak-proof. You could also attach bottles to your backpack or hip pouch using a carabiner if your bottles have handles. If you want to combine the convenience of small water bottles and the easy access of a hydration pack’s sip tube, you can buy a holster attachment for your backpack’s front strap to store your bottle right on your chest. And, while insulated bottles aren’t necessary, ice-cold water is especially refreshing during a long hot hike.

Also, remember that as important as drinking water is when you’re active outdoors, it’s just as important to replenish electrolytes if you’re doing strenuous activities. Electrolyte supplements help restore the salt and minerals lost through sweat, which helps prevent fatigue. Instead of buying pre-made energy drinks, which are full of artificial colors and flavors and which come in earth-destroying plastic bottles, you can purchase small electrolyte tabs that you simply drop into your water to dissolve.

Travel with snacks

Though overeating can make you feel extra sluggish and uncomfortable in extremely hot weather, getting enough calories in your system to fuel your adventures is important. Always eat breakfast if you’re heading out on a hike or an action-packed day, and bring along snacks to munch on when you get hungry. While headaches and dizziness are often a symptom of dehydration, they can also be a symptom of low blood sugar. If you begin to feel lightheaded, it’s time to drink and eat up. In fact, it’s past the time you should have been drinking and eating, so you really need to pause, take a break, and start sipping and snacking.

Take regular activity breaks

If an adventure is really that good, it’s possible you might not take enough breaks. After all, the trail is just another mile long, you want to finish before sunset, or you’re having so much fun that you simply forget to stop. If it’s very hot outside, it’s imperative that you stop regularly, even if you don’t feel tired, hungry, or thirsty. If there is shade, find it and sit down for a few minutes; you’ll be surprised by how refreshed you can feel after only a few minutes of resting in the shade. Use the break to throw another electrolyte tab in your water, eat an apple or granola bar, or just relax and breathe. If you’re out with someone who moves faster than you, don’t feel embarrassed to let them know you need a break. It may not occur to them that you’re tired or overheated, and it doesn’t help anyone if you push yourself too hard and suffer heat stroke.

Wear sunscreen

Sunscreen is important anytime you’re in the sun, and if you’re traveling in a hot climate, it’s extra important to re-apply frequently since you’ll likely be sweating it off. According to Johns Hopkins Medicine, SPF 30 may be good enough for day-to-day use, but if you are outdoors, they recommend using SPF 60 or greater and reapplying it about every two hours. If you’re sweating a lot or if you’ve been swimming, you may need to reapply even more often. Also, remember that even if it’s cloudy out, the sun can still burn, so wear sunscreen regardless of what the skies look like.

Sun-protective clothing and headwear

No sunscreen is perfect and it can be annoying to apply and reapply every two hours, so wearing sun-protective clothing can be very convenient. Sunglasses may protect your eyes, but wide-brimmed hats provide additional coverage for the eyes and also shield your neck and face. Lightweight, long-sleeved shirts and pants are also readily available, and many hiking pants are “convertible,” so you can zip off the bottoms to easily turn them into shorts. UPF is the clothing-rating equivalent to SPF and for the best protection, choose clothes with a UPF rating above 50.

While you might think that wearing long sleeves in the heat is counter-intuitive, know that long sleeves protect your skin from damaging UV rays and also help keep you cool by providing a barrier between you and the sun. The best fabrics are lightweight and wick away moisture, as cotton can trap your sweat and leave you walking around in a hot and soggy shirt all day. Instead, look for light-colored clothing made from wool or synthetics that were specially designed for the heat.

Since long-sleeved shirts can be warmer than short-sleeved shirts when you’re indoors or in the shade, I like to pair short-sleeved shirts with detachable UPF arm sleeves. This way, I can easily whip them off, similar to how convertible pants zip off at the bottoms. I use cycling sleeves for biking, hiking, and sightseeing since they are specifically designed to protect you from the sun without causing you to overheat.

Avoid the midday sun and extreme heat

Regardless of where you are and what time of year it is, the sun is usually strongest – and the temperature usually highest – right around midday and in the early afternoon. By heading out early (or even late in the afternoon), you can avoid the hottest time of day, which is safer and more comfortable. If you absolutely cannot avoid being out during peak sunshine, aim for activities and itineraries that include shade. For instance, instead of mid-day desert hikes where there is nowhere to duck into the shade, opt for a forested hike where the leafy branches block out some sun. If there’s a river, lake, or water source where you can safely jump in, consider taking a dip to cool down.

If temperatures are unusually and extremely high, consider not venturing outside at all. Instead, stay indoors with windows and doors closed, blinds or shades closed, and limit your physical activity.

There’s never a bad time to travel to Latin America.

Travelers have flocked to Latin American countries such as Mexico during the pandemic due to some of the easiest entry requirements in the world.

If you’ve never been to Latin America, you’re in for a treat. Awesome food, beautiful scenery, and friendly locals await. But here are some tips to help you make the most of your trip.

Learn a Little Spanish (or Portuguese)

Look, I’m not saying you need to get fluent in Spanish before your vacation in a few months.

But it’s not hard to learn the basics, especially with all of the resources that exist today, from smartphone apps to audio courses.

Just 30 minutes a day during your downtime or commute is enough to get some elementary Spanish under your belt. And even that will go along way.

Not only will it help you navigate and communicate, finding hidden gems and making friends, there are some more subtle benefits that you might not even notice at first.

Be Wary of Scams

If you’re traveling in the developing world, someone’s going to try to scam you at some point. That’s just a fact you have to deal with.

And it’d take a whole other post to lay out all the things you need to look out for and avoid.

Fortunately, most scams are rather petty, like charging you a few extra bucks for an item or service. And you’ll start to get a sense for them as you travel more.

But just maintaining a general awareness will put you on the right track. Yes, the locals are friendly, but some of those seemingly “friendly” people are actually trying to get one over on you. So, be wary when someone approaches you with an offer or “deal”. This even applies to police officers.

Taxis are another common source of scams in Latin America. Make sure they use the meter. If it’s “broken”, find another taxi. Pay attention to the route they take, and try to have small bills to pay with.

Don’t Carry Too Much Cash

Crime is another unfortunate reality of traveling in Latin America.

But just like with scams, you can greatly reduce your risk by exercising some general awareness and caution.

For starters, don’t walk around with big wads of cash in your pocket – and don’t flash all your cash at once. The same goes for your $800 smartphone, jewelry, or other expensive items that might attract pickpockets or muggers.

Don’t go wandering around at night or through random, sketchy neighborhoods, especially not alone. And try to get a sense of the areas to avoid, whether it’s from a tour guide or the locals.

Following the tips above will make you unlikely to fall victim to crime. But if you are mugged, just give them what they want. It’s a scary experience, but usually you’ll just end up losing some money or a few of your belongings.

Get Out of Your Comfort Zone

Don’t let the stuff about scams and crime frighten you. Chances are, you’ll be fine.

And hey, one of the main reasons for traveling abroad is experiencing new things. So, don’t fall into the traveler’s trap of spending your whole trip in a gated resort, eating hamburgers or pizza, and only visiting the pre-approved tourist attractions.

Get out of your comfort zone a little. Try new dishes, wander off the beaten path, flex your rudimentary Spanish at the local market, and maybe do a little salsa dancing, even if you have no rhythm.

Befriend the Locals

And don’t just stick with your group either!

Not only is interacting with locals fun and educational, you may find yourself getting better deals, finding new sites or restaurants, or even being invited to dinner.

The people are part of what makes a city or country what it is. So, explore a village, haggle at the market, take a cooking class, or just chat it up with the waitress at that hole-in-the-wall restaurant.

Respect the Local Culture

Like I said, you should cut loose a bit on vacation.

But that doesn’t – and shouldn’t – have to come at the cost of a place’s culture. No, you don’t have to go fully “local”, or wear a sombrero.

Just keep in mind that you’re a guest here. Have fun, enjoy yourself, but try not to get too belligerently drunk in public, dress inappropriately, litter at or cause damage to historic sites, or other silly things like that.

Buy Travel Insurance

It’s always worth buying travel insurance before an international trip, especially if you’re into more adventurous activities, like hiking, surfing, or paragliding. But even just eating out or swimming at the beach could carry a small chance of illness or injury when you’re in an exotic country.

In fact, many countries now require tourists and other travelers to have insurance before they arrive.

Do Your Research

By reading this article, you’re already following this last tip. Kudos.

But hopefully, your research doesn’t stop here. Because there are so many things to discover, from where you’ll go and stay and what you’ll do there to the visa requirements at your destination(s).

Other things you might want to research are exchange rates, weather, and local customs.

But don’t get too carried away. You’ll never be able to perfectly plan everything in advance. And adapting and improvising during your tip is part of the fun of travel!