Cultural Etiquette Abroad: A Region-by-Region Guide to Respectful Travel

There is no single worldwide standard for polite behavior. The UN agency for tourism, UN Tourism (formerly UNWTO), states in its Global Code of Ethics for Tourism that travelers should "observe the social and cultural traditions and practices of all peoples" and conduct themselves "in harmony with the attributes and traditions of the host regions and countries and in respect for their laws, practices and customs." The code also asks destinations to keep religious buildings and monuments accessible to visitors "without prejudice to normal needs of worship," meaning sites can restrict access during prayers or ceremonies.

Japan: bowing, shoes and tipping

Japan's official tourism site, japan.travel, lists a bow as the standard greeting and notes that Japanese people are generally less inclined toward physical contact such as hugs or handshakes in everyday interactions. Shoes come off when entering homes, temples, hot springs (onsen) and some restaurants. At meals, the phrases "itadakimasu" before eating and "gochisosama desu" afterward are customary, and diners are expected to wait until everyone has been served before starting.

National Geographic's guide to Japanese etiquette adds specific chopstick rules: never pass food directly from one set of chopsticks to another, and never leave chopsticks standing upright in a bowl of rice, because both actions mirror funeral rites. National Geographic describes tipping in Japan as practically nonexistent, including in restaurants, hotels, taxis and salons, and notes it can even cause offense by implying a worker's pay is insufficient. For onsen bathing, the same National Geographic guide lists three rules: bathe nude, wash thoroughly with soap before entering the water, and keep hair and head out of the water; it adds that tattoos are traditionally banned at many traditional onsens, though some venues now allow bandage coverage or admit tattooed visitors.

Thailand: temples, feet and the head

The Tourism Authority of Thailand's official newsroom publishes a temple-etiquette guide specifying dress requirements: men should wear a shirt with sleeves and long pants or knee-covering shorts, while women need a top with sleeves and a skirt longer than knee-length — swimwear and revealing clothing are not allowed. Shoes must be removed before entering temple buildings, with shoe racks provided outside. Visitors are told to point their feet away from Buddha images when seated, since feet are considered the "lowest" part of the body in this context, and to remove hats and sunglasses on entry as a mark of respect.

The same TAT guide states that women must not touch monks or their robes; if a woman needs to hand something to a monk, she should pass it through a man or place the item down for the monk to pick up. Photography is generally permitted but visitors are told not to disrupt worshippers or position themselves above a Buddha image, and to walk clockwise around sacred objects without turning their back to a statue.

United Arab Emirates: dress and public affection

Guidance compiled by Rough Guides for the UAE describes modest dress as expected of all visitors outside hotel pools, noting that short skirts, low-cut tops and, for men, shorts can draw negative attention in public areas such as malls and souks. Public romantic displays between couples are "strongly discouraged"; the guide states that holding hands or a brief peck on the cheek is "probably just about OK" but more than that risks legal trouble. It also advises against shaking an Emirati woman's hand unless she offers it first, and recommends using the right hand for eating and drinking, a norm shared with South Asian dining customs.

Gestures that do not travel well

A travel-industry explainer from Remitly on gestures that change meaning abroad lists several commonly used signs that can misfire. The thumbs-up, read as approval in much of the West, is described as "highly offensive" in Iraq and Afghanistan, comparable to showing the middle finger, and as rude in parts of Latin America. The open-palm wave can be read as "no" or "stop" in parts of Europe and Asia, and in Greece the specific gesture known as the moutza — an open palm pushed toward someone — is called "extremely offensive." Head movements also vary: in Bulgaria and parts of the Balkans the usual yes/no nod is reversed, while in India a side-to-side head bobble can mean yes, maybe, or simply "I'm listening," depending on context.

• Check a country's specific dress and behavior rules before religious sites, not just general city norms.
• Ask before photographing people or worshippers, and avoid photographing from above a religious statue or image.
• Treat tipping as local custom rather than universal habit — it is unwelcome in Japan but expected in many other countries.
• Avoid the thumbs-up and open-palm wave in the Middle East, parts of Africa, Latin America and Greece unless you know local usage.
• Research right-hand/left-hand eating customs before dining in the UAE, South Asia or similar regions.