9 Essential Tips for Women Traveling in the Middle East ...

Neecey

Here’s the next in my series of advice for how to make the most of certain areas of the world, and this time, it is essential tips for women traveling in the Middle East. As always, I have taken the advice from the most reliable sources, as well as from personal experience and it is general, non-country specific advice. Although some of the region is best avoided completely at times (at the time of writing Syria and Egypt should not be on your travel list) with these tips for women traveling in the Middle East, you can enjoy an amazing experience in a beautiful, culturally rich and fascinating area of the world.

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1. Tone down Your Personality a Little

You may be the life of the party at home, but one of the essential tips for girl travelers in the Middle East is to tone is down a little to avoid unwanted attention! This is not to say that you can’t be yourself, but do your best to be more reserved. If this doesn’t sound like your cup of tea, then perhaps the Middle East isn’t the holiday destination for you.

2. Don’t Travel Alone

One of the most commonly ignored tips for female travelers in the Middle East is to not travel alone. This is important as Middle Eastern men are generally not comfortable speaking to and dealing with western women, and it is also considered strange in most areas for a woman to go places alone, which may result in you drawing unwanted interest. Your best bet if you have to travel alone however is to make a male friend back at your accommodation and drag him along with you during your Middle Eastern excursions and shopping adventures.

3. Have a Fake Husband

Although this may sound like a strange piece of advice for girls traveling in the Middle East, it’s not a bad idea to mention your “husband” if you get into a sticky or uncomfortable situation – even if you’re not married. If you are travelling with a male friend or boyfriend, it’s also not a bad idea to be “married” whilst you’re in the Middle East, as according to Sharia Law, women should not be alone with a man that they’re not related to.

4. Avoid Public Displays of Affection

One of the most important tips for females travelling in the Middle East is to avoid public displays of affection. What may seem like something completely harmless to you and the man in question, could potentially offend the locals, and in some cases even end you up in seriously hot water. Places like Dubai are really severe about enforcing this, which in some cases has resulted in “offenders” being jailed, so be respectful and keep it behind closed doors!

5. Dress Conservatively

A great way for females travelling in the Middle East to show that they respect the local culture is to dress in an appropriate manner, even if covering up in hot weather can often be rather challenging. Generally women are expected to be covered from their shoulders to their knees, meaning that three quarter pants or trousers and a non-revealing t-shirt are ok. If you plan on visiting a mosque however, you will be also required to wear a head scarf, and long gown (although these are often available on site).

6. Avoid Alcohol

Alcohol is strictly controlled in the Middle East, with people in many areas requiring a special alcohol license to drink at home. It is consequently prudent for girl travelers in the Middle East to limit their alcohol consumption, or better yet, not drink at all. The number of drink spikings, date rape cases and people going to jail for being drunk in public, should however, be enough to put most people off over indulging whilst abroad.

7. Pack Hand Sanitizer

Hand sanitizer is an absolute must for female travelers in the Middle East, as toilet paper is generally not available in restrooms located outside of major hotels. You may therefore find yourself reaching for your hand sanitizer on a rather regular basis while you’re out and about! Having a pack of tissues in your bag at all times is sensible. Also, it is a very good idea to pack enough personal sanitary products if your period is due to happen on your trip. Some places even advise that you pack nappy disposal bags for soiled product.

8. Choose Your Destinations Carefully

Girl travelers in the Middle East will find their trip a lot more pleasant if they choose their holiday destinations carefully. For example, if you would prefer not to have to deal with the extremely strict Muslim cultures of regions such as Saudi Arabia or Iran, you may like to head to countries such as the Lebanon or the touristy areas of the United Arab Emirates. While you still need to be respectful of Sharia Law in these regions, the locals are certainly a little more forgiving.

9. Respect Local Customs

Female travelers in the Middle East will find that respecting local customs such as gender segregation on public transport, or not importing and reading women’s magazines such as Cosmopolitan, Vogue and US Weekly, is a great way to keep themselves out of trouble. Although these requirements may seem a little alien to most western holiday makers, they are strictly enforced, so when in Rome….

Females should not feel discouraged about traveling to the Middle East. Like with most places that are a different culture to your own, it is a case of understanding what you should and shouldn’t do and adjust accordingly. Where have you been in the Middle East? What was your experience like?

Resources: hostelbookers.com, travelingthemiddleeast.com, jordanjubilee.com

Feedback Junction

Where Thoughts and Opinions Converge

Don\'t be so hard on the writer, this article is clearly for people who doesn\'t have a clue about Middle East. So better be on the safe side. There is not much information about it and instead of criticizing give some pointers.

Hahahaa iam from the middle east n i strongly not agree with them tips speacly the (fake husband) n the ( dont go alone) cuz they re not trueee n dont worry u will be fine we re friendly n no one cares what u wearing who u re with!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I do live in an African country not Middle East but for the country I live in these are true. I am not from that country and I do stand out. Maybe if your from those countries they don\'t judge you as much or the area your in or because your from there but being a foreigner to them and doing something a little different from the rest of the country you do stand out and they will judge. And out of respect you should think before you do something. Really it\'s about respecting the country and the people who live in it.

There are many places where PDA is inappropriate as well as where sanitiser is required. And being in a foreign country westerners will stand out and may be judged on appearances etc, that doesn\'t mean that you are like that, or anyone you know. In fact it might not occur where you live but that doesn\'t mean it doesn\'t happen, it happens in every country, including western countries. It is just general advice to prevent any issues occurring

Am from dubai in the Middle East..A lot of things you said are not true .. Women can come here alone and feel safe.. I don't know from were you got your information !!!

I just went to the Middle East over the summer and a lot of this isn\'t true. I went to Lebanon and we all went out for drinks and had a great time. Girls didn\'t have to act any differently than the guys

The fact that \"for our safety\" is brought up would keep me from EVER traveling to such a place. Muslims can come here and feel 1000000%%% safe where we can\'t do that. Enjoy

Nice article. I also am from the middle east it\'s fabulous i recommend everyone to visit besides all the misconceptions portrayed in the media. Yes it may be more strict and conservative then what ur use to but traveling is about experiencing different cultures and respecting them as well. So who ever is going to go. Good luck, have fun, and respect. You would want the same from a tourist as well :)

I think this article pretty much right on! Remember that she \'s not only talking about Lebanon here, the article is about the entire Middle East! I think the only thing wrong with it is how it\'s presented. The \"bring a sanitizer\" part can seem offending at first, but after reading \"why?\" It makes sense. No they don\'t have toilet paper in the places I\'ve lived in, that\'s because rather then just wiping with paper, we wash with water. In Islam that is the clean thing to do. At homes, people have toilet paper too, but they only have water in public places because that is the first priority.

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