1. To Tip or Not to Tip?
When traveling to a foreign country, it’s best to know travel tips regarding tipping in restaurants. In the US, the usual tip is between 15-20% of the tab (unless the service was especially poor). In Japan, tips are considered an insult. In France and Germany, they are not always required. However If you do leave a tip, it will be appreciated. In other countries, such as Greece, the tip is usually included in the bill.
2. Travel Tips on Law and Culture
Before travelling to a foreign country, familiarize yourself with the local laws and culture there. Find out about any country-specific restrictions, cultural or behavioral taboos. In 2010, a British couple visiting Dubai ignored local travel tips. As a result, they spent an entire month in jail for kissing in public. Laws governing clothing should also be taken into consideration. Namely, in Naples, Italy it is against the law to wear mini-skirts and low-cut jeans. In Thailand also, there is a law that requires people to wear undergarments.
3. Travel Tips for Money
There are plenty of travel tips regarding carrying money abroad. Debit cards are convenient and more commonly used nowadays. However, relying on this source alone is not a good idea. Along with debit cards, it is also wise to bring foreign currency in case of an emergency. It is not always convenient to exchange money. Also, depending on the country, conversion rates are not always advantageous to the buyer. Despite this, many travelers ignore that and make the mistake of bringing too much of their own (native) currency with them.
4. Customs Requirements
Before buying souvenirs and gifts, it’s always a good idea to check the official lists of banned or restricted items for the location of your choice. For example, the alcoholic drink Absinthe can be purchased in every gift shop in Prague. However, it cannot legally be brought into several other countries, including the United States.
5. Tourist Scams | Travel Tips
Not everyone expects to be scammed while traveling to Europe. Yet to this day, many travelers continue to be fooled when approached by a well-dressed, well-spoken multilingual gentleman upon arriving at an international airport. A scam artist will start by telling a sad story about a lost bag, and before long, he’ll ask a tourist to contribute a few dollars towards the cost of an airplane ticket. Of course, the request is always followed by a promise that he’ll reimburse the tourist as soon as they return home. Don’t fall for such scams!
6. Haggling
In some countries, the best travel tips are about shopping. Often, an item’s marked price is not the actual price. Unlike the US, where the price on any tag is the price one can expect to pay – an American clerk would be very surprised if someone bargained with them for a lower price – in the Middle East, bargaining is an accepted part of shopping. It is a long-held cultural expectation there. Hence, many foreign travelers who are not accustomed to haggling end up overspending.
7. To Drink, or Not To Drink, the Water
This dilemma worries many travelers. The safest bet is almost always NOT to drink the water when traveling abroad. Although tap water may be perfectly safe to drink in many parts of the world, it is still best to ask for bottled water. Adding to that, It’s also safer to avoid eating fruit or raw vegetables that have been washed in tap water. Ice cubes are also potentially problematic. Even if you prefer a cold drink on a hot day, it is always safer to avoid adding ice.
8. Travel Tips and Privacy
Most travelers take lots of pictures when travelling abroad. Most often, photos depict tourists posing in front of historic monuments or famous sites, often including locals too. Generally, most people don’t mind having their picture taken. Nonetheless, it’s a good idea to be sensitive to local cultural taboos regarding photographs. In some countries, people may feel insulted or intruded upon. For example, people in Ghana strongly believe having their picture taken will steal their soul.
9. Dining Etiquette | Travel Tips
Are you left-handed? If you plan to visit a predominantly Muslim country, you should remember never to use your left hand when eating in public. This is actually considered unclean. If you are in France, remember to eat bread served as part of the meal (along with cheese) as opposed to before the meal, as an appetizer. If you are in Thailand, remember never to use a fork to put food directly into your mouth. Instead, when eating cooked rice, for example, the fork should only be used to place food onto one’s spoon.
10.The Late Dinner Date
There are several different attitudes regarding the concept of time and punctuality in different countries. For example, being three hours late for a dinner date is completely normal in Argentina, Iran, or Greece. In contrast, it is considered inexcusable to be ten minutes late when meeting someone for dinner in Germany. In Japan, the Netherlands and Finland, arriving early is actually considered being on time. So make sure to find out in advance what the local expectations are in the country you are visiting!
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