Dubai is one of those places you simply have to put on your bucket list. The nightlife there is very interesting, the desert safari is looking so good and you just love all those luxury things around you. Before you go there, you just hear so much about it, but you never know what to expect. And that was exactly my case, but after spending some time roaming around the city and experiencing it for myself, I somehow figured out how it works there. After seeing many people going to Dubai all the time and asking about the local culture, how to dress or what is allowed and what not, I decided to put this list together with some handy tips which might show you what to do and what not.

Let´s make it clear - the UAE is a Muslim country. That simply means that it is not a democratic country and follows Muslim and sharia laws. Even though there are many expats from all around the world (around 150 nationalities), the UAE is built on generations of Islamic traditions which are rooted firmly in its culture and tribal heritage. The Emirati are very friendly and respectful people and they are very open minded, but you should always respect their values and culture, doesn´t matter if you are just a tourist or you want to settle down in Dubai or the UAE for longer time.

Is is expected from you to dress modestly. Especially in the public areas (streets, shopping malls, public transport, cafes, the airport etc.) the shoulders should be covered and you shouldn´t show too much skin, so make sure that your thighs, belly, bum and chest are well covered. Nobody is probably going to call the fashion police if you flash too much skin, but you might be asked to cover yourself up or get indignant looks from the others. Be aware of transparent clothing or clothing with offensive slogans or graphic as well. However, the hotels, some private resorts, beach and pool are usually considered as "international zone", where you can relax in shorts, tank tops or bikini. 

Alcohol consumption is allowed only by Non-Muslims and only in licensed restaurants, clubs, bars, private venues, hotel restaurants or at home (but you have to obtain a special license first.) Normal tourists and travelers can´t buy alcohol in stores or supermarkets on their own and they can consume alcohol only at those special places mentioned above. Being drunk in public areas is considered to be a crime and you can be fined or jailed for that. The drinking age is 21 years and it is strongly recommended not to try to get alcohol if you are younger.

Drugs are strictly forbidden and you can be jailed and deported for that. Smoking is allowed from 18 years old, but there are special places for smokers, you can´t light up simply everywhere, especially  don´t try it in shopping malls, shops or government buildings. 

Any kind of sexual relationship outside of marriage is illegal. Cohabiting of unmarried couple is also considered to be against the law, including hotels, but most of hotels in Dubai don´t really enforce rule "only married couples." Especially luxury hotels designed for foreigners shouldn´t have any problems when you book a hotel room and you have different surnames. However, one my friend from Dubai told me that it is always better to book a twin bed room, especially if you travel with a friend of same sex. Who should be very careful are homosexual couples. Homosexuality is not accepted in the UAE and you can be jailed or deported for homosexual behaviour. For all couples, doesn´t matter if they are homosexual or not, holding hands, kissing, cuddling up is considered unlawful in public. There are various stories of couples being jailed for kissing or hugging in public areas, so don´t do it, rather keep it for your hotel room and try to keep it low key as much as possible.

Don´t harass women, don´t use offensive language, don´t make offensive hand gestures, don´t spit. All these actions are considered to be criminal offences and you can be jailed for this. Dancing or playing loud music in public can be fined, so dance and play music at your private place, not in public places.

Credit

The rules for driving are not really different, but it is strongly recommended not to break them. So try to avoid speeding, tailgating, racing, lane jumping, using mobile phone while driving or driving with alcohol in your blood. The speed cameras are all around the city and fines can be pretty heavy. Wearing a seat belt is mandatory. Also don´t try to cross the road where it is not allowed, you can be fined for this.

You can either use public transport or taxi service. Taxi is very cheap service in Dubai. There are many taxis on the road and it is really a great and handy way how to get around the city. Just one tip - make sure that the taxi driver puts on the meter and understands well where you want to go. Always leave to your destination in advance, the traffic in Dubai can be pretty insane. There is also really great public transportation which can take you pretty much everywhere around the city - subway or bus lines.

Credit: Flickr

You don´t have to start learning Arabic to communicate well in Dubai. English is widely spoken there and I think that everybody knows it there and can use it there. So don´t worry, if you are good at English, you shouldn´t have any problem.

I know you want to take as many photos as possible, but be very careful what you take photos of. It can get you into serious trouble if you take photos of locals or government buildings without any kind of permission. This also applies to videos, so be careful and respectful.

So these are just some basic tips I got while staying there, some of them are also tips from my friends living in Dubai. Of course it is definitely worthy to go there and experience it for yourself, but try to be as much respectful as possible. Dubai, but also the UAE, are really interesting places to see, so make sure you have enough of time to go around and enjoy it as much as possible. However, as I mentioned above, respect the local culture. Thank you.

Have you ever visited Dubai? How did you like it over there?

Traveling since early childhood has been so far one of the best things in my life. Whether I´m on vacation with my family/friends or I wander around solo, there always happen so many things which make me act somehow or simply reminder me how to do something more effectively or better. And after traveling to various destinations and using different kinds of transport, I decided to make this list of tips I have learned so far and share it with you. Maybe not all tips can apply for you, but you can take a little piece of advice from it. 

As the new year kicks off, it is time to start saving for new trips and planning your next adventures. Most of my friends say that one of their most important new year´s resolution is to travel more. I can understand that discovering new countries, cities and cultures is very attractive way how to spend your holidays. It doesn´t matter if you want to wander around cities in your country or if you want to go somewhere abroad, everything counts and as long as it makes you happy, keep doing it. Because one day, you will have really huge regrets for not doing this and that thing. But let´s move on. I decided to put together my travel bucket list for this year AND I also decided to invite some other travel bloggers to share their dream destinations for year 2016. Here we go!

One of the most beautiful and magical cities in Croatia, which definitely should be part of your never ending Bucket Lists. Yes, we are talking about Dubrovnik, which is located on the Adriatic Sea, in the region called Dalmatia. This seaport city was historically based on maritime trade and in 15-16th century it achieved a high level of development, mostly because of its diplomacy skills and experiences. The city of Dubrovnik is also listed on the UNESCO list of World Heritage Sites.

Walking down the wide streets, meeting tourists from various countries and hearing Hungarian all around. This is Budapest. One of the most favorite cities in the world when it comes to architecture, food or bridges and also a capital city of Hungary. Because Budapest is large and there are so many things to see, it might seem a bit overwhelming figuring out what to see and do. Don´t worry, I´m here to help you to pick the best spots and cover the best what Budapest can offer. 

Switzerland is well known for absolutely awesome and wonderful nature. Who wouldn´t know the famous mountains or lovely lakes? Apart from nature, there is also nice architecture and magical villages.

"Just be yourself." You hear this phrase all the time. Whether you are at school, at home, with your family or friends, there might come the moment, when somebody says - "Just be who you are." However, it´s easy to say it but actually it might be quite difficult to do it. So I decided to help you and put together some tips:

1) Find out who you are - focus on things which you enjoy doing and which brings you enjoyment. It doesn´t matter if it´s music, fashion, sport or something else, it´s a specific part of your personality and individuality and you should know what makes you happy, fine and satisfied. 

2) Let yourself grow up - don´t try to be same person forever. As you slowly grow up, you might find it difficult sometimes, because some of your values suddenly won´t be important as before and if you enjoyed dancing as a child, don´t get upset if you don´t enjoy it anymore when you are around 20. It´s a part of growing up, your interests, hobbies and thoughts are going to change and you have to accept it.

3) Treat yourself well - you are your best friend, your soul mate and if you can´t respect, value or treat yourself well, you will probably never be the best version of yourself as you could be. Tell yourself you are brave, nice and beautiful unless others do it. You have to feel confident and special so you can show people who you really are and that you are completely alright with that.

4) Follow your own style - develop your own individuality and don´t forget what´s matter to you. Remember being different is great and people will notice you and they will be attracted to you more than to others if you show up your own style in fashion, music style or hobbies. 

5) You are who you are and not somebody else - don´t compare to others. Basically, if you just compare yourself to others, you will never be happy person. Why? Because you will be trying to live life of somebody else and not your own. You never know who they really are, what they show and what they hide. Instead of this, value yourself, own personality and differences which make you genuine.

6) Don´t care what people say -  they will always talk about you. Well or badly, they will. One simple advice - forget about them. Just do it. They might like you, they might hate you, but they can´t take you who you are. If you change, somebody may come up with the comments, positive or negative ones, but if you focus on negative ones, you might stop doing other important things and forget about all that nice comments which you received.

7) Don´t worry and be happy - don´t worry if something messes up. There are good times but even bad times. Stop worrying and try to even make a fun of yourself if it´s necessary. People like if somebody can take himself quite funny and not too seriously, but can value himself at the same time. Enjoy your life and be who you want to be, follow your dreams and achieve your goals.