6 Traditional Emirati Customs All Visitors Should Know About

Experienced travelers are well aware that it is impossible to just come to a new country without learning the cultural characteristics and traditional customs of the local people. Ignorance of traditional customs can lead to banal misunderstanding, and in the worst case, to insulting residents. This is well known to those who come to Muslim countries.

The culture in the United Arab Emirates differs in many ways from Western countries. That is why, if you do not want to get into trouble when communicating with the locals during your trip, then the study of cultural characteristics should be your priority.

Dubai can be very different from other emirates. Since this is a tourist city, there are not so many cultural miscommunications here. Travelers come here for a new unforgettable experience. Many people come here not only to get acquainted with the culture but also to rent luxury cars. Some rent sports cars while others rent SUVs like G Class rental Dubai as car rental prices are affordable. In addition, the first-class car rental service becomes another good reason.

We will tell you about the most important cultural features and traditional customs of the locals, which you should know about upon arrival in the United Arab Emirates.

Hospital greetings

When interacting with the locals, you will be amazed at how friendly and hospitable they are. When meeting someone, you should be prepared for long and warm greetings. In most cases, when greeting friends, locals show friendliness in the form of hugs, kisses, and praise to Allah. You may notice that this is usually how greetings between men go.

When greeting a woman, you should not be the first to shake hands. This can only be done if the woman herself reaches out to you. Also, forget about hugging and kissing women.

Visiting trips

If a local invites you to his house, then do not forget about the hospitality of the people. The hosts will first of all offer you to drink coffee, as well as treat yourself to snacks. This cannot be refused, because you can offend the owners of the house. When entering the house, do not forget to shake hands with the owner and the same must be done when you leave. Take off your shoes in the house and always give thanks for the food served.

Muslim holidays

For every Muslim living in the country, Ramadan is the most sacred time of the year. During the month, each believer fasts, which means many restrictions for them. During this period, when visiting the country, you should not do several things in public: eat, drink, and also smoke tobacco products, and even chew gum. Not only will this be offensive to Muslims, but you could even get yourself in trouble with law enforcement.

Clothing

It's no secret that defiant clothing can cause resentment in many Muslim countries. However, in tourist areas, travelers are free to dress however they wish. If you are going to travel outside the tourist area to visit cultural attractions, whether you want to see Old Dubai or Abu Dhabi, then you should choose more conservative clothes.

In addition, there are special traditions regarding national clothes. Wearing such clothes is allowed if you are going to go on a trip to the deserts. In all other cases, wearing national clothes will be inappropriate and so you will be disrespectful.

Behavior with Emirati women

In Muslim countries, women have a special attitude. For many, some things may seem strange, but you need to respect local customs. You can't photograph women on the streets, even if you want to capture what clothes they wear. In addition, any physical contact is not allowed. 

Food

If traveling means getting to know the national cuisine for you, then here you will get real pleasure. Although you can find many cafes and restaurants serving Western dishes in many emirates, you can still find cafes and restaurants serving national cuisine in abundance.

When in a cafe with locals, be aware of how they feel about alcohol. Choose places where alcohol is not sold, and also exclude pork from the diet, as Muslims are forbidden to eat this kind of meat.

Conclusion

While in the tourist areas in the United Arab Emirates, you can feel relaxed as you can wear and eat whatever you want. However, when interacting with Emiratis, visiting their homes, as well as cultural attractions, do not forget about the aforementioned traditional customs so as not to offend the locals and not be disrespectful.