Dubai Etiquettes

It is always a good idea to find out about the accepted or recognized rules of etiquette in a foreign country which you are considering traveling to. Having a basic knowledge of the social etiquette in the country you are visiting is important in establishing relations, whether business or personal. If the country you are considering traveling to is known to have a very different culture from your own, this practice would be invaluable.

When traveling to Dubai the following tips on etiquette would come in very handy. The following is very important to bear in mind. Understand that in many households there are separate living areas, so when visiting a home, you would not socialize with women. Males should definitely not talk in public to professional UAE National women, unless it is business related. Do not shake hands with a UAE National female, unless prompted to. Do not flirt, touch or hug females. Do not stare at women or maintain eye contact. Do not ask an Arab about his wife or female members of his family.

Other important things to remember would include not crossing your legs in front of someone of high importance. This is considered disrespectful and should not be done. Shaking hands is the normal greeting with a male. Having your hand held for longer than usual is a sign of brotherly bonding, not that of homosexual tendencies. Your hand may even be held for longer than usual, while walking down the corridor. The right hand is considered clean so when accepting food or drink, do it with your right hand.

When offered something to drink, always say yes. Saying no would mean rejecting someone's hospitality. Drink more than one small cup (tea, Arabic coffee) but never more than anyone else. Be very careful when expressing admiration for the possession of an Arab. You may find that he or she offers the object to you. And then declining becomes a problem, followed by offering something back at a later date.

The national dress for men is the dishdasha or khandura, an ankle length robe, usually white. Dishdashas are usually worn with a white or red-checkered headcloth (gutra) and a twisted black rope-like coil (agal) which holds the gutra in place; under the headdress is a skull cap (gafia).

In public, women wear a black abaya, a long loose black robe that covers their normal clothes, plus a head scarf, called a shayla. Some women also wear a thin black veil covering their face, while some older women wear a small mask made of fabric known as a burkha, which covers the nose, brow and cheekbones.
You could wear anything from full-sleeved to half-sleeved to mega-sleeved to sleeveless tops (but please keep your tops on) and nobody could care less. While trousers, long skirts, knee-length skirts, minis, micro-minis, micro-micros and shorts are all the done wear, restrict the bikinis to the beaches, or you could land yourself in some trouble