Travel Tips

Know Before You Go: How to Dress in the Middle East

Locations in this article:  Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates Dubai, United Arab Emirates

Does traveling to the Middle East as a woman mean wearing a burqa (or an abaya)? Not necessarily. In the Middle East, following dressing etiquette can be essential to your travel experience. But the customs and rules vary from country to country.

For example, Saudi Arabia employs very strict dress code standards for both tourists and locals.  Here, you should be covered completely from head to toe.  And in Dubai, if you are wearing something that is too short and revealing in a public place, you can be fined! Meanwhile, in Abu Dhabi, although you have to cover shoulders and knees, simple jeans and a fashionable T-shirt are totally fine.

Know before you go…Alyssa Caverley shares the four steps you need to follow for dressing stylishly and respectfully while traveling in the Middle East.

For more smart traveler secrets, check out the other episodes of Know Before You Go series including airplane etiquettethe best travel technology, how to choose the right hotel, how to travel solo, how to avoid the most common travel fees, how to prevent lost luggage, how to sight-see on public transportation and how to cruise safely.

For more information on the Middle East and travel etiquette, check out:

By Alyssa Caverley for PeterGreenberg.com

Shot using a Sony HDR AX-2000 HD camera.