Strict Laws In Other Countries That Apply To Tourists Too

The beauty of travel is to experience the variety of this planet — the chance to explore a destination that looks different from your own, where the language might sound completely unlike anything that you're used to and the food plays with your tastebuds in ways that you didn't think possible. Travel can feel like visiting another planet, and it teaches us as much about other parts of the world as it does about ourselves. Getting away is also an escape, a means of leaving behind our daily lives and immersing ourselves in new routines, places, sights, sounds, and smells. In a sense, travel is an act of courage, for travelers cede control of the familiar and learn to move to a different rhythm, governed by different rules. 

Countries all over the world have evolved in their own unique ways, and while many share similarities, they also can feel poles apart. Part of that distinctness can be traced to rules, acts, and procedures open to infinite interpretations, making what is acceptable at home not so readily welcome overseas. Visitors to a country should respect the local regulations, however surprising they might seem. After all, travel is an adventure where you are the guest of another place, something we should all remember. While you might escape punishment even if you flout the law, doesn't doing that show a lack of respect for your home away from home? Here are some to look out for.

Not just reserved for soldiers in combat, camouflage clothing has long been a staple in the U.S. for teenage kids, middle-aged dads, and even celebrities like Jay-Z, Rihanna, and Bella Hadid, worn for its bright patterning rather than as a way to blend in with the surrounding urban landscapes. But in a number of Caribbean countries, including Barbados, wearing camouflage of any sort is a big thumbs-down, as it is illegal (so don't even pack any in your bags). Here, on the easternmost Caribbean island, camouflage clothing is only allowed to be worn by the military.

Sitting on a park bench, surrounded by greenery and fresh air, is a peaceful affair — a tranquil experience that could easily send a visitor to sleep. But travelers to this nation on the Adriatic Sea should think twice about catching 40 winks while on a bench in the park — following a decree in 2016, this is now something that can result in a fine of 1,000 Croatian kunas, or about $140 USD. The amount can double if you are also snoring while asleep. So much for relaxing while outdoors on vacation.

Board shorts were created by the surfing crowd, long in the leg to help protect a wave-riders' thighs as they rub against the surfboard. This style of aquatic clothing has also been a savior for non-surfing men keen on maintaining their modesty, but for swimmers in public pools in France, they are not acceptable attire. Men at these facilities have to wear tight, fitted swimming trunks — not because they look great (who are we kidding?), but because they are more hygienic, ensuring that no dirt, sand, or other contaminants get into a pool's carefully treated water or pumping system.

This country unfurls across lands and islands around the Mediterranean and is a beautiful place to visit any time of the year for its fine topography and sumptuous, crystalline waters. It's also home to some of the best preserved ancient ruins anywhere on the planet, with the Acropolis now a landmark with global recognition. Yet keeping those pieces of history intact, and in good stead, requires vigilance and restrictions, like not allowing eating, drinking, or chewing gum. In 2009, NPR reported that 60 pounds of dried gum were removed from the seats of the majestic Odeon of Herodes Atticus amphitheater.

This country in Eastern Europe has recently made headlines for its authoritarian leadership, evidenced by a 2014 civil code that requires photographers to get the permission of everyone in a photo before taking it. While this may be framed as a way to respect individual privacy, some analysts believe it is simply a means to stymie what journalists can take pictures of, and the obvious implications that go with that. The law is relevant for tourists as it means that candid street shots — long a staple of amateur travel snappers the world over — will not be tolerated.

Back in 2008, a judge in an appeals court issued a ruling that no doubt had men up and down the country scratching their heads in surprise. On that day, a clothed man that had touched his crotch in public was ordered to pay a hefty fine, and the act was described as a criminal offense. While men in the country might not have completely stopped performing the act, both as a sartorial adjustment or out of habit, it is considered offensive and could lead to prosecution.

Most people have a love-hate relationship with durian, the spiky-shelled fruit that grows mostly in Southeast Asia. Indeed, its creamy, dense, rich insides have a smell that some have likened to smelly socks, gasoline, or rotting food. What is undeniable is that durians have a powerful odor, so pungent that it has been banned from most hotels in this country. Heed the signs (usually a spiky fruit inside a red circle with a red line slashed through it) and don't bring a durian into your hotel — the smell will give you away.

Cycling can be a wildly liberating experience, with bikers freed from the schedule and vagaries of public transportation, able to go where they want, when they want. The feeling of the wind rushing past your face, the elements all around, can bring a cyclist joy and even make them want to lift up their feet off the pedals in celebration. But in Mexico, such a move can get a rider into hot water, as this simple gesture is seen as not having control of the cycle, making it unsafe — and against the law.

Just like the United States, New Zealand is extremely protective of its ecology, which is why a number of items are banned, for residents and visitors alike. The main concern of the government is the unwitting introduction of invasive pests and parasites, which is why border controls are so strict. Bringing food into the country is a big no-no, as are animal products like shells and raw wool. Furthermore, plants and plant seeds are prohibited, and shoes and camping equipment that have been recently used outdoors might be inspected and thoroughly disinfected (if deemed necessary) or even thrown out.

Much has been made of the ban on chewing gum in this city-state just north of the equator — the enviable result of which are clean sidewalks unsullied by black, sticky stains. Also on the prohibited list is vaping — not just using a vape in public, but also being in possession of one. There are no vape shops anywhere in Singapore, and bringing one into the country is a serious offense, which can lead to a fine of up to $1,000 USD.

Few smells are as pervasive on the beach as the acrid, bitter odor of cigarettes, a surefire way to ruin a beachgoer's natural experience in the sun. In 2023, the Spanish government made moves that might alleviate some of that distress by banning smoking at select beaches on the islands of Majorca, Menorca, and Ibiza. The reasons are both as a public health measure — since even second-hand smoke is dangerous — as well as one aimed at cleanliness to rid beaches and the water of toxic, chemical-laden, unsightly cigarette butts.

A popular destination in East Africa for its wildlife viewing — this is one of the places where the Great Migration takes place each year — this country is also where to find the island of Zanzibar, whose Stone Town is a Unesco World Heritage site. Despite all these lures, same-sex couples might not feel welcome in this nation that borders eight other African countries, since homosexuality remains a criminal offense, and penalties can be as harsh as life in prison.

The twin-island nation of Trinidad and Tobago, moored off the coast of Venezuela, birthed the musical genre of calypso and the steel pan drum. It's a place of jungles and beaches, tar pits and mountains, and home to one of the most riotous carnivals on the planet. This is also where it's against the law to hang clothes to dry facing the street, listed alongside naked children and slaughtering animals as things that aren't allowed in the streets or public places.

An amalgam of a number of states — or emirates — this Middle Eastern nation is most famous for the emirate of Dubai, home to the world's tallest building, the Burj Khalifa. Dubai is a cosmopolitan place, with plenty of expats calling it home and international hotel chains galore, but local modesty laws still prevail. According to Dubai's Code of Conduct, kissing in public is not okay, and while holding hands is fine, smooching and petting, even between married couples, is considered counter to public decency and can result in deportation or a prison sentence. Our advice — leave the loving for the room.