Traveling is an incredibly vital aspect of human life – and although we occupy the same planet, we each live in a separate world that everyone must explore at least once.
Visiting places allows us to experience different cultures and become closer to each other; on top of that, it also does wonders for our mental health and gets our batteries recharged.
However, before heading off on your new adventure, it's important to keep a couple of things in mind:
“What should tourists NEVER do in your country?” – this online user took to one of the most informative and thought-provoking subreddits to ask locals about the things visitors should never do in their country. The thread has managed to receive nearly 8K upvotes and 20.4K worth of comments discussing the unspoken rules of folks’ home countries.
More info: Reddit
#1 Don't Litter In Wildlife Preserves
Canada here. Please don't litter in our wildlife preserves. Please.
Image credits: Drifty_Canadian
#2 Don't Talk, And Keep At Least One Meter Of Personal Space
Don't talk so damn much. Don't sit next to us. Keep at least one meter of personal space. Don't tip. Don't haggle. Shut up. Drink more.Finland, in case you were wondering.
Image credits: Anomuumitar
#3 Don't Get Out Of The Car And Approach The Police When Being Stopped
In America, don't get out of your car and approach the cop when being stopped by a cop unless told to.
Image credits: TheBassMeister ·
#4 Don't Plan Too Much
America: Plan too much. If you wanna see the Statue of Liberty, the Smithsonian, the Alamo, and the Grand Canyon, you're going to spend all of your time driving. Pick a specific area, and do everything you can in there.
Image credits: BlueBackedRobin
#5 Don't Pat Kangaroos
Don't just walk up to a kangaroo and pat it in the wild. Those f**kers will kick the s**t out of you. I'm looking at you Japanese
Image credits: Tronspecial15
#6 Don't Wear Khakis And Hiking Boots
South AfricaWearing khakis And hiking boots screams tourist. It makes you a target for criminals and that sweet camera you bought for your trip is going to find a new home. And besides, if your trip is going to involve hiking of any kind S&R would prefer you wore bright clothes so it makes your a*s easier to find if you get lost.
If you are going on a game drive (no one here calls it a safari) keep your doors locked and windows rolled up. Otherwise, enjoy being Simbas lunch. Respect the wildlife, they are wild animals and have no qualms about making you unalive.
Image credits: [deleted]
#7 Don't Drive All Over Nature
Iceland: Just because you watched Top Gear, don't think you can drive all over nature. Actually, this probably applies to most countries Top Gear has visited.
Image credits: vadlaheidi
#8 Do Not Antagonize The Queen's Guard
Britain - Do not antagonise the Queen's Guard. They are well within their rights to lay hands on you if you provoke them.
Image credits: Snuggleproof
#9 Don't Go To Beaches Without Applying Sunscreen
Australia: Don't go to our beaches without first applying sunscreen. Wear clothes and POLARISED sunglasses. We have the highest rate of skin cancer in the world due to extreme UV during summer. Also don't go swimming in your clothes at a beach, you'll drown.
Image credits: halfcastaussie
#10 Don't Go On A Hike Unarmed
Go on a hike unarmed when visiting the Svalbard archipelago here in Norway. You are required to aways have a firearm with you to protect against polar bears when traveling outside the populated areas.
Image credits: Lick_my_balloon-knot
#11 Don't Buy Maple Syrup From The First Stall You See
Quebec here, well Canada. Don't buy maple syrup from the first stall you see, it will be way overpriced. Just go to a grocery store you'll do great economy
Image credits: OneManYordleGang
#12 Never Criticize BBC Or NHS
UK: Don't ever - ever - criticise the BBC or the NHS.It's ours; we can complain all we like because we pay for it. And we like to complain too. It's our unofficial national sport.
You are merely a guest - if you ever need to use the BBC or NHS, you do not get to complain about it!
Image credits: StuHardy
#13 Never Walk Out Of The Bus Without Looking Both Ways
Denmark:Don't f**king walk out of the bus without looking both ways. There is an actual bike path between the pavement and the road at almost all bus stops. This means that if you just walk out of the bus once you reach your stop, you will get hit by a person on a steel contraption, moving at a very dangerous speed. It can get bloody, expensive and very embarrassing. This same thing applies when you need to get onto a bus. Don't just walk up to it and hop it: Look both ways before you cross the bike path
Image credits: [deleted]
#14 Don't Discuss Your Political Opinions With Anyone
USA: Tell anyone your political opinions they will never treat you the same whether they agree or disagree
Image credits: CarrieDune
#15 Don't Mention Anything German
the Netherlands.Please don't say we are like Germans in any way. We do not sound like them, we do not look like them, in fact, just don't mention anything German.
Also; Don't walk in the bicycle lane, don't feed the doves and don't be a cool with the weed. Yeah it's fine to smoke in public but don't do it in crowded places or when kids are around.
Image credits: Maklo_Never_Forget
#16 Don't Sit In The Pub Waiting For Someone To Serve You
UK: Don't sit at a table in the pub and wait for someone to come and take your order.Reason why? They won't.
Image credits: Brickie78
#17 Never Kiss In Public
INDIA-Do not kiss in public.
In India it is okay to pee in public but not okay to kiss in public.
Image credits: Kamalnathan
#18 Don't Try To Hug People Or Shake Hands
Japan: stop with the stereotypes, don't mention the war, don't try to hug people/hand shaking, keep tidy.
Image credits: [deleted]
#19 Don't Walk In The Middle Of The Road
Hawaii:Decide you don't need sunscreen because you're from California and it's pretty much the same. Yes, I know your hotel is only ten miles from the airport and you paid extra for a convertible. You're toast. Literal toast.
Figure it's a tropical theme park, not a place where people live and work. Yes, folks, that's a road. For cars. Don't walk right down the middle. And no, I am not a cast member.
Image credits: fusepark
#20 Don't Wear Camo/Military Style Clothing
Barbados.Dont wear camo/military style clothing.
When the lifeguard tells you "dont swim near the rocks", DONT. F**KING. SWIM. NEAR. THE . ROCKS. You will either pass away, or break every bone in your body.
Image credits: apophis-pegasus
#21 Don't Tip
In S. Korea tipping is acceptable is some places, but is mostly considered rude and belittling
Image credits: Shinters
#22 Be Cautious When Getting A Cab
Poland:Maybe not never, but be cautious while getting a cab at the airport/train stations. Most of the guys will try to rip foreigners off.
Also, never leave our country without trying traditional polish cuisine, because it's awesome. I recommend some pierogi, bigos, żurek and zapiekanka.
Image credits: Wu-TangLAN
#23 Don't Roll Your Windows Down
Have [your] windows rolled down. In Tijuana especially. You'll be guilted into buying so many f**king churros.
Image credits: S**tlord_EddardStark
#24 Never Show Cash Or Smartphones On The Streets
Venezuela : Show $ in cash on the sreets or any kind of smartphone.
Image credits: DropItToTheFloor
#25 Don't Whistle At A Waiter
USA here. Whistling at a waiter.
Image credits: orose24
#26 Don't Go To Favelas (Slums)
Brazil. Don't go to the favelas (slums), it's usually not save for people that don't live there. Even worst don't go without someone that knows or lives there. I honestly don't get why so many tourists want to go to the worst part of the country.
Image credits: theChaos77
#27 Don't Go To Temple Bar
Dublin, Ireland(didn't realise there was so many dublin's): don't go to Temple bar, tourists always stop to ask directions, i try and tell them there are nicer, much less expensive places, but because all the guide books tell them it's the place to be they don't want to listen.
Image credits: Gwendilater
#28 Don't Sign A Young Deaf Girl's Petition
In France : don't ever sign a young deaf girl's petition (she's actually not deaf at all) she's just doing this to make money. And no, don't buy this amazing gold ring this old lady found on the floor right behind you..
Image credits: atchoum013
#29 Don't Act Like Locals Can't Speak English
Singapore: Act like we cannot speak English, insult the elderly, or criticise the working class (meaning stuff like the public transport and things working class people use), or do crimes and expect the law to be lenient to you because you're a foreigner.We may not react to you irl but the passive aggressiveness will turn into a s**tstorm online as swarms of wrathful keyboard warriors descend upon your sins.
Image credits: letdown-inlife
#30 Don't Get A Traditional Tattoo And Then Get It Covered
Don't get a traditional tattoo and then go get it covered up when you leave... I'm not Maori so I don't have much of an understanding of the beliefs of it all, but I'm pretty darn sure that's not something you should do. They aren't going to welcome you back and look at you in the same light very easily. Looking at you RihannaCountry: New Zealand
Image credits: SureShaw
#31 Don't Ever Go To Sim Lim Square Or Lucky Plaza To Buy Electronics
Singapore : Don't ever go to Sim Lim Square OR Lucky Plaza to buy electronics, no matter how good the prices seem! You will get screwed!
Image credits: oonikly
#32 Don't Take A Public Taxi
Jamaica: Take a public taxi. Unless you wanna know what NFS Most Wanted feels like irl
Image credits: [deleted]
#33 Never Put Ketchup On Your Poutine
Canada: Put ketchup on your poutine.
Image credits: BluBabe1981
#34 Never Talk About The Peace Treaties Closing The First World War
Hungary: Never ever talk about the peace treaties closing the first world war. They are called Trianon treaties here, if you do not want to get into a heated argument with locals simply agree that it was an unjust treaty. Never ask why anyone has a map of Hungary showing a completely different country, it is Great-Hungary, as it was before 1541. Explanation: We hungarians somehow have the psychosys that we have every right to expand our country to the borders of the long dissolved Kingdom of Hungary at an arbitrarily chosen time point four hundred years ago. This is insane, but eve our politicians nurture this delusion.An anecdote: On of my relatives has a small hotel, and have befriended one of the guests, a frenchman. They were drinking late into the night, when somehow the topic of Trianon arose, and the frenchman made the mistake of telling him that it was a pretty fine peace treaty. My relative simply took the guy, threw his baggage out and promptly told him to look for another hotel well past midnight.
Image credits: [deleted]
#35 Do Not Drink The Tap Water
Nicaragua: Do not drink tap water. Beware of hitchhikers. Beware of street vendors in the city, even if they're children. Do not drive. But if you do, watch out for random animals and people. Do not cross busy intersections in the capital and don't stand too close to the road. Beware of cops. DO NOT let Mosquitos bite you.#36 Never Refuse Food
Philippines here. It's rude to refuse food here. As a Filipino, I never understood that. I refuse food all the time (cos it ruins my diet) when I visit friends, and they always give me bad looks whenever I do.
Image credits: [deleted]
#37 Don't Sit Next To A Local On The Bus
Sweden, sit next to a local on the bus.
Image credits: WhiteCarbonara
#38 Don't Visit The Little Mermaid Sculpture
If you're ever visiting Denmark and specifically Copenhagen, you might have been told to go see the little mermaid. Don't. That tiny sculpture is the biggest disappointment ever and Copenhagen has so much else to offer!#39 Drive According To The Straßenverkehrsordnung And Keep Away From The Ordnungsamt
In Germany anything goes, really. As long it's in Ordnung. Pay your train tickets, drive according to the Straßenverkehrsordnung and keep away from the Ordnungsamt.
Image credits: Shrubberer
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