What you absolutely shouldn't do when visiting these countries

Japan:

• Don't tip anyone. No one. NO ONE.Tipping is just not part of the culture. Don't even leave the small change. People will come running after you with it. Seriously.
• Don't go into people's homes with your shoes on. You may run into this at certain temples and shrines, restaurants or traditional inns too. If you see other people taking their shoes off, do the same. (Note: there's a small area right inside the entrance called a 'genkan' which is usually one level below the rest of the house, where you take off your shoes. You don't take them off outside the house!) 
• Don't forget to take off the special toilet slippers once you leave the toilet room.
• You will encounter 'washlets' or toilets with attachments for washing and drying your private parts everywhere. Don't get too freaked out by them...and if you can't figure them out, you can always use toilet paper. 
• Do not enter a bath tub without washing yourself outside the tub first, especially at onsen springs, or at public baths (sento).

• Don't try to hug people you just met, Most people don't like it, especially older folk.

• Don't talk on your cellphone in trains. While it's not against the law, it's considered to be rude since it disturbs people around you.
• Likewise, don't talk in loud voices in the train either. Talk in a low discreet voice (or a regular conversational tone - don't shout at at each other.) 
• If someone invites you to dinner or drinks or something (e.g. after a business meeting) they will be doing the paying, so don't keep insisting that you'll pay.
• Stay on the correct side on escalators. In Tokyo you stand on the left. In Osaka you stand on the right. Follow what other people are doing. 
• Don't drink or eat while walking around unless it's at a venue where that's expected, like a festival with food stalls (although even there people usually eat sitting down)
• Don't eat on commuter trains. Discreet drinking from a PET bottle is ok unless it's too crowded. (Eating and drinking on long distance trains is fine though, since you have pull-out trays and such. They'll even come to your seat to sell you food and beverages.)
• Even though you will notice that trash cans are quite scarce on the streets of Tokyo, do not litter. Carry your trash with you until you find a place to throw it out. 

There are lots of much less critical cultural faux pas I could mention, regarding chopsticks and all that. But most behaviour is forgiven (or rather, tolerated...) if you are a foreign visitor. For instance there's not a whole lot of PDA (public displays of affection) in Japan, but if two non-Japanese people are kissing, most people just think it's cute. 

However, you should not break the law in Japan. For instance: 

Do not bring in any illegal recreational drugs with you. This includes marijuana. Japan  has very strict anti-drug laws...you'll most likely get deported,  although you may be 'detained' for a long time, or put in jail.

(Prescription drugs are generally OK, but if you are not sure, ask the Japanese consulate  in your country beforehand. Bring your prescription with you just in  case and leave your medicine in the original bottles or packages.  There  are restrictions on alcoholic beverages and tobacco amounts you can  bring in as a tourist, as there are in most countries.)

Likewise, don't try to bring in firearms or other weapons like swords or something unless you have a special permit to bring in an antique or something like that. (This should be common sense, but...) 

Just don't get arrested and convicted in Japan and sent to jail (and you won't always get 'rescued' by your country's consulate either). Japanese prisons are not brutal, violent places, but they are very Spartan, and there's no parole for 'good behaviour'. 

Malaysia:



1) Breaking the law is of course a no-no when visiting any country so I won't point out the obviously criminal ones like drugs, serious crimes etc. I'll point some of the more archaic/lesser known ones though!
2) In terms of cultural taboos, Malaysia is unique in the sense that the three major ethnic races (Malay, Chinese & Indian) will have their own unique taboos, unlike say, in Japan, Korea etc. Depending on which race one is interacting with, there will be different taboos.

With that said, let's look at some:
1) Be aware that it is considered extremely rude and insensitive to consume certain food in front of certain Malaysians. For example, pork and alcohol is 'haram' or forbidden in Islam, so consuming them in front of Malays (who are generally Muslim) would be a very big no-no! For most Indians and to some Chinese (who are Buddhists), beef would be a forbidden food (however for Chinese in general, they won't mind if you eat beef in front of them, as long as you don't make them eat it with you!)


2) Public displays of affection - Malaysians are generally conservative and some extremely public displays of affection e.g. French kissing, groping is generally frowned upon and will invite stares (or gasps of awes). Don't try to hug anyone unless you're very close with them (I suppose this applies to most Asian countries!). In fact, physical touch is generally frowned upon - don't pat or tap or hold hands with Malaysians especially if you have just met them! Handshakes are fine, however some Muslim women will reject handshakes from men, so do take note.

3) The primary religion in Malaysia is Islam, so the taboos/no-nos that are applicable to this religion should be avoided as well when in Malaysia. For example, homosexual activities are still heavily frowned upon, and can get one into big trouble if caught in the act. Muslims who are unmarried non-relatives of the opposite sex can be apprehended by state religious police under the offence of khalwat for being in "close proximity". 

4) Malaysia practises a constitutional monarchy government system, and Malaysians in generally have a great respect for the monarchy i.e. Yang Di-Pertuan Agong, the Sultans etc. Try not to criticise the monarchy too much or you can get in serious trouble (although perhaps, not as serious as that in Thailand).

5) When visiting homes, always take off your shoes/sandals.

6) Drugs are illegal in most countries and likewise in Malaysia - however do take heed that Malaysian laws are particularly harsh towards drug offenders - punishments can range from caning and jailing to execution. Stay away from drugs!

7) Dress code - In general you are free to wear anything, just make sure you wear something! Be decently dressed if you are visiting places of worship e.g. mosques. 

The above image was taken from a website illustrating what to and not to wear when visiting a mosque in Turkey, but it applies equally to mosques in Malaysia.

Elsewhere, try not to wear something too indecent - too short a skirt or too low a dress will earn you an eyeful and quite possibly some unsolicited comments/verbal abuse. This does not apply in night clubs/spots 

Italy:

I can't think of something that is absolutely forbidden in Italy. This society is even too tolerant of (or resigned on) all sort of bad things.

Anyway, I can think of the following:

- If you start speaking Italian, beware of the formalities. Many people still like to be addressed in the 'Lei' form (similar to the third person singular, used when you haven't a confidential relationship with the counterpart) and to be called Doctor or Architect. Usually, the more arrogant and mediocre they are, the more they care about it.

- That's especially important with bureaucrats, many of them are frustrated nothings, perfectly aware that they have an enormous power to stand in your way and ruin your life, if that depends on the bloody authorisation or something (and it does very often, for the country is ruled by bureaucrats). Don't argue with them, instead be polite and leverage good sentiments, like: "I know you're busy, but please, I'm a lost foreigner and need to go back to my sick baby asap". Apart from that, the ideal is to try to avoid the Italian bureaucracy as much as possible in the first place. Especially if you are so unaware of how monstrous it is, to believe it cannot be worse than the bureaucracy in your country.

- Italian towns are safe on the average, however you've to know where to go and where not and beware pickpocketing and petty crime. Moreover, beware of cheaters and scammers. For instance, don't play the three-card game you see at squares and rail stations, they always cheat. If you go to a posh bar in town centres and you're given an English-only menu, try to get the Italian version: it has been reported the former has higher prices than the second. On markets and shops, don't trust too cheap bargains, they might be honest (e.g., when the shop is doing a end-of-activity sale), but it is common they're aren't. Similarly, be careful if you need a car garage or a plumber, deal the price in advance, don't pay before the work is satisfactorily accomplished and seek for a second opinion if you suspect they're overpricing or alike. And please, don't be accomplice of the damn habit they have to ask if you want to pay with or without invoice (i.e., legally or contributing to VAT fiscal evasion, which means not only do you rob 21% to the Italian citizens, but your counterpart steals also much more, for he is avoiding income tax as well).

- If you don't speak Italian, don't expect to find people who understand English. You can address them in your language, differently to French, they don't feel insulted when foreigners don't make the effort to say at least a few words in Italian. However, the problem is that foreign language teaching is very poor in Italian schools and the consequences are very evident. On the plus side, they usually try to help as much as they can, with gestures, riding you to your destination or alike.

- Don't ask people how much they earn. Though legal, that's considered like a crime against privacy and most Italians don't like this information to be known, mostly due to fiscal reasons (i.e., the country is pestered by an hating fiscal evasion culture). Instead, it's usually fine to say which political side you're on, older people argue hard about politics all the time, almost never taking it seriously, while youths don't give a thing about it. Socialism and (democratic) communism are not evils here, unfortunately sometimes fascism is not either.

- Don't yell insults, or show the middle finger while driving. they used to do that a lot in the past, since driving in Italy is often exasperating, due to the awful traffic and the tendency to ignore road rules (so, be careful). However, being tempered is becoming dangerous and physical aggressions, prompted by just the F-word, have been reported.

- Don't rely on public transports, public administration or anything for which organisation or an efficient state are required. Apart from exceptions (such as the Milan underground), they're not good at all on these things and everyone just tries to be smart, play by ear and take it easy (e.g., in most places, you should rent a car). The national health system is an exception to that, though many Italians have a different opinion, for they haven't seen how NHSs suck elsewhere. their public healthcare quality varies greatly tough, and the best way to find out a good doctor is to ask the locals. On a similar topic, don't expect to see ordered queues and confront the  ones who jump you, in most cases you'll be supported from the rest of the crowd. And, at least in bigger towns, do expect queues on most public office desks.

- Don't say the usual bad things about Italy, like mentioning mafia, Berlusconi, or alike. Letting apart the fact that generalising like that is always ungenerous and a bit racist, they perfectly know how bad they are, but most of us don't like to be patronised by foreigners. Worse, many don't know anything about how the civilised world works, they think that things like corruption are everywhere and that, after all, Italy is the best place where to live. Based on my experience, I know they're tragically wrong, but they don't get it and don't like to argue about. 

- If you're British, greeting someone you've just met on a party with 'we should go for a drink some time' is not an act of pure courtesy,  which nobody would ever take seriously. Rather, they do mean it and the next step is trying to exchange mobile numbers. That's particularly true if you are a pretty girl, interacting with an Italian boy. Similarly, they don't get understatements very well, yes is yes, no is no and if they don't like something about you, they tend to be pretty straight, with no intention to offend or get into a big row. 

Food and drinks:
  - When someone offers you food or drinks, especially if you've just eaten the dish being offered, and that was cooked by the house lady, you're supposed to accept or have a good/nice excuse for not doing so. Refusing is considered impolite or a sign you didn't like it. You've also to be patient with the fact that eating abundantly is frequently a way to socialise for us... Besides, the reputation that they have excellent food definitely corresponds to the reality.
  - Don't ask chicken pizza in Italy. No, pizza topped with chicken is not at all Italian food, it's probably an invention of rubbish Anglo-American fast food companies, motivated by the fact that low-quality poultry meat is so cheap
  - Similarly, don't look for Starbucks in Italy. they go to characteristic bars, to drink espresso (yes, in small cups, not in cups the size of milk bowls) or other types of proper coffee, and they sip it while they give a look to the newspaper, or comment/moan about politics with the other patrons (they all have their favourite bar), or talk gossip about the locals. There is no Starbucks shop in Italy, as they have no chance to make profits here, until they stop smuggling dirty black water as coffee in their anonymous commercial shops. Of course, not even their fine food culture has been able to contrast the Mc Donald's world colonisation, but their Italian customers are mostly teenagers and other poor people.
  - Expect the 'tourists, pfh!' gaze when you order cappuccino during lunch or dinner. Cappuccino is for breakfast, they can't understand how it is that you keep ingesting milk together with tomato sauce and you haven't yet died of ulcer.
  - Similarly, expect to be frowned upon when you cut spaghetti with the knife. they eat them by rolling them around the fork. I guess you need a bit of practice to learn how to do it. You're authorised to put a towel on your legs, in order to avoid occasional sauce squirts.

The Netherlands:

• Don't just wander onto a bike path. Watch before you cross! I put this first for a reason. they have lots of bike paths. Don't assume bikes are not real traffic; they are. If you don't watch out, eventually you'll find some bike barreling down on you at 30 kph, ringing madly, while you stand there panicking and flailing your arms. Don't be that tourist.
• If you smoke weed (which is legal (well, not really, but you won't get in trouble)), don't assume it's okay to smoke it everywhere. You can usually smoke it in the place you bought it, or in a park, but in many other places it would be considered inappropriate. Ask.
• If you use stronger drugs than that, don't do it alone. Do it in a safe place with people you trust. they don't have a lot of drugs death, but every year, there's a tourist who thinks they can fly out of a window. Don't be that tourist.
• Tip, or don't tip. It's optional. Waiting staff gets a salary here, so tipping is not compulsory, but if you enjoyed yourself, it's common to round up a bit, or maybe tip 10%. Especially if you had kids that caused extra trouble or you otherwise inconvenienced the staff. At a restaurant, that is. There's not a lot of other places I can think of where tipping is common.
• Don't address people by their title. they ignore titles completely. It could even be considered slightly embarrassing to be addressed by your title. they're very egalitarian here. At the office, people address their boss by his first name. Though a simple Mr. Lastname is fine, particularly if haven't been introduced yet.
• Don't address people as "friend". It's creepy and nobody will trust you.
• Don't be afraid of the police. They're okay. You can trust them. Call them when there's a problem. At their worst, they're unhelpful. They're not trigger-happy goons looking for an excuse to lock you up. (Well, most of the time.)
• Don't haggle. Unless you're buying a couch, a car or a house. But for anything less, they don't haggle. Usually the price is fair (though rarely cheap!).
• Don't bother trying to speak Dutch. Dutch is a very hard language to learn, primarily because the natives won't speak it back to you; they switch to English as soon as they notice Dutch isn't your native language. Even when English isn't your native language and just as bad as your Dutch, and even when their own English is crap. (they like to believe they're all great at English, but while some are, others are not. they've been known to butcher the English language in incomprehensible ways in very serious business settings. But we'll still believe it's excellent English, so don't bother trying to speak Dutch.)
• Don't assume they all smoke weed (their drug use is actually lower than many "war on drugs" countries), wear wooden shoes (really only traditional farmers, and even they prefer rubber boots nowadays), or love tulips (though they're great for export, apparently). they do ride bikes a lot, though.
• Don't overdo politeness. Dutch etiquette revolves mostly around efficiency. For example: it's fine to hold a door open for someone because you just went through it and closing it would slam it in someone's face, but waiting for someone or jumping in front of someone to hold the door open for them is weird. Gender doesn't matter; anyone can hold doors open for anyone (as long as you don't overdo it). Same goes for other forms of etiquette. Consider: does it save someone time or effort? Does it not cost me too much time or effort?
• Don't stand on the left side on the escalator. Efficiency again: some people want to walk up the escalator, so you stand on the right and walk on the left.

Tamil Nadu, India:

India is way too big to generalise anything. Thus, I will focus on Tamil Nadu, my home state in India.

For people coming in from other countries,

• Beware of scammers near the Central Railway Station. There are quite a lot there and they especially prey on any 'white' looking person. Easy give aways : Their English isn't very good, they pretend to show you around the city, and they are very focused on how much money you have. While travelling in Chennai, you would need between Rs. 500 to 2000 (~€7 to 27) in a day including all travelling and food expenses.
• While travelling by Autorickshaws, don't accept the first fare quoted by the driver. Always haggle. Usually, when a seemingly white person is noticed, the prices are inflated. However, now they run by Fare Meters, so insist on running by them.
• Do not always eat in roadside or obviously shabby eateries. The food might be delicious but the hygiene might not be of the same standard found in Europe. Always eat in a decent restaurant and you will have an amazing time.
• Do not carry your cameras inside Temples. Photography is strictly forbidden inside all temples and there are chances that your camera might be confiscated at worst. Usually, they will ask you to delete all pictures.

For Indians coming from other parts of India,

• Never, I repeat, never force anyone to speak in Hindi. However, you could kindly ask them if they speak it. People here aren't very good at it and they take offence when someone tells them "Oh, you are in India and you don't speak Hindi? Such a shame!" People get pissed off and could possibly turn violent if someone does that. Hindi, for 10908291247th time, is not the national language of India. Here in Tamil Nadu, they speak Tamil and English.
• Never make fun of Rajnikanth. He is more than an actor to us and he is a wonderful human being. Any insult on him is seen as a direct insult on all Tamilians. Also, please drop your silly accent when you try to mimick us. Tamilians are much better in English than people from most other states. Some of their most celebrated heroes, like Rajnikanth, Mahendra Singh Dhoni, M G Ramachandran etc are not Tamilians by birth. That's because they came here and respected us and they reciprocated that with their love. So, in this part of the country, you get what you give.
• The same applies for Tamil culture and habits. they make fun of certain things and we even have Facebook pages which upload memes regarding those. However, that doesn't give you the right to do so.
• Food is spicy and the weather is hot. Deal with it. they hate anyone and everyone who complains about Chennai's weather and food. Also, do not compare it with Bangalore, Mumbai, or Delhi. Chennai is special in its own way and if you don't find it like your own city, it is not their problem but yours.

Myanmar (Burma):

1. Do not drive  if you are a foreigner even if you hold international driving license because they drive it "the myanmar way" here which most foreigners will never understand.

For example, when you are driving on highway and you see a car in front of you signalling back lights, it can mean 2 things. It's either the driver of the vehicle is asking you to take over his or he is turning right or left. Your common sense will be useful here.

2. Don't feel insulted and take it seriously if you are being honked at on the road. People here don't take it to heart and sometimes being honked at can be a good thing also. For instance, if you want to jay walk but there are many cars non-stop driving on the road,  suddenly one car stopped and Honked at you . It means the driver has a kind heart and he stopped the car for you so that you can cross the road. Quite weird, isn't it? 

There are a lot more other complicated road manners but i will stop here for now. One simple rule. Just don't drive when you visit Myanmar.

3. Don't drink directly from the Tap. The water is unsafe for drinking.
But u can easily get a bottle of mineral water with just  around 50 cents USD.

4. Do take off your shoes when you visit temples and monasteries and do not wear overly revealing clothings.90% of Burmese population practice Buddhism and they find it very rude when you do not follow these simple rules. (Similar to Thailand)

5. Do not 'Burp' in front of other people. It is considered Very rude and inconsiderate. At least cover your mouth with your hands and say Excuse or Sorry.

6. Try not to talk about the Rohingya issues as much as possible. Everything you saw on the news are pretty much filled with false facts and exaggerations. There is No Genocide whatsoever in their country and stop asking about it unless you have been to those areas and saw the reality. Buddhists and Muslims have been living peacefully in the country for centuries and because of this incident, people think they Burmese hate all Muslims.

7. Don't just stay in Yangon or Mandalay when you visit us, explore the whole country and you will be surprised how diverse their culture is. Myanmar is the second biggest country in South-east Asia after Indonesia. (Sadly, most people in this region don't know about that)

8. Don't show off your expensive electronic gadgets or jewellery when travelling around the country. ( I think this applies everywhere on earth)


9. Myanmar is still in developing stage so there are not many ATMs and cashless payment systems in the country yet. Always bring bulk of cash with u and remember that  those paper notes must be NEW and Spotless.
 Money Exchangers will thoroughly check your dollar bills and if the notes are slightly stained or crumbled, they will not accept the notes. Even if they accept, prepare to get slightly lower than the current market rate for those notes.

10. Lastly, Be sure not to make any slurping sounds when you eat. they find it kind of disgusting and rude.




Indonesia:

• Don't call Indonesia people as "Indon", it is considered an offence for most.
• Don't come into somebody's home with shoes on. Even when host says "don't open your shoes", you still should open them to show politeness.
• Don't talk loudly in public lift. People will listen every word you say while they don't show any reaction.
• Bribery may be common, but never try to bring illegal drugs into Indonesia, if you don't have power and money, most of the cases ended up in death row.
• When being a guest in meeting or people's home, don't sit before your host initiate sitting process or ask you to sit. Probably you've seen such act in Japanese movie/culture.
• Don't try to shake hand with opposite sex when he/she doesn't offer her hands. He/She politely mean that she doesn't take handshake. This also means no physical contacts.
  
  
  This picture show Iranian President politely declined shake her hand.
• Don't touch people's head at any situations, even in a very informal situation, it is disrespectful.
• Don't ask for spoon or fork if not provided. Use your hand! Especially in Padang-style restaurant or in rural area.
  
  

INDIA:


1. Clothing: It is considered inappropriate to wear revealing clothing in India except in the major cities. This could mean miniskirts for women and shorts for men. Women (especially those with white skin) may receive "stares" from men and even more so when skimpily dressed.

2. Indians generally do not wear footwear worn outside the house indoors. If you do so, you might make your host uncomfortable.

3. Most Indians do not eat beef. In fact, cow slaughter is banned in the country and the only beef you can legally buy is buffalo meat. The cow is a sacred animal so try not to be disrespectful to the animal or you could hurt sentiments (the people's, not the cow's).

4. Don't forget to carry toilet tissue with you. Indian toilets rarely have paper. Indians use water to clean themselves.

5. Don't trust people blindly. Con artists are quick to recognize a foreigner and will do all they can to make a quick buck. However, most Indians are honest people who are eager to go the extra mile to help a newcomer out.

6. Do not drink out of the tap. Most Indians do not because the water may be contaminated. Buy and drink bottled water.

7. Be aware that Indian food is spicy, so explicitly state your intolerance to spice at restaurants, etc.

8. Do not let the cab and autorickshaw drivers overcharge you. Ask a local for the approximate fares and do not pay a penny more.

9. Kissing in public can be quite offensive, it's best to avoid it.

10. Don't expect an Indian to show up on time. Indians are notorious for not being punctual. A common joke goes, IST (Indian Standard Time) is actually Indian Stretchable Time. Being late for a party is fashionable and arriving late for a date is common. 

Overall, Indians are very hospitable (especially to foreigners) and there are very few things that can get you in serious trouble. Indians may easily be offended but they will rarely ever get violent. So relax and enjoy your visit to the beautiful country.





France:

• Don't make derogatory comments or jokes about the French military history or the supposed French cowardice. Many people you will meet have grandparents who fought or died during WW2 and they won't take it well if you imply they are cowards. Some other clichés about the French (laziness, always complaining, strikes, socialism, etc.) are less touchy and can be joked on and/or debated (with open-minded people at least), but please leave military history alone.
• Don't assume they agree with what the government or some famous French person said or did. This is true for many countries, but really, criticizing the government is like a national sport in France. Whatever and whoever the current government is.
• Don't use a car except if you intend to visit the countryside. Public transportation in and between cities is efficient, fast and relatively cheap. By contrast, driving in big cities (especially Paris) is unpleasant, slow and parking is a constant problem.
• If you are a vegan, don't expect much awareness about that. Notify people you visit and be careful in which restaurants you go. Very few people are vegan in France compared to some other countries, and although the situation is slowly improving, the awareness and acceptance of it are still quite poor. Some older people especially can consider it a "weird" or even radical behaviour, and you should not assume there will be a vegan option in all restaurants.
• Avoid speaking about money, earnings and salaries, and if you do, absolutely don't mention any figures. For example you can tell you quit a job because you were underpaid, but you should not mention how much exactly. There are old taboos about speaking of money in the French culture, many people consider it a "dirty" topic and in many families even relatives will not discuss it. And of course if you are wealthy, don't brag about it and don't show off. Some other cultures admire people who are overtly rich, but in France it will mostly get you jealousy and bitterness.
• In general you should probably avoid initiating a discussion on political views with someone you don't know well. As strange as it may seem, some people consider it a private question and don't want to discuss it. This is not the case for everybody, though, but you should probably let them make the first move or at least be careful.
• Don't expect most people to understand English or your home language. The French educational system is bad at teaching foreign languages, with an excessive focus on reading and writing compared to conversational skills. Many older people will only know a bit of bad and heavily accented English and/or possibly German or Spanish. The situation is better with younger people, but even they often won't be very proficient.

Turkey:

1. Do not buy a small carpet for 40$, unless you converted to Islam. It is not a carpet, it is a Prayer rug .
2. Unless you know very well what you are doing, do not engage in talks about
1. Ataturk
2. Kurdish issues
3. Armenian Genocide
4. Football
3. Do not drink the residue at the bottom of the Turkish coffee! No Turk ever drinks that. Apparently this is a joke among some waiters working in tourist places.
4. Do not buy a carpet at all, unless you really, really want one. It is OK to leave that shop without buying a carpet even if you have been served some crappy apple tea (which nobody serves at their homes, just so you know)
5. Use the Bi'Taksi app to call a taxi. It is safer because the drivers (and you) are not anonymous. Ask the receptionist how much it will cost approximately to go to your destination. Check with the taxi driver before the trip starts. Make sure that they use the "taksimetre" - the regulated fare counter. (Bargains usually aren't.)
6. Do not drink non-bottled alcohol in bars. Seriously, don't. I know from hard-earned personal experience. Just don't.
7. In the summer, do not drink alcohol during daytime if you are going to be under the sun. Drink tea during daytime, drink the beer in the evening.
8. If visiting a historic ruin on your own, bring lots of water, use sunscreen, a hat and even a wet cloth underneath the hat. You will love me soooo much for this advice.
9. For Persians: Do not look at the tomb stones and fountains go about bragging that it's all Farsi. It is not Farsi. It is Ottoman. It uses the same alphabet, and has a lot of loanwords from Farsi; but it is not Farsi, just in the same way that legal English is not Latin. (Do you know what ولدی means? No? Then it is not Farsi.)
10. Do not engage in conversations about the ethnicity of the following historical personas. In general, if in doubt, assume that they are Turkish.
1. Modu Chanyu
2. Saladin
3. Attila
4. Mawlānā
11. While sober, do not eat the (in)famous "wet burger". (see Istanbul's Top 5 Street Foods: #3 - Kizilkayalar's Wet Burger  ) They are meant to be consumed after getting drunk. That is why they taste so good.
12. If you eat "Kokoreç", do not inquire about what it is actually made out of. If you do learn what it is made out of, go into denial.
13. To Berliners: Do not engage in discussions about whether whether Berliner Doner Kebab is a legitimate form of Doner Kebab.
14. Do not ask people if they have seen "Midnight Express (film)". They haven't, and they don't want to.
15. Do not assume that two young women holding hands are a lesbian couple. They probably are not.
16. To men: Do not run away if a Turkish man kisses you on the cheek, once on one cheek, once on the other. That's the norm. Do not inquire if it reflects some hidden homosexual tendencies. It does not, and even if it does, you don't want to know.
17. Do not kiss a man on the lips. That is not the norm.
18. Do not linger outside the entrance or guard tower of a military outpost at night. You will make some very tired soldier very nervous. This soldier will have an AK-47 , a Heckler and koch G3, or something equally unpleasant. It will be loaded, even if you are in a ridiculously urban area. The soldier will likely have no university education. The soldier may have read news about terrorists attacks on military outposts, or heard some rumours the night before, or even seen a classified document indicating the possibility of an attack.
1. You won't actually be in this situation. The guards stationed at military zones near tourist areas know what they are doing, and you would not be around them at night time anyway.
2. If somebody is turning on and off a spotlight in your face near a military zone, that actually might be a warning. Walk away! Do not try to engage them in conversation, they are ordered not to have a conversation.

THAILAND:

Most Thai people are conservative.  You should be extremely careful with everything concerned with the king and the religion. 

• Dress appropriately when visiting temples. Do not wear shorts, short skirt, bikini, tank top, tube top, or any other inappropriate clothes.

• Females must not be close to or touch monks.
• Respect Buddha images. Do not do any kind of inappropriate posture near images of Buddha.
• Do not say anything negative about the king of Thailand and the royal family. Most people love the king. If you say something bad about the king, people will hate you. You can also go to jail.
• Do not destroy or use Thailand flag inappropriately, e.g. making it into a dress.
• Do not play with Thai people's heads. they believe that the head is the highest point of the body.
• Do not put your feet on the table or use them to point or pick up something, especially bank notes or coins. As opposed to the head, the feet, for Thai people, are the lowest part of the body.
• Do not assume that all women walking on streets are prostitutes. I got called once, totally NOT cool.
• Do not touch Thai women's bodies, or stay too close to them.
• Do not get into a taxi if the driver doesn't use the meter. Also, be careful when you catch a taxi, and always make sure that you know the direction.
• Do not catch a taxi or tuk tuk that parks in a long line at the side of the street, especially when the drivers invite you to go with them. Always catch ones that are passing by. Some taxis and tuk tuks take you to tailors, jewellers, or restaurants, and force you to buy stuff. (Tuk tuks also do not use meter. They're expensive and quite unsafe.)
• Do not assume that Thailand is a safe country. Be careful especially at night. Do not walk in a soi (alley) at night.
• Do not expect that most Thai people can speak fluent English. In fact, most people do not speak English.
• Do not involve in a fight in nightclubs. You may get shot.
• Do not raise your voice in public.

Australia:

A few things I've noticed tourists doing that they probably shouldn't.

• Don't come here and whine, moan, unnecessarily complain about anything, they can't stand whiners.
• Don't be all politically correct or get offended too easily about anything, that'll just get you ignored.
• Don't ask stupid questions about the wildlife, like do they have pet kangaroos, no they don't.
• Keep your voice down, they're not interested in your jabbering.
• Don't stop as you're walking to look at some sight or have a chat and block the footpath, show some manners and move to the side.
• Don't go on about their 'cute' accent, yours generally isn't cute to us.
• Try not to incessantly compare what's in Australia to what you have at home, just attempt to embrace it while you're here.
• Don't try to out-drink us, you'll probably lose.
• Don't swim outside the red and yellow flags at the beach or you might get swept out to sea, swim where all the other people are.
• Don't run through the bush/forest, that's how people get bitten by snakes.
• Try not to feed the wildlife, they have their own specific diets.
• Don't think all koalas and kangaroos etc are cute and cuddly, sometimes they'll try to rip you a new a**hole.
• Don't drive in the fast lane unless you're overtaking, that will piss people off.
• Don't smoke in any shops, restaurants, cafe etc, it's against the law.
• Don't make fun of Australian Rules Football lest they make fun of yours.
• Try to refrain from being overtly religious, they're private about their dwindling links to gods.
• Don't fake being anything, they aren't into bullshit.
• Don't try going all Crocodile Dundee in the outback, people die that way.
• Don't drive at night in the country if you can avoid it, that's when the wildlife tend to be on the roads.
• Don't drive on the right side of the road unless you want to die.
• Don't look into the toilet when it flushes because you won't see it going backwards.

Mexico:

Is a very hard place to generalize. For example, you'll find, often times more literally than not, that some regions think of themselves as a different country altogether, with their own customs and traditions. 
I find its a place of extremes. The bright are very, very bright, and the dark parts will put you in mortal peril.
With that being said... 

• Don't patronize people. they're a developing country and they're aware that some stuff is just backwards over here. Don't ever imply that you are "better" than anyone, especially if that hinges on you being a foreigner. A lot of special treatment will be given to you because you're a tourist, or a foreigner. Don't take advantage of it.
• Don't fight the culture, don't exaggerate your acceptance, instead, try to identify with it let yourself get absorbed by it. We believe in family ("Mi casa es tu casa!") and they'll warmly embrace you if you let it happen.
• Don't talk about religion. Catholicism is everywhere, and some people are very ardent believers. It won't get you in trouble, or shunned or anything if you criticize, its just completely and absolutely pointless to do anything about it, or discuss it. Just let it be.
• Don't go where people tell you not to go, at times they tell you not to. Its for a reason. If you really want to, go with someone that knows how to move around the area, it'll make your experience much better. Travel safety rules should be very much applied over here, although its generally observed that tourists are not messed with.
• We have a huge sense of humour as a culture. Nothing is out of bounds for us! We'll mock, ridiculize, insult, pick on and put down just for the fun of it, on a regular basis! You know you're on best friend terms with someone if you can call him a raging homosexual and that you slept with his mom and/or sister and/or girlfriend. Bonus points if you can do that without the other person knowing you did. This would usually be met with laughter by your peers, and an attempt to outwit you with a response. The best and most warm family dinners are the ones where everyone is laughing their heads off at making fun of someone at the table. Don't take offence at it!
• Don't shun yourself out. they love it when you try to say that ridiculously difficult word in Spanish and you'll be met with proud cheers if you brave a bite out of that horrifyingly spicy pepper, or down that shot of tequila.
• Don't be disrespectful. In general, just leave your bias at the door. Prepare to meet, at any step of the way, the best and the worst. Life over here is as varied as it gets, and each region/social circle, has its own way of going about life. You'll fit in somewhere

Norway:

• Do not drink and drive. Not even a tiny little bit. they don't find this funny. they stick people in jail for a first offence -- even if you didn't get as far as leaving the parking-lot. People in bars might physically fight you / wrestle keys from you to prevent you from driving drunk.
• Do not wear shoes inside private homes. (there's exceptions from this, but as a general rule)
• People are pretty relaxed about nudity, and both men and women will for example change on public beaches without any attempt at covering themselves up. You are however expected to look away. (no-one will care if you glance, but please don't STARE)
• Do not unwrap flowers prior to giving them as a gift. (Germans do this)
• Don't ask people what church they attend. Most attend none, and asking this is seen as intrusive, rude and downright weird.
• Don't assume that "socialist" is a synonym for "evil".
• Don't be insulted if people don't seem to "respect you" for being somehow distinguished. People are very informal here and being on a first-name-basis with anyone short of the King is the norm. Even the prime-minister of Norway is most often referred to by first name; "Erna" (and previously: "Jens")

North Korea:

• Don't insult the Kim family by any means.
• Don't laugh at the Kim family. It's harder than you can imagine.
• Don't defend the US.
• Don't joke around. Especially no sarcasm or irony.
• Don't defend capitalism.
• Don't call it North Korea; they prefer Democratic People's Republic of Korea.
• Don't defend South Korea.
• Don't talk to anybody that isn't your agent.
• Don't bother your agents.
• Don't take pictures without your agents' permission (or do it very discretely without your agents finding out).
• Don't be a smart ass. Most of the facts that they will give you are wrong, but you just have to nod with your head and agree with them.
• By any means DO NOT wander off alone throughout the trip.
• At the DMZ you will get KILLED or start the 2nd Korean War (as they put it) if you decide to make any sort of act that they consider like a threat.
• Don't try to hide anything from your agents.
• Don't protest about anything through the trip.
• Phones and Passport are taken at the airport and will not be returned until the last day of your trip.
• Don't ask uncomfortable questions twice.

Dubai, United Arab Emirates:

1. Muslims pray five times a day. Each prayer is announced from the mosques by a call to prayer. When the call to prayer is heard, music shall be turned off in all public places and cars, and Muslims shall be allowed to perform their prayer duty.
2. During the month of Ramadan, Muslims fast from dawn to sunset. Throughout this month, eating, drinking or smoking in public spaces during daylight is considered a public offence and is punishable by law.
3. Photos of people - and especially photos of women and families - in public places shall not be taken without their permission. Taking photos of people is a sensitive issue in Dubai's local culture.
4. In all public places such as streets, shopping malls and restaurants, shorts and skirts shall be of appropriate length. Moreover, clothing shall not indecently expose parts of the body, be transparent, or display obscene or offensive pictures and slogans.
5. Beach-goers - men and women - shall wear conservative swimwear that is acceptable to Dubai's culture. Swimwear shall not be worn outside the beach, as decent dress is the rule in the rest of the city. Nudity is strictly forbidden in every part of the city and is liable to be punished by imprisonment or deportation.
6. Displays of affection among couples - whether married or not - in public places does not fit the local customs and culture. Holding hands for a married couple is tolerated but kissing and petting are considered an offence to public decency.
   Public displays of affection, as well as sexual harassment or randomly addressing women in public places is liable to be punished by imprisonment or deportation.
7. Sexual relationships outside of marriage are illegal, irrespective of any relationship you may have with your partner in your own country. Cohabiting, including in hotels, is also illegal. 
8. Alcohol consumption shall be confined to designated areas (i.e. licensed restaurants and venues that serve alcohol to their clients). Being caught under the effect of alcohol outside these places (even in light doses) can lead to a fine or incarceration.
9. Buying and selling alcohol is controlled by very strict laws. Alcohol is exclusively sold by specialized licensed stores. It can only be bought by holders of an alcohol-purchasing license (this license is only attainable by non-Muslims). Buyers shall respect the local culture by carrying their alcohol in paper bags such that it cannot be seen.
10. Smoking is not allowed in government facilities, offices, malls and shops. Smoking outside designated areas is subject to fine.
11. Swearing, profanities, insults and all kinds of vulgar language are strictly forbidden in Dubai and are legally reprehensible in case of complaint. All kinds of aggressive or offensive gestures are considered a public offence and are subjected to fines or imprisonment.
12. Spreading false news, statements or rumours and malicious propaganda that disturb public security and harm public interest are serious crimes punishable by law.
13. In line with Islam's great tradition of tolerance and openness, religious values are widely respected in the UAE. Therefore, committing blasphemy or sacrilege against any religion is considered deeply offensive. Islam being the official religion of the UAE, some simple rules shall be followed in order to show respect and avoid misunderstandings

Brazil:

1) First of all don't come here assuming that Brazilian women are naturally promiscuous - "whores", the Latin fever, etc - and men are thugs; (especially girls) suffer a lot already when travelling abroad receiving this kind of inappropriate treatment. It is deeply disrespectful and quite frankly if you believe so you're not the kind of person that they would like in their country.

2) please do not get offended when treated informally. they are a very welcoming people, and they treat everyone like this - even authority figures such as the President - Dilma. Yes, she's a woman, just fyi - people will refer to you using you first name probably mispronouncing it but with the best intentions! they enjoy hugging and kissing (1 or 2 little kisses on the cheek, nothing excessive hahaha), mostly when they meet someone. You can keep your distance if that would make you comfortable though

3) they have a hard time with English. Don't come around expecting that you will be understood by everyone because it is rare to find people that speak basic English. they will try their best to communicate with you though, especially servers, taxi drivers and such.

4) you will meet some rude people but most of us are quite nice and will "celebrate" you for being different.

5) the public transportation system is absolute crap. If you can please take taxis everywhere. Is some cities like Rio they are relatively cheap. And this is really important: make sure that they have credentials. Ask for recommendations of cab companies to locals or at the hotel you're staying.

6) DO NOT ASSUME THEY SPEAK SPANISH. they speak Portuguese - they were colonized by Portugal even though their languages are completely different nowadays - and assuming otherwise is really rude and you will be seen as ignorant. Actually, they have very little similarities with their fellow South American countries.

7) you might be praised and treated better by you wealthiness if you do so, but refrain from showing off belongings like electronic gadgets, expensive jewellery, and money itself. You WILL get mugged if you do so, and it can go pretty violently. If you keep a low profile, don't worry, tourist areas are usually well guarded.

8) we are a developing country (I hate this term but I couldn't find any other word to use hahaha). Don't expect to come around and finding only the beautiful sights and lovely people; you will come across poverty, favelas, poor managed city areas and so, especially if you choose not to stick to the traditional tourist areas.

9) don't worry about tipping, it is only "mandatory" to hotel staff and waiters (A customary 10% fee is added to your bill in restaurants, bars and a few other places but you can refuse to pay if the service was not up to your standards). However, it is appreciated.

10) they come in literally all shapes, sizes and colours. Don't come expecting to meet stereotypical standards on how they look, you will probably be stunned by their diversity.

11) if you attempt on bribing a police officer, it can go either way: you might get away with whatever you were doing (the corrupt officers will definitely try to take all the money they can from you) or you might get arrested. Refrain from doing anything ~really crazy~ just in case.

12) Drugs (including marijuana, which we call "maconha") and going topless in beaches are prohibited. Drug consumption is quite common in places like nightclubs and such but it is not legal to do so. Don't do it, you'll probably get in trouble.

13) you will be called "gringo" several times (it is not something derogatory per se... It's more like "hey, we can see that you're not form here, hahaha!").

14) Religion is not a very hot topic for us, we do have a great variety of creeds, but try not bringing it up (I don't really think this is something polite or very wise to do anywhere in the world but still hahaha). We are mostly catholic, and the catholic doctrine is pretty rooted in their culture.

15) if coming to Rio de Janeiro: don't, don't, DON'T try visiting the favelas alone!! It is VERY DANGEROUS to go by yourself. The people living there are absolutely simple and honest but these areas are either completely abandoned by law enforcement or there is police there but they do a lousy job anyway and end up hurting and repressing the locals. There are guided tours that you can purchase in specialized travelling agencies! Do not try going by yourself!

Russia:

• Don't give even number of flowers as a gift. That's for dead folks. Proper bouquet will have 1/3/5/7/... flowers.
• Don't wear your street shoes inside private homes (unless you were specifically told you can do so). Streets are dirty so they wear slippers or go bare-feet.
• Don't joke about terrorists, bombs etc. Don't leave your bags unattended. Don't touch unknown unattended bags. Expect security checks in some public places. Especially in big cities and Caucasian regions.
• Again: don't leave your belongings unattended. You may not find them when you return. This also means not leaving your car unlocked and not leaving anything valuable in a car in a plain view (including GPS trackers).
• Don't expect to get on with credit card only. There are lots of places which only accept cash.
• If you're a homosexual you'd better refrain from showing this in public. You may get in trouble with some crazy homophobe or maybe even with police. Some anti-gays laws were introduced recently, so fighting with "people propagandizing relationships which contradict Russian spiritual values" is the latest fashion. And absolutely certainly stay away from drunken-looking groups of people.
• The last one actually applies to everybody, especially to those who don't look very "white": stay away from drunken-looking or aggressive-looking groups of people. You never know what'll come into their mind. Russians in general are pretty peaceful but there are some ultra-nationalistic youth who can be very aggressive.
• Don't accept any drinks from strangers, esp. in a places like bus/train stations, trains, parks. There might be some drugs or soporifics there. It's not like it's very common, and quite often people might actually want to share a drink with you without any bad intentions, but why take a risk?

• Don't criticize Soviet Union when talking with people over 40. They grew up at those times and might be nostalgic. Even if they enjoy modern life they might not like hearing foreigners talking about it.
• Don't assume they support everything their government does. Quite often they don't. Don't criticize their government. they do it a lot by themselves, they don't need your help in that.
• During the winter & early spring don't come too close to building's roofs - there might be icicles there. If one falls on your head it can kill you. And you never know when one decides to fall. And yes, they have public utilities to clean the roofs, only there are too many roofs. Couple of pictures so you can get the idea:
  
  
  

America: 

• Do not underestimate the size of the US. A flight from one corner of the country to the other can take up the better part of a day and driving across the country takes days. Out west, major cities can be hundreds of miles apart. Furthermore, the weather in one part of the country is in no way representative of the weather in another.
• Don't take your clothes off in public unless you're at a nude beach or other place where public nudity is explicitly acceptable. This is one area in which the country's "live and let live" reputation does not apply.
• Don't smoke cigarettes indoors. It's banned in restaurants and shops just about everywhere. Many cities and states ban it in bars. Some cities even ban smoking within a certain distance of building entrances. Before smoking around other people, ask permission first. Casinos are often an exception.
• Don't smoke pot unless you know the local rules. You may have heard that marijuana is now legal here. In reality, recreational marijuana is legal in two states and quasi-legal in a few others. Elsewhere in the country, a possession charge can get you in serious trouble.
• Many Americans define themselves as Italian, Irish, Polish, etc. Don't assume that this implies any particular knowledge of a foreign language or current ties to the country in question. "I'm Irish" usually means "my family came here during the famine", not "ask me about growing up in Dublin."
• Going for a hike? In rural areas, don't cross private land without permission. There's no right to public access to private land in the US and landowners don't take kindly to trespassers. On the other hand, you won't exactly have trouble finding public land to explore.

Lastly, don't take seriously the absurd claims that you're going to get shot simply by walking down the wrong street in a random US city. The Wire is not representative of the US as a whole. The sketchiest place a random visitor is likely to encounter is a big-city downtown that empties out after 5 PM.





Kenya:


Well, this one is kind of easy to explain when you bear in mind the cardinal rules of living in Kenya;
- Everyone is your friend, people will always be friendly and welcoming to you and its not weird, its part of their culture, but you cannot trust everyone and even though you trust, verify! ALWAYS VERIFY!!!! because there are con men and con women who are talented in building your trust in less than five minutes and then make you part with a crazy amount of money for some fake deal, so beware.
- Almost everyone you meet is religious, religion here is always on fashion, so if someone asks you if you are religious, don't take offence because it is common for everyone to follow a religion, and around 80% of the population are Christians.
- they are religious, but they are not exactly staunch. So you will find people who club on Saturday night till the morning and then walk into church on Sunday morning, its very common, don't be alarmed.
-Hakuna Matata. It's the phrase from Lion King and it applies in Kenya, it means there are no worries, we try not to worry about anything and take everything in stride. 
-African Time. Hardly anything runs on time, with an exception of a couple of business meetings and bank closing hours and most other businesses. Everything runs late, don't get pissed off or impatient, learn to go with the flow, things will happen, just not on time. When you get pissed off at lateness people will take you to be fussy, remember, go with the flow.

That said, here are things not to do when you come to Kenya
1. Do not travel at night alone, especially if you are a girl. That could almost count as suicide, some places are very unsafe. If you have to go anywhere at night, make sure you are in the company of a Kenyan, preferably a man.

2. Avoid talking about matters relating to sex in family settings, it is wrong and is frowned upon and people might not want to be in your company after that.

3. When you go shopping in a second hand store or when buying from a hawker, Never buy at the first price quoted by the seller, ALWAYS BARGAIN! I cannot stress this enough, especially if you are white, they inflate the price to even 5 times the price they would sell to a Kenyan, if you have to go shopping in a second hand store, go with a Kenyan who can bargain for you, or bargain to half the price that was first quoted. Never buy at the first price. If they cannot take the price you quoted then walk away, if the seller really wants you to buy they will run after you. If you are friendly to the seller, he will be nice to you, so be nice and kind and they might just give you a good price.

3. You don't need to tip waiters and waitresses in a restaurant or bar, they assume they are paid well enough by their employer, the law demands it.

4. You can break the rules, but DON'T GET CAUGHT! The police and city council police men are soooo good at making your life hell when they catch you on the wrong, so don't get caught, otherwise you will have to pay a seriously hefty bribe or spend a couple of nights in a jail cell and after that you may get deported depending on the offence, so don't get caught.

5. Traffic laws can be traffic suggestions, they are not really followed to the letter, so if you driving bear that in mind. But should you want to flout the rules, remember, DON'T GET CAUGHT.

6. Their politicians are bad, and all the bad things that there can be, don't talk badly about them, they can say bad things about them but not you. they won't like you after that, especially if you compare them to your politicians at home, nobody cares about how politics works in your country unless they categorically ask you about it. So, don't say anything bad about Kenyan politics.

7. Do not disrespect any religion, people will really hate you after that, no one completely likes it when a religion is disrespected.

8. Public display of affection is frowned upon, this including kissing, touching, holding hands. Young people like to hug each other when they know each other a few old people.

9. If you are white, you really stand out in most places in Kenya and especially in the rural areas, so people will say hi to you all the time, get used to it and find a way to deal with it, you can choose to ignore some. 

10. Call people by their titles, ALWAYS! Its is taken as a sign of respect. So Miss, Mrs, Mr., Dr. and Engineer so and so (mostly the surname) are totally accepted. If you want to call someone whose name you don't know, refer to them as madam or sir. You get quite a lot of bonus points for that. Only refer to someone by their first name if they introduce themselves as such.

11. Avoid wearing short, revealing clothes, so no short skirts, shorts and clothes that reveal cleavage. Cover up modestly, not like a Muslim in their religious dress, but as if you were going to play at a golf tournament, people like to dress modestly here.

12. When you begin learning Swahili, someone might tell you that 'jambo' is how we say hello. Its true but there are barely any Kenyans who use that word as a greeting, instead we say ' Habari Yako?' or 'Sasa'. If you use 'Jambo' everyone will know you are a tourist, and if you are in a fishy place, you might start getting different treatment, different here could be bad or good, so, try use words as Kenyans use them, it might save you from some situations.

13. So you have decided to use the public transport in Nairobi or elsewhere in Kenya. DO NOT SHOW OFF YOUR SMART PHONE. 'Show off' here means just revealing it. If you want to play it safe, leave your i-phone or smart phone at home, or in your country and use a less smart phone. Same applies to your laptop and Ipads and tablets, they will surely be stolen. If you are sitted on the window seat in a matatu, and your phone rings and you want to receive the call, make sure your window is closed first and then put your phone on the ear that is not close to the window, otherwise, a professional thief will steal it from your hand, thieves here are that good.





South Africa:

1. If the locals tell you some place is a no-go area, do not go there. Crime, of the most brutal kind (like parting with your life if you resisted a mugging) is common. That being said, touristy areas are generally no more dangerous than anywhere else in the world. You only need apply common sense and caution that are applicable in all parts of the world. Do not be the silly, naive tourist, or you will make yourself a ready target.
2. Don't assume too much about a person by his or her looks or manner of speech. The bloke in a pair of shorts and a rugby jersey could easily be a financial director or a university professor. Just because people dress very casually (due to the prevailing hot climate) does not mean that they are mean boors: in fact, in daily interactions, South Africans are typically very well mannered. In most settings, it is perfectly okay to address people by their first names and excessive formality is somewhat frowned upon.
3. Do not expect a functioning public transport system - whilst it certainly exists in most major metropoles, it is inadequate and you should make provisions for car hire. Distances are often huge and different parts of the same city are not necessarily covered by buses.
4. Race topics are not taboo, but must be approached with the necessary degree of sensitivity. South Africans will happily discuss those with people they tend to know better, but, as a stranger, be delicate about it.
5. Leave aside any stereotypes you may have of Africa. You may equally encounter grinding poverty and spectacular wealth. You may equally drive down a potholed road or a wide modern highway. Most goods or services that you would expect anywhere else in the first world are also available here. The general state of the infrastructure in most areas you are likely to visit is equal to that of other developed nations. South Africans don't keep wildlife as pets. African is not a country - people do not know about your cousin John in Kenya.
6. Do not be mean to service staff. South Africans are perfectly capable of putting on haughty airs, but it is considered mean to treat restaurant or hotel staff disparagingly. Do tip 10%, even if you did not receive the greatest service, because that poor waitress, for historical reasons, probably did not have much of a chance to get an education of even the most basic kind. Your tips will empower her. If you are not happy with the service, call the manager.
7. Do not act surprised to see household staff in most middle-class homes. The maid has probably been "part of the family" for years. Gardeners are also common,  and grander households would also have cooks, drivers or nannies. Very grand households would have butlers. Be nice to them, like you would to hotel staff.
8. Do not get too snotty when something does not meet your expectations. If you come from a Western country, do not readily assume that Western standards are universal. Most black South African men still pay bride wealth to the bride's family before they take the girl as a wife. To you, this might be repugnant. To a black South African, this is established and respected custom. Do not be shocked if you see someone eating with their hands - this is perfectly acceptable in most African cultures (though commonly done at home). Do not order alcohol in a halaal restaurant - they won't stock it and will cause offence to Muslims.
9. Do not make very expensive gifts. Anything over R500 that you may have brought as a gift might seem excessive and people might not be ready to accept it. This does not mean come empty-handed when invited to a party - wine or chocolates are great, flowers for the hostess score you extra points.
10. Do not, I repeat, do not attempt anything illegal. Your recreational drug habit will not be as strictly policed as in other jurisdictions, but it may give you the dubious pleasure in dealing with the South African Police Service and the criminal justice system. It is overworked, sometimes corrupt, and overall a difficult beast. Leave it to its own devices - the less you have to deal with it, the better for you.
11. Do not assume that, just because a woman is wearing a strapy top and a minimalistic pair of shorts, she is "asking for it". She is not, I repeat, is not a rape candidate, despite how you think women should dress.
12. Do not act surprised as to the visible religiosity around you. In many aspects, South African culture is conservative, people do go to church to actually pray, there are prayer sessions under trees, even. You may think that secularism has triumphed, but this is far from being the case in South Africa.

Israel:

• Don't fly to Israel on Thursdays or  Saturday nights and don't come back from Israel on Saturday nights or Sunday mornings. The flights can be extremely full.
• When arriving or departing Ben Gurion Airport in Tel Aviv, you will be asked some security questions. Don't lie. They know exactly when people are not telling the truth.
• Israeli police (a bit less for those with the blue uniforms and a lot more for those with green uniforms, known in Hebrew as "Magav") have a very short temper. Don't try to joke with them, don't say anything degrading and don't argue.
• Don't tell Israelis your opinion on politics or religion before you know theirs. You are welcome to ask (and not always get a response), but don't force it.
• On the same matter, don't assume you understand the intricacies of Israeli society, politics or religion. You have no idea how complicated it can get.
• Don't wear a suit or tie unless it's a very official event. If you're participating in a wedding or other happy event, pants (not jeans) and a white shirt are usually very popular. Same for business meetings. 
• Speaking of weddings and other celebrations: don't bring a gift that is thicker than an envelope.
• Driving: Don't drive in the left lane on the highway unless you're passing other cars. Don't talk on your mobile phone. Don't speed. Don't stop on the side of the road without putting on your yellow reflector vest.
• Don't expect the train to arrive on time or to leave on time. Life is simpler if you just don't expect the train.
• Don't expect to be able to tip your waiter (waitress) on the credit card, as is common in many places. Have some cash ready for the tip.
• Don't jump for a swim in the Mediterranean when the flag on the beach is black, be careful when it's red and don't swim outside of the designated areas. There are very strong undercurrents in some places.
• Don't dive into the Dead Sea and don't try to swim. Just float, nice and easy.
• Don't think that because you're feeling fine in the summer, it means you really are fine. Wear a hat, drink one litre of water per hour and use sunscreen.
• Don't think you've seen all of Israel because you've been to Tel Aviv and Jerusalem, or some of the major tourism sites. There are hundreds of beautiful "gems" you can visit all over the country.
• Don't be surprised if the ATM is empty on a Friday night or Saturday. Take your cash out on Thursday.
• Don't take pictures of the ultra orthodox Jews before asking their permission.
• Don't come in shorts or clothes that reveal too much when visiting holy places (all religions).
• Don't listen to the news. Keep it on music stations (and DO give some stations a try for some local "flavor").
• Don't shop for souvenirs in the "discounted tourist shops" without VAT. They're more expensive than the regular shops with VAT.
• Don't be alarmed when you're surrounded by people in uniform with automatic weapons. It's perfectly normal for Israeli soldiers to be armed at all times.
• Don't take a taxi inside a city without asking the driver to turn on the meter. They have to by law. Don't take a taxi between two cities without calling a couple of companies first, for a quote. You'll be surprised at the differences.
• Don't leave Israel without trying some of the local foods, wines and beers.
• And finally...don't - under any and all circumstances - be too serious in Israel. Live, love, laugh, enjoy this unbelievably beautiful and unique country to its fullest.

Spain:

1. In general, Spaniards are not good at speaking other languages than their own. Although you will find people talking in English, especially the youngest, you may have problems if you try to speak with them in another different language. Even so, they will appreciate the effort of speaking the language of Cervantes.
2. If you are not on the beach or in some promenade that borders it, you never ever wear only the swimsuit. It’s nice to see girls wearing a bikini, true, but for us it’s rude if you do.
3. Be careful with pickpockets. In Barcelona especially that’s a real issue.
4. In Spain people like to talk about politics, but be careful with what you say. If you are a US citizen do not criticize things like public health care, public universities, public transport... Those things are sacred to us. And of course, Franco is deeply hated among the most of us, and those who are ”franquists” don’t say it out loud. If you are in Cataluña or Euskadi, do not never ever say anything about independentism; opinions are quite polarized.
5. Some people take football (soccer) really seriously. They are not hooligans, but if someone says he cheers one football team do not say ”well, I prefer this other one”: you can start an argument. Especially when Barcelona and Madrid are concerned.
6. You might see people loudly speaking on the street, but do not imitate them. they really appreciate tourists who are polite.
7. They are not racist, in general, and race is not an issue. If someone complains about something you did, it’s because of what you did not because of the color of your skin, so don’t complain.
8. Food is really good, but you have to be careful. Take a look on trip-advisor or somewhere similar before going to a restaurant in a tourist area. A good clue of a not-to-go place would be the typical ”paella & sangria” place, those places are expensive and not really tasty.
9. People in Spain are heavy drinkers. Alcoholic beverages are quite cheap so they are used to drink as much as they ”need”. If you don’t know your limits, trust me and do not push it, specially if you are a girl (although the worst threat for drunk foreign girls in discos is not-so-drunk foreign boys).
10. It’s not uncommon that someone argues with you, especially by night, but it’s not so common to start a fight. Don’t do it for prevention, because the most probable is that it won’t happen unless you start it.

China:

China is a very friendly place as a tourist destination , so normally you don't have pay too much attention to Chinese customs when visiting China ,
but still some don't as follows 

Do not visit any place in any part of China at any Chinese festival and holiday,especially at Chinese National Day (1st.October),otherwise, you'd be in place like this 

Do not get naked when you want to swim in seaside .Chinese are still very conservative . It's even illegal to get naked  in some place.

Do not talk about any sex-related topic. it's still sensitive to talk sex with Chinese after 30 years  of acceptance western culture .do not ask Chinese questions about sex  .or talk sex jokes.

Do not talk politics. almost every Chinese is very friendly to foreigners (Th called foreigners  laowai here) ,but when it comes to politics ,especially when you share some different opinions. Chinese will be felt violated. 

Do not send Chines gifts like umbrella ,clock ,Chinese people care about Homophonic very much , they regard some Homophonic as good ,the number of 8  is thought of as make a fortune,some Homophonic is thought of as bad sign  when umbrella  pronounced,  sounded like separation ,Clock like  to pay one's last respects .

Do not hug or kiss any Chinese as a greeting way .It's common to see people express love in public, but it's weird in China, it's very rare to see two friends hug or kiss each other as a greeting ,even between intimate friends and families.

Do not insert chopsticks in a bowl  of rice .do not knock on a bowl