15 weird laws tourists have to follow when visiting foreign countries

Any seasoned traveler knows the importance of respecting the customs, traditions and codes of conduct of the places they visit, even if these clash with their own personal beliefs. However, there are certain situations where these peculiarities go beyond mere cultural differences. When certain idiosyncrasies actually become constitutional and criminal laws, inappropriate behavior can lead to the arrest of a tourist or visitor!

With the well-being of our dear readers in mind, we have taken the liberty of compiling a list of 15 bizarre laws that all tourists are required to follow in other countries:

15 curious or down-right bizarre laws from other countries

It’s forbidden to run out of gas in the freeway, Germany

This one is to show your friends who think they’re Formula 1 drivers and are constantly talking about the lack of speed limits on German highways. Yes, it’s true that Germans have a relaxed approach when it comes to speed limits on the Autobahn, but that flexibility goes out the window if you’re unfortunate (or dare I say, irresponsible) enough to run out of fuel on the highway!

According to local regulations, it is the driver’s responsibility to ensure that the fuel tank is adequately filled for each journey, considering that fuel stations are far from scarce. Therefore, running out of gas is solely the driver’s own fault, and the fines for such a situation can be quite hefty (and they won’t let you go with a simple slap on the wrist). If you find yourself in this predicament, it’s important to contact your insurance company right away and request assistance, as stepping out of your car on the Autobahn is asking for another fine!

It is not allowed to cut out parts of the leaders’ statues when taking pictures, North Korea

In a country known for its exceptionally bizarre dictatorial regime, it comes as no surprise that the infamous North Korea got a spot on our list. Beyond all the regulations that harshly punish any individual who dares to challenge the government, it is also strictly forbidden to sully any image of the “Dear Leaders”. This exclusive family group includes the current Head of State – Kim Jong-Un – as well as his father and grandfather: Kim Jong-Il and Kim Il-Sung.

This includes actions such as stealing or tearing down posters, billboards or any other propaganda materials (with potentially drastic consequences), attempting to leave the country with local currency and, my personal favorite, taking pictures of statues depicting these figures, where the representation is intentionally cropped or incomplete, meaning that the full body of the statue is not captured in the image.

You can’t pay with an excessive amount of coins, Canada

For anyone who has experience working with cash registers and dealing with the public, we all know how frustrating it can be when someone decides to make a hefty payment using only coins. However, we let out a sigh, mumble a few bad words to ourselves and carry on with our day. But not the Canadians – which is why the country actually established legal limits on coin payments.

Interestingly enough, there is no constitutional legislation in Canada that requires businesses to accept coins, which means that, in practice, companies can actually refuse your pile of metal tokens and insist that you pay with bills or card. As for the specific limits set in place, you can make payments using 2$ coins up to a value of $40 (Canadian dollars), 1$ coins up to 25$, 10 and 25-cent coins (dimes and quarters) up to 10$ and 5-cent coins (nickels) up to 5$.

It’s illegal to be overweight, Japan

Although this one doesn’t really apply to tourists, it’s just so remarkable that we had to share it! In fact, there are no direct consequences mandated by the Japanese government for individuals who are overweight, but there could be repercussions for their employers.

Here’s how it works. Back in 2008, the local government introduced the Metabo Law with the aim of reducing obesity rates in the population (excluding Sumo wrestlers). Under this law, all citizens between the ages of 40 and 74 are required to have their BMI and waist circumference measured once a year., with a counselor and a nutritionist being assigned if their waist circumference exceeds 85cm for men or 90cm for women. However, if the government finds that a significant proportion of employees in a certain company are overweight and/or at risk of obesity, that company could face hefty fines. Now, we don’t have the data to confirm if this has effectively solved the obesity problem in Japan, but one thing’s for sure – it’s certainly a unique approach!

It’s not allowed to wear stilettos at the Acropolis, Greece

Although my initial reaction is “who in their right state of mind would wear high heels to visit the Acropolis?”, it seems that the Greek authorities wanted to be one step ahead of the curve and decided to ban this type of footwear from their most iconic historical site.

And honestly, it makes perfect sense. After all, we’re talking about a monument with thousands of years of history, and it’s been proven that the shape of stilettos can actually damage and strain the delicate flooring. So, since 2019, any visitor who dares to show up at the Acropolis wearing high heels will either have to take them off and walk barefoot (a unique experience, if you ask me!) or simply admire the magnificent structure from the entrance.

It’s a crime to take selfies with Buddah statues, Sri Lanka

This curious law isn’t so much about the act of taking selfies itself, but rather the specific movement and posture involved in capturing those photos. After all, if you want to snap a selfie with something, you’ll have to turn your back towards that monument/building/scenic view.

But here’s the catch: in Sri Lanka, turning your back to Buddha is considered an incredibly disrespectful gesture and can even lead to imprisonment in certain cases! The same applies to visitors who engage in other dubious behaviors, such as pointing, sitting or leaning on a representation of Buddha. In more extreme cases, even having Buddha tattoos can result in detention and deportation from the country, as it happened to a British visitor back in 2014.

It’s illegal to chew bubble gum, Singapore

Even though it’s a modern and well-developed nation with a much better quality of life than any other country in the region, Singapore is known for its incredibly strict judicial system. Standing as the perfect example of its “zero tolerance” approach, drug trafficking carries the death penalty around here!

However, what really sets Singapore apart and earns it a place on our list is its famous ban on chewing gum. Furthermore, the law doesn’t just target the consumer, as anyone caught selling, smuggling or producing gum can face massive fines or even imprisonment! The reason behind this controversial law goes all the way back to 1992, when the government had to spend thousands upon thousands of dollars cleaning the local metro system after some vandals thought it would be a great idea to stick bubble gum on the sensors of subway train doors. As it so often happens, a few troublemakers can spoil things for everyone else!

It’s forbidden to wear camouflage, Barbados

Besides being the homeland of Rihanna, here’s another fascinating nugget of trivia about Barbados to impress your friends at your next gathering. According to an ongoing legislation by the Ministry of Defense, the use of camouflage patterns is strictly reserved for the country’s Armed Forces!

This means that any clothing or accessory featuring this distinctive pattern, whether it’s the traditional green and blue or a different color variation, must be immediately removed. If someone refuses to do so, they could face fines or even detention for declining to comply with the authorities’ instructions. Besides, the item will be (obviously) confiscated.

It’s a crime to forget your wife’s birthday, Samoa

It’s bad enough to get in trouble at home, but now you could face consequences even outside! It may sound unbelievable, but in Samoa, a Polynesian country in the Pacific Ocean, forgetting your wife’s birthday can actually land you behind bars!

Truth be told, there’s a whole process for dealing with this type of demeanor. Firstly, the wife needs to report the incident to the police. Then, a first warning is issued to the husband, giving him a full year to set up a reminder on his phone to never forget the date again. You see, in Samoa they don’t believe in second chances! If the husband repeats the mistake and forgets his significant other’s birthday again, he could actually face imprisonment as a result of his recurrence!

You can’t feed the pigeons in Venice, Italy

Those who had the chance to visit Venice before 2008 are probably familiar with this once-common scene at St. Mark’s Square. All over the piazza, you could find dozens of people selling corn and other seeds to feed the countless pigeons that flocked there, providing tourists with the perfect opportunity to snap some amusing photos.

However, the excessive presence of pigeons also contributed to the dirt and decay of the famous square and its monuments. Taking these factors into account, the local government made the drastic decision of prohibiting the act of feeding the pigeons. Although the corn vendors are now nowhere to be seen, tourists who insist on feeding these “winged rats” could be fined for their audacity.

It’s illegal to walk the streets in a bikini, Italy and Spain

They want you to be comfortable… but not too comfortable! In the Italian town of Sorrento and the Spanish cities of Barcelona and Mallorca, strolling around the streets in swimwear goes against the law. These regulations were introduced gradually as the influx of tourists increased and locals started seeing this kind of attitude as “disrespectful”.

Furthermore, the restrictions aren’t limited to women alone, since men walking shirtless in public are also subject to the same rules and penalties. If you’re caught violating these norms, be prepared for a not-so-pleasant surprise, as fines can reach a staggering 500,00€ in Sorrento and 300,00€ in Spain.

It’s forbidden to take selfies in certain areas of Portofino, Italy

As reported earlier this year, the authorities in the charming Italian town of Portofino found themselves compelled to take action due to large crowds gathering in some of the town’s busiest areas. And what was the cause of these gatherings? Well, believe it or not… selfies! Yes, tourists would flock to these popular spots to capture that perfect shot, inadvertently causing significant congestion for both pedestrians and vehicles alike.

In order to tackle the issue head-on, the decision was made to prohibit the capture of selfies in specific areas. Anyone caught defying this rule and attempting to snap that ill-fated photograph could find themselves facing an unpleasant fine of 275,00€.

Being annoying, mean or inconvenient can get you fined, the Philippines

Now here’s something we should actually consider adopting locally! According to the Philippine penal code, if you engage in behavior towards someone that causes them undue distress or emotional suffering for no apparent reason, you can end up with a hefty fine of over 80,00€. In other words, being a complete jerk can really hit your wallet!

Although it’s definitely not easy to determine exactly what kind of behavior would qualify for such a penalty, which means that the law itself is pretty vague, it is nevertheless quite amusing that such a norm exists and is even included in the penal code to begin with.

It’s not allowed to pee in the ocean in Vigo, Spain

Here’s a law that, if it were to be implemented and carefully monitored in any country with a coastline, could fill these states’ coffers to the point where everyone would rival Switzerland! Because as ludicrous as it may sound, according to the decree that regulates beach conduct in Vigo, relieving oneself in the city’s waters is considered an offense and can result in fines of up to an impressive 750,00€!

How exactly the authorities plan to enforce this law? My guess is as good as everyone else’s, but it’s not hard to imagine that it could become a lucrative source of revenue if they find an effective way to monitor its compliance.

It’s illegal to turn off the camera shutter sound on your phone, South Korea

To wrap up our list, we have a law that perfectly encapsulates the absolute obsession with technology that has taken hold of East Asia! It turns out that, particularly in the metro of Seoul, taking photos and videos of unsuspecting individuals without their consent had become a true hobby for some idiots, who would then proceed to share compromising images of strangers on the internet.

In response to this issue, the South Korean government has enacted legislation that mandates all mobile phone manufacturers and sellers in the country to disable the option of muting the camera shutter sound on devices. This means that if you happen to purchase a mobile phone in the country, you won’t be able to discreetly capture photos without the device emitting some form of sound /alert. For tourists whose phones do have this feature, penalties are in place for those who fail to comply with the law!