Travel Tips
Keep money and belongings in a secure place, dress appropriately and avoid engaging in political or cultural arguments with the locals.
Travel in groups.
Travel in groups.
Travel Alerts
Visitors are advised against using crowded public transportation or shopping in public markets, which have been targets of terrorism.
The region is home to religious and cultural groups that hold beliefs that are at odds with some modern customs. On holy days, Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays, visitors to Jerusalem should dress modestly and not attempt to venture, particularly in cars, into ultra-orthodox Jewish neighborhoods, many of which are blocked off at sunset on Friday for the Sabbath. Women should not wear pants in ultra-Orthodox neighborhoods. Do not take photographs of soldiers, police, religious Muslims or Orthodox Jews.
The U.S. government also advises its employees to travel to the Old City in Jerusalem and the Mount of Olives only in daylight hours.
Some visitors may find it disconcerting to see so many Israelis carrying guns, but Israeli soldiers are required to carry them at all times.
The region is home to religious and cultural groups that hold beliefs that are at odds with some modern customs. On holy days, Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays, visitors to Jerusalem should dress modestly and not attempt to venture, particularly in cars, into ultra-orthodox Jewish neighborhoods, many of which are blocked off at sunset on Friday for the Sabbath. Women should not wear pants in ultra-Orthodox neighborhoods. Do not take photographs of soldiers, police, religious Muslims or Orthodox Jews.
The U.S. government also advises its employees to travel to the Old City in Jerusalem and the Mount of Olives only in daylight hours.
Some visitors may find it disconcerting to see so many Israelis carrying guns, but Israeli soldiers are required to carry them at all times.
Currency
ATMs are common in main cities, though not in small towns. Credit cards are widely accepted in tourist-friendly establishments, but not in budget hotels and restaurants.
A mixture of cash, credit card and debit card is advisable for visiting the Middle East. It can be useful to take some local currency for each country, for use on arrival, but United States dollars are universally accepted.
A mixture of cash, credit card and debit card is advisable for visiting the Middle East. It can be useful to take some local currency for each country, for use on arrival, but United States dollars are universally accepted.
Documentation
Make sure you have a passport . You may also need a pre-arranged visa.
Some social rules to be aware of in the Middle East are:
• Never eat, offer or accept anything with your left hand (which among Muslims is reserved for bodily hygiene and is considered unclean).
• Avoid public displays of affection between people of the opposite sex.
• Don’t display the sole of your foot or touch anyone with your shoe.
• If you are offered a show of hospitality, whether it is coffee or tea or something more lavish, it is considered discourteous to decline.
• During Ramadan, the month when Muslims fast from dawn to sunset, eating or drinking in public in Muslim areas during the fasting hours should be avoided.
• While it is difficult to visit the Middle East without being aware of political tension, pilgrims are wise to refrain from expressing opinions about it in public. Feel free to ask questions of the people you meet, but be aware that the answers you get will differ considerably, depending on the person you are talking to.
• Avoid public displays of affection between people of the opposite sex.
• Don’t display the sole of your foot or touch anyone with your shoe.
• If you are offered a show of hospitality, whether it is coffee or tea or something more lavish, it is considered discourteous to decline.
• During Ramadan, the month when Muslims fast from dawn to sunset, eating or drinking in public in Muslim areas during the fasting hours should be avoided.
• While it is difficult to visit the Middle East without being aware of political tension, pilgrims are wise to refrain from expressing opinions about it in public. Feel free to ask questions of the people you meet, but be aware that the answers you get will differ considerably, depending on the person you are talking to.