One website is your guide to local etiquette

Ever wondered how much you need to tip at restaurants while abroad? Or how many cheek kisses to give a new acqutainance? Or whether, in a particular country, it's proper to wear shorts? (I'm looking at you, Andrew Zimmern!) One website has all the answers to those questions, and more.

While most guidebooks have sections on local etiquette, I haven't found too many websites that aggregate all that information in one place. Thankfully, I've just stumbled across Travel Etiquette, a site with dozens of articles explaining the everyday customs and traditions of many of your favorite travel destinations.

From the Sri Lanka entry:

"Women should not touch a Buddhist monk under any circumstance and should also never try to give anything directly to a monk... It's OK to take pictures of statues and images of Buddha, but it's not acceptable to pose in front of Buddha."

From the Saudi Arabia article:

"If you are planning on giving your Saudi acquaintance a gift, remember that men presenting women with gifts, especially flowers, is not always wholly appropriate. A gift for the whole family would be well received."

Got it? Trying to pose in front of Buddha = bad. Giving flowers to Saudi women = also bad.

Check out more tips here. (thanks to AlphaTangoBravo for the pic)

Filed under: Arts and Culture, Saudi Arabia, Sri Lanka