If you’re hanging out on a beach in Spain and really have to pee, you might want to think twice before going in the sea. This month, the city of Vigo in Galicia, in the north of Spain, introduced new laws stating that holidaymakers caught urinating in the ocean could be fined.
The town officials said public toilets were being installed on beaches during the high season, so those needing to go should use those. Anyone found doing it “in the sea or on the beach” will be given a £640 fine (AUD $1,126), reports Espress.co.uk. How the local officials plan to be patrolling this, we can only imagine.
But because $1,126 is a lot, and we at The Latch are all for helping people save money, we thought we’d bring to light some of the other faux pas to be mindful of when travelling — because they could end up costing you big.
Don’t Wear Your Swimmers on the Street in Spain
Not being allowed to pee in the sea isn’t the only rule to follow in Spain (for now, just in Vigo, Galicia). The country recently announced it would fine anyone inappropriately dressed on the street, which includes women wearing only bikinis or swimwear, and men without tops.
Don’t Chew Gum in Singapore
One of the most well-known travel no-nos is chewing gum in Singapore. When the sale of chewing gum was made illegal in the country in 1992, news travelled around the world. Today, gum is “largely legally chewable”, US writer Tom Plate told BBC. Though, you’d still face a steep fine for spitting it out and leaving it as litter.
Don’t Pose with a Buddha in Sri Lanka
In Sri Lanka, don’t risk getting into trouble by posing with a Buddha statue or, if you have a Buddha tattoo, keeping it visible.
“The mistreatment of Buddhist images and artefacts is a serious offence and tourists have been convicted for this,” writes the Foreign & Commonwealth Office (FCO). “British nationals have been refused entry to Sri Lanka or faced deportation for having visible tattoos of Buddha. Don’t pose for photographs by standing in front of a statue of Buddha.”
(Men,) Don’t Wear a Skirt in Italy
Here’s a rule we’re certainly not in favour of as it speaks to a broader sense of transphobia within the country: according to reports online, in Italy, men are not allowed to wear skirts. So, men or non-binary people, if you’re visiting Italy, and ready to break out that fabulous skirt you’ve bought especially for this trip, if you want to avoid any headache, consider packing it away and saving it to wear somewhere else.
Don’t Wear High Heels in Greece
While you can, of course, wear heels in most areas of Greece, they’re banned at many ancient sites. “Female visitors must wear shoes that do not wound the monuments,” a Culture Ministry official reportedly said. These monuments have a skin that suffers and people must realise that.”
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