Travelling to The Middle East as a Woman

1) Understand the diversity
 

The Arab World might be seen as exotic in many ways to Western eyes, but keep in mind that the Middle East is vast, made up of 22 countries varying very much between them. Therefore, you will find cultures that are bonded in many ways, and yet an incredible diversity spreads in terms of cuisine, landscape, and even religion and language. Despite Islam and Arabic are respectively the predominant religion and main language, there are different interpretations of the first and variations of the second. For example, it is possible two persons from different Arab countries speak Arabic and yet don't be able to understand each other. Media for many years has sold the region as a single bloc, but venturing through those lands requires one to be open-minded, so that's how you should start before traveling to the Middle East.

2) How to get prepared
 

Once you have a brief understanding of the diversity and have a list of the places you would like to visit, it is time to get prepared.

Check out your government's travel advisory: Official advisories are meant to help travelers be safe while abroad, so always check what the latest information your government has about a certain destination is and use it for your final consideration amongst the other information you should collect.
Read travel forums and websites. Finding out about people's personal opinions is a valuable source of help. Sometimes we might get overwhelmed by media or read concerning reports, but when checking directly from people who can contribute with their experience, it turns out to be much better. There are tons of blogs and testimonials in travel forums from solo female travelers sharing details about their findings.

3) Clothing: a major topic
 

Yes, it is true that you should be careful with what you dress; after all, you don't want to call unnecessary attention or seem disrespectful towards Arab culture. Having a general idea of how locals dress is a good indicator of how you should behave, so look for modesty. As a woman, consider packing loose but light clothing if hot, and don't forget to cover your arms, upper legs, shoulders, and cleavage. You will also find out that a scarf is a very useful piece of clothing, as you can wear it to hide your shoulders or cover your head if visiting religious places.

4) Harassment: what to do
 

You are on vacation and excited to explore the place, and even though people in the Middle East are very friendly and welcoming to foreigners, it is good to avoid physical contact, especially with men. In the first place, touching is not part of the culture, and secondly, if it's a man, you don't want to send the wrong message! Harassment is a very sensitive topic all over the world and the Middle East is no

exception, but unfortunately in this part of the globe it is not uncommon for foreign women to be taken as  easy.". If a man sends you an unwanted flirting solicitation, you make it out loud clear you are not interested, and if he insists, don't hesitate shouting. Harassment and any disrespectful attitudes towards women like these are frowned upon in the Middle East, and as soon as a crowd comes closer to see what's going on, he will feel embarrassed and exposed. If you are out at night, ensure you are in a safe area and do not go out with men you don't know. The same is valid for guys who offer to show you around a tourist area and ask to take pictures with you.