Confession time! What’s the worst thing you’ve ever done on vacation?

Austin Rulfs says he’s still embarrassed about his recent visit to a Balinese temple. He was wearing a T-shirt and tattered shorts. The locals stared at him with disapproval.

“I underestimated how strict they are about respecting sacred areas,” says Rulfs, a financial consultant from Adelaide, Australia. 

With summer vacation season just ahead, how about you? 

Travelers do all kinds of things on vacation that they later regret. A recent study found that like Rulfs, almost one-third of tourists (32 percent) have done something similarly inappropriate, like posing with a statue. And 42 percent admit to breaking the law.

“Breaking the law in other countries carries important consequences,” says Alex Thompson, CEO of Legaroo, a company that offers international legal assistance plans to travelers. “You can’t defend yourself by claiming that you’re a foreigner.”

Of course, the list of tourist misdeeds is long. You can see visitors spray-painting tourist attractions in the Canary Islands, mocking local customs in Dubai and carving their initials into the side of Japanese shrines. Their shenanigans go far beyond an occasional faux pas. It’s often criminal behavior — some of it so unspeakably bizarre that I can’t even write about it.

Are more tourists breaking the law on vacation?

Let’s just say tourists haven’t been on their best behavior lately. 

“There’s been an increase in poor behavior,” says Charlie Neville, the marketing director for Jayway Travel.  “Many regret their actions when they realize the harm caused — like swimming in Venice’s canals or damaging historic landmarks. The worst part is often when tourists don’t care they’re the strangers there, acting entitled and demanding, especially in groups.” 

Breaking local laws is not hard. Matt Little was driving in Florence when he inadvertently entered a ​​Zona Traffico Limitato — one of Italy’s infamous restricted traffic zones. 

“I was blissfully unaware that the area was off-limits to most vehicles,” he recalls. A few weeks later, he got an $80 fine in the mail.

“I couldn’t help but regret not having done my homework on the local driving regulations,” says Little, who runs a lighting company.

Not all lawbreaking results in fines, says Alex Andreichuk, the CEO of Altezza Travel, a tour operator based in Tanzania.

“Some tourists engage in behaviors that may seem more innocent, such as sitting on monuments or undressing in public spaces,” he says. “These acts reflect a lack of social and cultural education.”

It’s surprising how often people use the “I’m a tourist!” excuse — and when that doesn’t work, it’s, “I demand to speak with the embassy.” (FYI, the embassy can’t break you out of jail. It will send you a list of overpriced attorneys and contact your family. But you’ll need to talk to someone like Thompson over at Legaroo if you want help.) 

Why is this happening?

There’s a reason why tourists are doing unspeakably terrible things when they travel.

“Some people bring a sense of entitlement along with them on their vacations,” explains Nick Leighton, host of the etiquette podcast “Were You Raised By Wolves?” “This can often be an attitude of, “I’m paying for this, so I can do whatever I want,” and this can lead to all sorts of inappropriate behavior.”

Experts say the pandemic made the problem worse, because many people felt they had nothing to lose after that. The evidence, says Leighton, is in the gift shops frequented by tourists — you know, the ones with the off-color T-shirts and coffee mugs.

“You wonder, ‘Who buys these things?,'” he says. “Well, the nature of being away from home can make even the most level-headed and sane person lose all sense of judgment and reason.”

I’ve broken a few laws, too, but they’re minor. When I lived in Dublin, I did a lot of jaywalking. If you’ve been to Dublin, you probably know why. (Fines reportedly range from about $800 for a first offense to three months in prison for repeat offenders.) In my defense, the traffic lights are a little wacky and in some cases, there isn’t enough time to cross the street even if you wait for a green light. 

But still, I probably shouldn’t have done that. Sorry.

It’s easy to break the law, but it’s a bad idea

It’s easy to violate rules and customs when you’re out of the country. Heck, it’s even easy when you stay in your own country.

Your loud music at the beach could violate local noise ordinances. The trash you leave behind could break waste management laws. And that new string bikini you can’t wait to try out just might be a violation of decency laws.

And if I have to tell you that carving your initials into the side of a shrine or spray-painting a monument is wrong, there’s not much this column can do to fix that.

John Gobbels, chief operating officer of Medjet, says you have to understand the law, and the legal process in whatever country you’re visiting. For example, chewing gum in Singapore is against the law. Bringing a satellite device into India can get you into trouble. 

“You may think a law is stupid or not serious, but it is a law and being arrested in a foreign country may not be what you expect,” he adds.

A medical evacuation membership like Medjet can offer legal support, but at the very least, carry a phone number for the nearest embassy — just in case. 

“My advice for anyone thinking of breaking the law,” says Lisa Mirza Grotts, author of the book ‘A Traveler’s Passport to Etiquette in a Post-Pandemic World’: “Don’t.”

But there’s also a takeaway: No matter how careful you are, you might accidentally break a rule when you’re away. It’s bound to happen sooner or later. 

My best advice: Know how to apologize. Learn how to do it in the native language, whether it’s a “désolé” in Paris or a “sumimasen” in Kyoto. A sincere apology is often enough to get you out of a tight spot. 

If you’re on vacation somewhere and are thinking of doing something illegal — or that could be illegal — take a moment. Do you really want to end up as an anecdote in one of my stories? 

Pro tip: Before traveling, spend 15 minutes researching local laws and cultural expectations — especially around dress, public conduct, photography, and driving. It might save you thousands in fines — or keep you out of jail.

Key takeaways

• Tourists are increasingly behaving badly abroad, often ignoring laws and customs out of entitlement or ignorance.
• Minor infractions can result in major legal consequences when traveling internationally — ignorance is not a defense.
• The post-pandemic mindset has led some travelers to act recklessly, assuming rules don’t apply while on holiday.
• Even accidental offenses — from improper dress to traffic violations — can result in fines or worse.
• A sincere apology, ideally in the local language, can sometimes de-escalate conflict or save you from legal escalation.