The 10 Strangest Laws Around the World

01. Singapore

In a bid to keep the streets of this super-efficient city clean, the authorities in Singapore decided in 1992 to ban chewing gum completely. Stick to a mint. 09 More after the break...

02. Eraclea, Italy

Many holidaymakers head to the sandy beach at Eraclea to escape the hordes of tourists in nearby Venice. Unfortunately, those who enjoy building sandcastles can think again – it’s forbidden.

03. Amsterdam, Netherlands

A curious loophole in the law means that smoking tobacco in a public place such as a coffee shop in Amsterdam is banned, while puffing away on pure cannabis is entirely legal.

04. South-East Asia

The durian, a fruit native to Brunei, Indonesia and Malaysia, has a smell so incredibly strong that it is banned from many public places in South-East Asia.

05. Florida, USA

For those who are young, free and single and enjoy jumping out of planes in their spare time, be careful if you’re in Florida – unmarried women who parachute on Sundays can be jailed.

06. Switzerland

Bizarrely, flushing the toilet in a Swiss apartment is illegal after 10pm. It is also against the law for a man to relieve himself while standing up after 10pm.

08. Capri, Italy

Locals in Capri, northern Italy, must value their peace and quiet – a couple were arrested recently for wearing excessively noisy flip-flops, following the introduction of a ban on ‘noisy footwear’.

09. Alabama, USA

The Southern American state has a quite superfluous law in place which states that it’s illegal to be blindfolded while driving a vehicle.

10. Dubai, UAE

Dubai’s luxurious resorts and stunning beaches may seem like the ideal place to spend a romantic holiday, but don’t get too affectionate – kissing in public here is illegal, and many tourists have fallen foul of this law in recent years.