Countries where alcohol is banned or restricted (2026 list)

🚫 What gets tourists fined

• Drinking in the street: allowed in some countries, heavily fined in most tourist city centres.
• Being visibly drunk in public is an offence in itself in the Gulf, in Japan's stations, and in many resort towns.
• Sale hours: several countries block alcohol sales during afternoons, election days or religious holidays.
• Drink-driving limits are often far lower than at home, and roadside testing is routine.

🛃 Bringing bottles in

• Duty-free allowances are per person and per litre, and combining spirits with wine changes the maths.
• A handful of countries ban all alcohol imports outright — the bottle is destroyed and you are fined.
• Buying duty-free on a stopover can make the bottle illegal at your final destination.

🧭 Good reflexes

• Carry ID: many countries card everyone who looks under 25 or 30, tourists included.
• Never leave a drink unattended, and refuse drinks you did not see poured.
• In countries with an alcohol ban, refusing a drink is never rude — it protects your host too.

In which countries is alcohol banned?

13 countries flag alcohol as banned or a serious risk for travellers: Bangladesh, Brunei, Kuwait, Libya, Maldives, Mauritania, Oman, Pakistan, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Somalia, Sudan, UAE (Dubai).

Where is alcohol allowed with limits?

38 countries allow it under conditions (age, place, quantity, permit): Algeria, Australia, Bahrain, Burkina Faso, Canada, Chad, Djibouti, Egypt, Finland, Guinea, Iceland, India, Indonesia (Bali), Ireland, Jordan, Laos, Lithuania, Malaysia, Mali, Mongolia, Morocco, Myanmar, Nepal, New Zealand, Niger….

How do I check the rules for my destination before I fly?

Open LawsTravels: pick your destination, the topic alcohol shows the level, the thresholds and the penalties, offline. Your home country is free.