Cultural sensitivity is one of the most important traits women who travel the world need to have with them for every trip

Women are traveling like never before. And while they travel for many of the same reasons as men do, their social concerns, as well as their safety needs are very, very different. Female travelers are more directly affected by the religious and societal beliefs of the countries they visit.

As they make their way around the globe, chances are, they'll be called upon to adapt the way they dress or the manner in which they interact with the male population. They might even find that, in some places, it's inappropriate to be outdoors after sundown. The more that women prepare themselves for these differing attitudes, the richer and safer their traveling experiences will be.

Knowledge itself is power. A smart traveler is one who finds out everything she can about the culture and customs, and the role of women, in the places she'll be visiting. It makes sense to learn what to expect and prepare yourself for as many eventualities as possible.

One of your best sources of travel information is other women. Connect with them; ask for their advice. Read travel books, newsletters, and magazines for women. Surf the net.

Given the right cultural sensitivity, female travelers can often have the best of both worlds when traveling, being allocated a status of honorary men in men's environments and being able to enter women's environments automatically, observes Sue Wheat, an avid world traveler.

This underscores the importance of being aware of cultural norms in the countries you are visiting. Here are some of them:

• In Southeast Asia, signs are posted at religious landmarks asking women not to enter if they're menstruating.
• Remove your shoes when entering Muslim mosques or Hindu and Buddhist temples. Always pack a pair of heavy socks.
• When visiting a religious site, a woman should always dress conservatively. Always carry a scarf in case you will be required to cover your head in some places.
• Outside North America, a one-piece swimsuit is always a safer choice than bikini. In some countries, local women might swim entirely clothed, in accordance to their religious beliefs.
• In the Pacific Islands, a woman's thighs are considered an erotic part of her body and should not be exposed in public.
• In India, a female's upper arms are considered sensual areas of the body and therefore must never be exposed in public.
• In Saudi Arabia, women do not drive. A foreign, female visitor must have a male driver.
• In India, men generally do not shake hands with women. They greet them by placing the palm of their hands together and bowing slightly.
• In China, Japan, and Hong Kong, you are expected to give and receive business cards with both hands. In some parts of the Middle East, never use your left hand, as that hand is considered unclean.
• Always dress appropriately. If local women do not wear trousers to the office, you shouldn't either.
• Avoid wearing skimpy clothes, especially in conservative countries or places where men never see women's arms and legs such as Egypt or India.
• Otherwise, you can expect to be followed, heckled or harassed.
• In most Persian Gulf countries, women must respect a dress code that requires full covering, no matter how hot the weather.
• In Japan, traveling businesswomen are frequently treated as subordinates to male colleagues, or are simply ignored.
• In Japan, it is considered improper for women to go to a high-powered business meeting in a pantsuit.
• In Saudi Arabia, a foreign woman eating alone or with a male colleague in a restaurant will be relegated to the "family room," a separate area in the back for women and children.
• In Saudi Arabia, a woman is not allowed to give presentations in a public forum.
• In China, sandals without a heel-strap are viewed as bedroom slippers and are generally considered inappropriate outdoor footwear.
• In Korea, the highest-ranked businessperson, whether female or male, is expected to enter and exit a meeting room first.