Azerbaycan

Drink

Some local drinks include ayran (a yoghurt drink based on sour milk) and sherbet (made from rose petals or saffron). There are also different sorts of quite decent wines produced from local grapes and a wide array of mineral waters from natural springs.

In some areas of Azerbaijan the markets offer lemonades (limonat/dushes) made from pears or tarragon.

Note: In general, it is forbidden for females to enter tea houses and drinking establishments. Drinking in general is also taboo for women in rural Azerbaijan. It's not a problem in Baku.

Sleep

There is a good selection of hotels in Baku, including many Western European chains, but options elsewhere in the country are limited but nevertheless growing. Prices for the hotels start from US$60. Rental apartments might be a good choice as they are cheaper than hotels and sometimes are even more comfortable.

Since many hostel-like places and guest-houses are popping up rapidly and randomly everywhere in the country (like in Sheki and Ganja), they are often poorly signposted, and from the outside a great hostel might look like an ordinary apartment. Hence, make sure beforehand to get a detailed description (including GPS) of where to find the place and which apartment to ring at. Otherwise, you might be lost forever and even locals won't know where this newly popped up place is.

Stay safe

Robbing and pickpocketing in the capital Baku, especially in poor and sparsely populated areas is possible but rare and is higher across the capital at night. Common sense is useful as in all other countries. Also watch your stuff in public transport.

Criminals posing as police officers have sometimes stopped foreigners and stolen documents and money. If you are stopped on the street by a person in a police uniform, be cooperative but ask to see a badge or ID card.

Stay healthy

Make sure your diphtheria, tetanus, and Hepatitis A & B immunizations are up to date. Malaria is a risk in lowland Azerbaijan, particularly around the border with Iran. Anti-malarials are not a must for Baku, but the risk is present in rural areas not far from the city.

Water should not be consumed unless from a sealed bottle. Bottled soft drinks or boiled drinks, such as tea or coffee, also reduce risks.

Respect

thumb|Tea served in a traditional armudu glass Azerbaijanis are a very reserved but very polite and well-mannered people.

When you are invited into an Azerbaijani home, make sure to bring them a gift. Anything is fine from flowers (be sure to get an odd number of flowers, as an even number is associated with funerals), to chocolate (but not wine and other alcoholic beverages), and indeed something representative from your country. In Azerbaijani culture it is the thought behind the gift, rather than the price, that matters. When you arrive at the house take off your shoes just outside or immediately inside the door, unless the owner explicitly allows you to keep them on. Even then, it might be more polite to remove your shoes. You may be offered slippers to wear. Azerbaijanis respect elderly people, so in a bus, tram, subway and in other forms of public transportation, young(er) people will always offer you a place to sit if you are an old(er) person as well as a handicapped person or a pregnant woman or have children with you. It is considered polite to let women be the first to board and leave the bus, tram, subway and in other forms of public transportation or to enter and leave a room. It is respectful to bend slightly (not a complete bow) when greeting someone older or in a position of authority. Younger people always initiate greetings with older people or those in a position of authority. If you do not know the person well, use their first name followed by an appropri…