Planning to visit Vietnams heritage sites? Mind the dress code

Photo courtesy of Tuoi Tre News

Visitors to Hoi An, a tourism and cultural hub in Da Nang City, central Vietnam, are asked to dress respectfully in keeping with the solemnity of its heritage sites. Photo: Tran Thuong / Tuoi Tre

In the video, a tour guide explained the site's dress expectations after noticing the visitor's revealing outfit.

The tourist and her companions accepted the reminder and left the attraction without objection.

The guide's calm and professional handling of the situation was widely praised online as an example of respectful communication and cultural heritage protection.

Hoi An is not alone. Many popular tourist destinations across Vietnam have similar dress guidelines, particularly at heritage sites, temples, pagodas, and other places of cultural or spiritual significance.

Hue: Traditional attire required for incense offerings

In Hue City, central Vietnam, authorities, particularly those responsible for managing relic and heritage sites, have introduced clear dress requirements for visitors to solemn and spiritual landmarks.

At royal tombs, temples, shrines, and pagodas, visitors are required to wear neat, modest, and respectful clothing.

Illustrated signs displayed at these sites inform visitors that revealing or inappropriate attire is not permitted.

Site staff may refuse entry to visitors wearing skirts above the knee, overly short shorts, off-the-shoulder tops, tank tops, spaghetti-strap tops, overly sheer or tight-fitting clothing, or other attire considered inappropriate.

Le Cong Son, deputy director of the Hue Monuments Conservation Center, said staff members are stationed at key locations to remind visitors if their clothing is deemed unsuitable.

The center also provides wrap skirts that visitors can borrow if they arrive wearing short skirts.

At Minh Thanh Palace within King Gia Long Mausoleum, both men and women wishing to enter and offer incense are required to wear traditional ao dai (Vietnamese traditional costume) and khan dong (Vietnamese traditional ceremonial headdress), as the site is considered a particularly significant relic site.

Visitors without the required attire may rent a complete traditional outfit for VND20,000 (US$0.76) per person.

Visitors wishing to offer incense at Minh Thanh Palace inside King Gia Long Mausoleum in Hue City, central Vietnam can rent traditional 'ao dai' and khan dong attire for VND20,000 per set. Photo: C.S.

Khanh Hoa provides free replacement clothing for visitors

In Khanh Hoa Province, local authorities have long enforced dress and conduct guidelines for visitors at historical and cultural sites, according to Hoang Quy, deputy director of the provincial Center for Cultural Heritage Conservation.

Dress code signs are posted at the entrances to and throughout relic and heritage sites for visitors to follow.

At the Po Nagar Towers, one of the best-preserved ancient Cham architectural complexes in central Vietnam, signs in both Vietnamese and English remind visitors not to wear revealing clothing, to dress respectfully, and to avoid making excessive noise.

The site also provides a selection of garments that visitors can borrow free of charge if they arrive wearing clothing deemed inappropriate.

7 August 2026