How to dress in Vietnam--no sleeveless tops??? Ever??

I%26#39;m (a woman) leaving in a week for HCMC, Phu Quoc, Hoi An, and Hanoi/Halong ... some things I%26#39;ve read say sleeveless is okay as long as you%26#39;re covered up for temple visits/religious sites. Others say sleeveless/tank tops are a no-go even for walking around on the city streets. I planned on bringing several long sleeveless dresses (some think straps, some thin), sandals, light sweaters to cover-up when necessary, and cropped pants (below the knee) with short sleeves or sleeveless tanks. Should I rethink my packing????? Any help would be GREATLY appreciated.

How to dress in Vietnam--no sleeveless tops??? Ever??

I%26#39;m a guy, and just wanted to reassure you - Vietnam is getting more casual all the time, but still not quite a match for the West. As long as you%26#39;re not some 70 year old grandmother in a tank top, no one will even comment on your dress as long as you look nice. Resorts like PQ and Hoi An will be more relaxed, but I don%26#39;t see anything wrong with sleeveless shirts or knee length shorts. Most Westerners are not nearly as cautious as you - you will see objective dressing there, but just don%26#39;t look ridiculous. I would think that a thong on the beach would be inappropriate too. In the cities, dress the same as you would in Atlanta. DON%26#39;T PACK TOO MUCH - LESS IS BETTER - we all have this problem. I%26#39;m packing as I write!

How to dress in Vietnam--no sleeveless tops??? Ever??

Hi there

I would agree we were there a last year and ordinary t shirt tops and crop trousers seemed to be pretty much the norm everywhere for travellers. Have to say we didnt see any bikini wearers or anything too revealing so it sounds like what your packing would be fine. A word of warning though watch out for the sun it is incredibly strong, we tended to think about covering up more for that than anything else

Definitely pack light!! Next time I go I would go with absolute minimum and buy out there - great prices especially at the tailors in Hoi An and the markets in HCM.

Most of all don%26#39;t worry, everything is easily available and you%26#39;ll get some great bargains to boot!

Have a wonderful trip it is a fantastic country with lovely people!

Cheers

LW-UK :-)