{"id":4554,"date":"2026-08-13T09:00:00","date_gmt":"2026-08-13T00:00:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/vietnam-gift.com\/?post_type=news&p=4554"},"modified":"2026-08-13T09:00:00","modified_gmt":"2026-08-13T00:00:00","slug":"hoian-dress-code","status":"publish","type":"news","link":"https:\/\/vietnam-gift.com\/en\/news\/hoian-dress-code\/","title":{"rendered":"Told to Change Clothes at Hoi An's Japanese Bridge: A Guide to Dress Standards in the Heritage District"},"content":{"rendered":"

At the entrance to Lai Vien Kieu \u2014 the covered bridge that's a symbol of Hoi An's old town, known locally as the \"Japanese Bridge\" (Chua Cau) \u2014 a foreign woman was stopped around 7pm on August 4, 2026. She was wearing a sheer black outfit with a slit cut up to hip height. As she tried to enter the bridge, local guide Truong Bui Ngoc Khue called out to her in English and asked her to change. She and her companion reportedly left the bridge, bought new clothes nearby, and returned to continue their visit. When video of the exchange spread on Facebook the next day, August 5, the guide's handling of the situation drew praise.<\/p>\n

This incident isn't about blaming anyone. Hoi An's heritage district has dress guidelines, much like temples and shrines in Japan, and it's often first-time visitors who unknowingly walk in without knowing them. So that travelers from Japan don't run into the same confusion, here's a rundown of the reported facts along with practical information for enjoying a walk through the old town.<\/p>\n

\"Please Wear Long Pants or a Long Skirt\" \u2014 What the Guide Told Her at the Bridge Entrance<\/h2>\n

According to local newspaper DTiNews, what Khue told the woman was, in essence, \"This is a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Please avoid dressing like that. Wear long pants or a long skirt.\" Rather than turning her away harshly, he explained the rules in English and asked her to change.<\/p>\n

Khue told reporters that, since many first-time visitors to Vietnam aren't aware of local rules and customs, he keeps explaining until they understand and cooperate. Staff apparently speak to visitors not just at the bridge entrance but from the entrance to the old town itself. In fact, the women who were reminded didn't push back \u2014 they adjusted their clothing and resumed their visit. The calm, respectful nature of the exchange is a big reason the video won support on social media.<\/p>\n

Revealing Clothing Is \"Not Permitted at Assembly Halls or Temples\" \u2014 Written Into the Heritage District's Rules<\/h2>\n

The dress standards aren't a staff member's improvisation \u2014 they're written into the visitor regulations for each of Hoi An's heritage sites. Pham Phu Ngoc, director of the Hoi An Center for Cultural Heritage Management and Preservation, explained that \"revealing clothing isn't permitted at sacred places like assembly halls and temples.\" Reports say staff are instructed to ask visitors whose clothing doesn't meet the standard to step back out before entering a site.<\/p>\n

Lai Vien Kieu is said to have been built by Japanese merchants in the mid-17th century and was designated a national historical and cultural relic in 1990. A small shrine sits partway across the bridge, making it more than just a passageway \u2014 it doubles as a place of worship. Hoi An's old town itself was inscribed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1999. It's precisely because this \"tourist attraction\" and \"place of prayer\" overlap that visitors are asked to be mindful about how much skin they show.<\/p>\n

Dressing Right for Hoi An's Temples \u2014 Cover Your Shoulders and Knees and Stay Cool<\/h2>\n

So what should you actually wear? The guideline for visiting temples and heritage sites in central Vietnam is simple.<\/p>\n