Hoi An to apply strict dress code after revealing incident

Visitors to ancient town Hoi An have been requested to wear proper attire after a woman was spotted in a see-through top at its iconic Pagoda Bridge.

Tong Quoc Hung, head of the Hoi An Department of Culture and Information, on Monday said the central town would provide formal outfits at religious and spiritual relics. “If visitors are not properly dressed, they would have to change into these outfits before entry.”

In addition, ticket staff will also have the responsibility of reminding visitors not to wear revealing clothes in Hoi An, he said.

Hung’s statement came after a woman had posted photos of herself in see-through clothes at the Pagoda Bridge on Facebook, drawing strong criticism.

Immediately after verifying the information, the Hoi An culture department sent a request to this person to remove the offensive photos. In addition, the department asked the Department of Information and Communications of Quang Nam Province to take suitable measures regarding the incident.

A woman wears a see-through top when visiting the Pagoda Bridge in Hoi An Town. The photo is seen on her Facebook page on February 15.

A woman wears a see-through top when visiting the Pagoda Bridge in Hoi An Town, Quang Nam Province. The photo is seen on her Facebook page on February 15.

“Such offensive images are not suitable for Hoi An, a respected UNESCO world cultural heritage site. However, at the moment, regulations have yet to include punishing women wearing revealing clothes, meaning there has been no official response yet,” Hung noted.

He said the town has applied “a polite tourist dress code” for many years, especially after a topless girl posed for photos here in 2019. Besides ticketing staff, managers of relics and attractions also have to remind visitors about the proper attire.

“Plans to provide formal clothing at relic sites were outlined in early 2020 but have not been implemented due to the Covid-19 pandemic.”