On July 15, the images of the foreign female tourist wearing a bikini and carrying a handbag spread on social networks and attracted thousands of comments.

Many people were angry, saying that it was offensive and unacceptable when entering Hoi An, an ancient town with many relics hundreds of years old.

Meanwhile, other people showed their sympathy towards the foreign traveler, saying that the woman came from a foreign country and might not understand Vietnamese customs.

This is not the first time Vietnamese have voiced criticism against styles of foreign travelers who visit the town recognized by UNESCO as a world cultural heritage site.

Hoi An, in the central region of Vietnam, 30 kilometers south of Da Nang, is a popular travel destination and is among the world's most colorful places to visit. Some years ago, the US travel magazine Travel+Leisure listed it among the 50 best places to visit.

In April 2022, the image of a girl in underwear holding a lantern, sitting on a boat in the middle of Hoai River in Hoi An, was posted on social media.

Asked how the local authorities handle these cases, a high ranking official of the Hoi An City People’s Committee said under current regulations, authorities only remind the travelers and ask them not to wear these  outfits when they visit relics. There is no regulation on how to deal with tourists on the streets.

“In many cases, foreign travelers go to the beach and when they finish they go around streets, so it is very difficult to handle the cases,” the official said. 

One year ago, two female tourists wearing ao dai, the Vietnamese traditional long dress, and shorts were seen checking in Hoi An, and their behavior attracted attention.

The images of the two girls standing on Nguyen Thai Hoc street, the central area of Hoi An, attracted 7 million views and tens of thousands of shares after two days.

In April 2022, a Malaysian female tourist showed a lot of cleavage when visiting Hoi An, and also faced criticism. She later apologized on her personal page. 

Cong Sang