Da Nang Wants Locals To Put Away Pajamas, Embrace Bikinis

Da Nang officials have declared war on pajamas and loungewear at local beaches, claiming that they may “taint the image of the beautiful city.”

Related Articles:

- Hanoi Declares War On Public "Profanity"

- Did You Know Stopping In The Shade Can Get You Fined?

- Garbage Is Trashing Vietnam’s Natural Beauty

Ngo Quang Vinh, head of the city’s department of tourism, is leading the charge against modest clothing, according to Thanh Nien.

“Tourists, especially foreign ones, are really grossed out when seeing swimmers in casual wear. The clothes are just uncomfortable and ugly when they get wet,” Vinh told the press at a meeting last Friday.

Vinh went on to propose that the city create separate beaches with better services for those who opt to wear bikinis.

Beyond incentivizing Vietnamese to adopt bolder beach attire, city authorities are taking steps to alter local perceptions about “shyness” when it comes to their bodies, such as flash mobs.

Nguyen Duc Vu, the deputy head of the Da Nang beaches’ managing board, said that he had recently organized one such group performance where hundreds of young people wore bikinis.

Vu said the performance was impressive, but failed to mention if it had any impact on the mindset of locals.

One would think that Vietnamese tourism officials have more pressing issues to address...

[Photo via Stacie Chan]