Missed manners

Dress is another area fraught with hidden meaning. People in Vietnam are very conscious of looking neat and, when on vacation, often dressup. Backpackers in tattered garb are a source of perplexed amusement,the mystery being why anyone able to afford a plane ticket would lookso poor.It’s worth heeding an old Vietnamese saying, which advises, “Eat foryourself. Dress for others.”(An cho minh. Mac cho nguoi.), sincestrangers are generally much more helpful if you’re well dressed. Whiletank tops, miniskirts and shorts are becoming more common, especiallyin steamy Ho Chi Minh City, women travelers will probably make moregenuine friends in less risqué outfits.