Top Cultural Tips for Ha Long Bay

Ha Long Bay is in north-eastern Vietnam. UNESCO designated the area as a World Heritage Site.

Dress code- Respect other cultures and abide local dress attire. Woman's tops should cover their shoulders and both men and woman's shorts should go to their knees, or longer. Shoes should be removed when entering temples, and other religious sites.

Greeting the locals- Instead of shaking hands, it is tradition in Vietnam to press your hands together in front of your chest and bow slightly.

Watch out for your chopsticks- In Asia, incense sticks are burned for the dead as a sign of respect. Therefore leaving chopsticks vertical, in this fashion, is a powerful symbol and unappreciated.

Remove those shoes- When entering someone's home, it is tradition to remove your shoes. Vietnamese maintain clean floors, therefore it is deemed rude to keep shoes on. Also, never point the bottom of your feet towards other people or anything sacred such as a Buddha. Again this is seen as disrespectful and rude. Embrace the culture!

See more at: www.starlightcruises.vn/