Acceptable daytime clothing
 

I will be visiting Singapore, Vietnam and Hong Kong in Feb. Can shorts and jeans be worn during daytime hours?

You'll look a lot less like a tourist if you don't wear shorts. ;)

Honestly though, its been 10 years since I was in HK or VN..so I'm not sure what the standard is now. But unless you're at a beach destination, I'd stick to long pants. Jeans should be fine.

I wouldn't wear shorts in HK during that time of the year, too cold of the weather for that unless you were coming from ANC

What is the purpose of your visit - just tourism, or anything else? What sort of people will you be with?

Singapore is warm year-round. Local men tend to wear long pants (not jeans) and short-sleeve buttoned shirts.

It depends on whether the purpose of your visit is personal or business :cool:

But i guess you are talking about general leisure clothing. Singapore is a quite formal city with a lot or airconditioned space, especially shopping areas. I would opt for long trousers in a cool fabric (ie not jeans) and a short-sleeved shirt.

It is rare for adults, especially men, anywhere in Asia to wear shorts except at the beach or the gym. Most residents of the big cities will tolerate it, some because they understand Westerners may be unaccustomed to tropical climates but most simply because they are too polite. But they will snicker once you pass by :).

Some venues to (e.g. religious sites) enforce a dress code even for tourists. At the Royal Palace in Bangkok, you can rent trousers to cover up for the duration of the visit, but that is relatively rare.

If you're going to Singapore, take a jacket or jumper: I have rarely been colder inside than I have been in Singapore: they really pump up the air-conditioning in some places.

To answer the question as put: I don't recall seeing men in Singapore or Hong Kong wearing shorts. I don't think it would cause any particular problems, but you'd stand out. Some better restaurants might look at them a bit askance, too.

I haven't been to Vietnam, so I can't comment about there.

Find some decent linen pants and you will be good to go.

For added discussion, please follow the thread in our Travel->Asia forum. Ocn Vw 1K, Moderator, TravelBuzz.

The locals will know your a tourist regardless of whether you wear shorts or not.

Jeans will be too hot during the day in Singapore and S. Vietnam. Central and Northern VN, as well as in HK they would be OK. Linen or other lightweight fabric would be best for the hot climates.

Shorts are quite OK in casual settings in Singapore, less so elsewhere. The climate is too steamy for jeans, bring along something lighter like chinos/khakis.

Proper dress in singapore
 

Is it proper to wear shorts and/or jeans during the day in Singapore?

Yes, locals do wear shorts -- mainly daytime.

Hi, actually whether one wears shorts depends on the situation. If it's an office or a teaching situation, it's dress long pants (and shirt and tie); jeans, nevermind shorts would not be appropriate. Also, for visits to mosques and temples it is more respectful to wear long pants as well. I agree that for normal leisure/weekend pursuits shorts are ok.

The one thing local men try not to do is wear jackets. It's too hot for that. (BTW keep in mind that in a lot of shopping malls and the odd public bus the aircon is blasting out cold air to what feels like arctic levels - a reason to not wear shorts.)

Interesting
 

Those who know me are aware that I believe shorts on foreigners are inappropriate anywhere in SE Asia other than sometimes in Singapore and at beach resorts (and then only at the resort not in town). Yes you will be targeted as a tourist not an expat. Additionally in many countries you will offend. Why set oneself up as a target when it is unnecessary. It is much better to fit in and appear to be the foreigner living there rather than the tourist. Sorry, jpatokal but there is not much that can be done to reduce your profile or even mine but coming across as an expat. gets more done than coming across as the often viewed "crass" tourist.

I wear jeans everywhere but am quite heat tolerant. They are more comfortable to me than khakis for my leisure travel. They also do not show any sweat stains as do lighter colored clothing. My shoes are always leather rather than sports shoes.

From considerable experience, this works for me. Most recently taking a group from Singapore to a seldom-visited-by-foreigners portion of Southern Johor and with a group to and in Kuching, local people looked to me as the foreigner living in the region who was herding a group of tourists on an excursion. Low profile brings one, in general, better interactions and less hassle than coming off as a "tourist".

A smile and tempered, controlled low in volume and tone conversation also does wonders.