Dress code

Don't wear

• Sleeveless shirts in upscale Bangkok rooftop venues (Octave at Marriott, Sky Bar at Lebua, Vertigo at Banyan Tree)
• Beach attire in Sukhumvit-area hotel venues
• Open-toe sandals in some Asok and Sukhumvit upscale clubs

Local specifics

• Royal-image clothing (t-shirts depicting Thai royalty in any non-respectful manner) is a serious offence under Criminal Code §112 (lèse-majesté)
• Temple entry (if your nightlife day includes Wat Pho or Wat Arun) requires covered shoulders + knees, no shoes inside
• Pattaya and Phuket beach-strip nightlife is essentially unrestricted

Don't wear

• Sandals in higher-end Makati and BGC clubs (Valkyrie, A Bar, OPM Bar)
• Sleeveless t-shirts in BGC upscale venues
• Beach attire outside resort settings

Local specifics

• Boracay post-2018 cleanup rules: no smoking on the beach proper, no alcohol consumption on the sand, no plastic single-use containers
• Angeles Fields Avenue is unrestricted on dress
• P. Burgos venues generally unrestricted

Don't wear

• Open-toe sandals in higher-end HCMC District 1 KTV and bar venues
• Beach attire outside resort settings

Local specifics

• No photography in venues — universal house rule
• Vietnamese-public-security uniforms should never be photographed (separate legal exposure under public-order provisions)

Don't wear

• Shorts and tank tops in Jakarta upscale clubs
• Visible religious symbols other than Indonesian-mainstream (Christian, Muslim, Hindu, Buddhist) — Aceh enforcement is intensifying
• Beach attire entering temples — even Hindu temples in Bali require sarong + sash

Local specifics

• Bali temple visits require sarong + sash (often available for rent at the entrance)
• Aceh enforces Sharia dress code on Muslims and (selectively) non-Muslims; covering shoulders and knees is expected
• KUHP 2026 environment: no specific clothing rules but venue staff may be more cautious about admitting tourists in obvious bachelor-party regalia

Don't wear

• Visible tattoos at upscale clubs in Roppongi, Ginza, Kabukicho's higher-tier venues
• Athletic / gym attire at most clubs
• Open-toe sandals at upscale clubs
• Visible tattoos at any public bath-house (sento) or onsen unless specifically tattoo-friendly

Local specifics

• Tattoo-cover stickers are sold at convenience stores — small ones cover small tattoos, larger sleeves require long sleeves or specifically tattoo-friendly establishments
• Soaplands (Yoshiwara, Tobita Shinchi, etc.) universally exclude tattooed customers in addition to foreign customers
• Some hostess clubs and host clubs enforce shoe-quality minimums (leather over canvas)
• Black-tie events are common in upscale Tokyo and Osaka venues; check ahead

Don't wear

• Beach attire entering Angkor Wat or temple complexes — covered shoulders + knees required
• Visible disrespect of Buddhist imagery (clothes depicting Buddha images in irreverent contexts) — has produced tourist deportations in the past

Local specifics

• Angkor temple entry requires covered shoulders and knees, no exceptions
• Phnom Penh and Sihanoukville nightlife is essentially unrestricted

Don't wear

• Open-toe sandals in Gangnam clubs (Octagon, Arena, Ellui)
• Visible tattoos in some upscale Gangnam venues (less strict than Japan)
• Athletic attire in upscale venues

Local specifics

• Some Itaewon Hooker Hill venues operate explicit door policies on dress and grooming
• Room salons typically expect smart-casual minimum
• Korean men-only saunas (찜질방) have different (very relaxed) dress conventions but you must remove watches and jewellery for the hot rooms

Don't wear

• Sandals in some Taipei Xinyi-district clubs
• Beach attire outside resort settings

Local specifics

• Linsen North Road piano bars enforce smart-casual
• Ximending youth nightlife is essentially unrestricted

Don't wear

• Sandals or flip-flops at Marina Bay clubs (Marquee, CÉ LA VI, Zouk) — universal refusal
• Sleeveless shirts at most upscale venues
• Shorts at upscale venues
• Athletic attire at upscale venues

Local specifics

• Marina Bay Sands properties enforce strict smart-casual
• Zouk and CÉ LA VI publish dress codes on their websites
• Geylang lorong establishments are unrestricted on dress (which is itself a marker of the district's character)

Don't wear

• Sandals in KL upscale clubs (Zouk KL, Marini's, Skybar at Traders)
• Beach attire entering mosques or religious sites
• Athletic attire at upscale venues
• Aggressively-styled hair / appearance in conservative-state-area venues (east coast in particular)

Local specifics

• Mosque entry requires covered everything; women receive long robes at the entrance
• Penang Georgetown bars are generally relaxed
• Johor Bahru KTV venues range from smart-casual to unrestricted

Don't wear

• Sandals or flip-flops at Central upscale clubs (CÉ LA VI, ZUMA, BlackSheep venues)
• Athletic attire at upscale venues
• Beach attire outside resort settings

Local specifics

• Some Wan Chai bars have explicit no-large-tattoo policies (less strict than Japan)
• Yat-lau-yat-fung premises in Mong Kok have no dress code
• Lan Kwai Fong is genuinely permissive — anything short of beach attire works