I’ve been extremely lucky to be able to call Asia my home for the last 5.5 years, and in that time I have had the privilege of getting to visit a few countries throughout the continent. Each time a new country beckons me for a visit, I always make a point of immersing myself into the culture and history of that destination. Southeast Asia is no stranger to royal history, and it’s faithfully rich in religion and devotion. When you visit Southeast Asia, it would simply be crazy if you did not put some important sites in your itinerary.
Temples and palaces are abundant throughout countries in Southeast Asia, such as Thailand, Cambodia, Laos, and more. With their complex and deep history rooted within these sites, a level of respect is expected and that is reflected in a visitor’s wardrobe. Modesty is polite and appropriate, but sometimes it can be overwhelming researching outfits. Below I am sharing my ideas on what to wear at palaces and temples in Southeast Asia, which include chic and fun styles that can be worn year round.
Shop My Look
Everlane linen top (similar here) // Susanna Monaco crop top // Michael Lo Sordo maxi skirt (purchased in 2018; similar here, here, here, and here)
How You’re Expected to Dress
I previously shared ideas on what to wear at Angkor Wat in Siem Reap, Cambodia in this post here, and what I recommend to wear in that post plus this one would suffice for any palace or temple that you want to visit in Southeast Asia. Temples are houses of worship, with most if not all still being active places of worship. Whether it’s Buddhism, Hinduism, or Taoism, it’s expected to dress as respectfully as possible. For women, this means covered shoulders, covered knees, and sometimes covered ankles. No cut-out dresses, no strapless tops, and no short skirts. While some rules are not as strict for men, it’s best not to wear tanks or short shorts. The beau typically likes to wear a linen shirt and linen pants when we visit temples and palaces.
As for me, I love dressing up but keeping it conservative and respectful. It is usually incredibly hot and humid in Southeast Asia, even in the winter although the temperatures are not as strong, so the fabric I tend to gravitate towards most is linen. Linen is very light and breathable. It also dries very quickly, so if you’re caught in an afternoon rain shower or get a bit sweaty from the heat, your clothes do not stay wet for long. Of course you can never go wrong with a short sleeve floral maxi dress since I have worn one several times at temples, but lately my go-to outfits include a linen top and a dramatic maxi skirt or patterned linen pants. During my latest travels to Thailand and Cambodia, I relied on this linen blouse to keep my shoulders covered (similar here) but I wore this crop top underneath so that way when I left the palace or temple, I’d be able to cool down by removing the linen top.
Maxi Skirts
I love maxi skirts. I have a slight obsession with them. I love any excuse to wear a maxi skirt, and so I will extend that to when visiting temples and palaces in Southeast Asia. There’s something romantic about walking in a flowing, sweeping maxi skirt as you step through both time and divinity. However, I tend to reserve maxi skirts for locations where there aren’t too many steps, such as the Grand Palace in Bangkok, Thailand. It can get a bit frustrating to constantly have to keep picking up your skirt if you need to climb a bunch of steps, so I typically don’t wear a skirt unless there’s fewer stairs.
I was daring and chose to wear all white to the Grand Palace in Bangkok, since I knew the palace would be full of colors. My outfit felt like a blank canvas, and the centuries of colorful walls and golden roofs were spectacular works of art. Since the Grand Palace is one of those royal sites that are strict on dress code, I made sure to have my shoulders covered with a linen top and I kept my knees and ankles covered with my skirt. I’ve owned my favorite white maxi skirt since 2018, but luckily white maxi skirts never go out of style. I found similar ones here (a stunning close option), here (under $120), and here (under $100).
Linen Pants
A lot of temples throughout Southeast Asia feature a lot of steps, or small walls that require stepping over. This is when wearing pants comes in handy. Linen pants work best because if they were to get wet, the fabric dries very quickly. Unfortunately, shorts are not an option for women at most, if not all, temples and royal palaces in Southeast Asia, so if wearing a skirt isn’t an option then a pair of brightly patterned linen pants would be the best way to go. I like to choose colorful, printed pants that stand out amongst the historical temples as they stand tall in the tropical sun. While I was in Cambodia, places such as Angkor Wat, Wat Phnom, and the Royal Palace featured a lot of stairs, and so in this case pants work better so I don’t have to hold up my skirt (especially if I am visiting with my toddler).
I love this pair because it looks very similar to the ones I wore in Phnom Penh, and this pair would work well with anything. These colors stand out well, and these colors work for a temple visit in the jungle. You also can’t go wrong with stripes, such as this pair (I’m OBSESSED!) and this pair, but if you want to keep your look simple without patterns then I really like this pink pair and this lime green pair.
