Travelling always comes with surprises. Sometimes it is a random street food stall that becomes your favourite memory. Sometimes it is an activity you did not plan for but end up loving. For me, it was paying to dress up in traditional attire and feeling like I’d stepped into another world.
It happened twice this year, once in Shenzhen, China and once in Ho Chi Minh, Vietnam. Both times started with me wandering around as a tourist and spotting a studio filled with shimmering fabrics, ornate hairpins, and flawless photos of strangers looking like movie characters. The promise was simple: a transformation into history, complete with makeup, hairstyle, and a professional photoshoot. How could I say no?
Inside, the atmosphere was buzzing with energy. Racks of traditional clothing surrounded the room, each one more elegant than the last. The staff greeted me warmly and guided me through costume options like stylists preparing a celebrity for a red carpet. The makeup artist was friendly but precise, painting every detail with careful concentration. The result was beautiful, but also slightly unsettling. I looked like someone from a legend, both graceful and slightly haunted. Beauty really does come with discomfort.
In Vietnam, the experience felt like an expedition disguised as a photoshoot. After dressing up in an Ao Dai, we walked through several famous attractions under the burning sun. From Saigon Central Post Office to Ho Chi Minh City Book Street to Independence Palace, I followed the photographer who seemed to have unlimited stamina. I tried to look composed while secretly wishing for shade. The makeup that looked flawless indoors began to feel thick and itchy, but I kept smiling, convincing myself it was all for art.
By the end of the day, my feet ached and my posture had collapsed, yet when I saw the photos, I almost forgot the struggle. The editing was soft and natural. The colours captured the charm of Vietnam’s old streets. For a few moments, I really did look like part of the scenery rather than a sweaty tourist pretending to be elegant.
China was a different kind of magic. The shoot took place at night, which made everything feel cinematic. I had no idea where the photographer was leading me, but I followed through narrow alleys, across a bridge lit by lanterns, outside temples, and under quiet trees. The air was cool, the lights shimmered on the lake, and the whole city seemed to breathe in rhythm with the camera clicks. It was mysterious, a little confusing, but strangely enchanting.
When I received the final photos, they looked breathtaking. The lighting, the shadows, and the way the fabrics glowed under the night sky made each shot look like a movie still. I remembered how uncomfortable I had been, how my hair accessories felt like a crown made of weights, yet somehow, all of that pain disappeared the moment I saw the result.
People often argue that these studios commercialise culture, turning history into a photoshoot. Maybe that is true, but I think there is also beauty in it. Travelling is about connection, and dressing in the local traditional wear helped me see the artistry, the texture, and the living spirit of the culture. It is one thing to observe history through glass cases. It is another to feel the fabric brush against your skin as you walk through the streets where that history once lived.
So, is it worth it? Definitely. Not just for the photos, but for the experience of being part of something larger than yourself. It is tiring, yes, and sometimes chaotic, but that is what travel is. It teaches you that even discomfort can turn into something beautiful.
Travelling is not just about the places you visit. It is about the stories that follow you home: the wind, the laughter, the confusion, and the photos that hide all your exhaustion behind a perfect smile. Somewhere in those memories, between the heat and the glitter, you realise you did not just visit another country. You lived a piece of its story.
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Isabel Lim (isabellimyt@gmail.com) is a content creator under the Newswav Creator programme, where you get to express yourself, be a citizen journalist, and at the same time monetize your content & reach millions of users on Newswav. Log in to creator.newswav.com and become a Newswav Creator now!
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