From a dramatic storm just before the Opening Ceremony to Ao Dai, cruising through Ha Long Bay, and plenty of activities, the 75th Anniversary Miss World Festival continues at full speed in Vietnam. Here is everything you may have seen over the past few days.
The schedule has been intense, with the one hundred and eleven Miss World national ambassadors traveling, rehearsing, filming, discovering Vietnam, and enjoying the experience together.
And what a few days they have been.
A storm, Ao Dais, and an Opening Ceremony to remember
Let’s start in Ha Long Bay, where the official Opening Ceremony of the 75th Anniversary Miss World Festival took place on August 12 at Halong Marina Square.
About an hour before the show, however, the weather decided to create some drama of its own. A powerful rainstorm swept through the area, leaving everyone concerned. Nonetheless, the teams worked against the clock; the rain finally stopped, and the show went on beautifully!
The national ambassadors appeared on the spectacular outdoor stage wearing the traditional Vietnamese Ao Dai, accompanied by hand-painted conical hats featuring images inspired by Ha Long Bay, Yen Tu and the cultural heritage of Quang Ninh.
Over one hundred socially engaged and talented women from around the world celebrated their host country's culture together.
Fans across the globe followed the ceremony live through Miss World’s YouTube and Facebook channels, filling the comments with messages of encouragement and pride for their national representatives.
The televised program also featured speeches, music and performances celebrating Vietnamese culture, landscapes and traditions. Miss World Chairman and CEO Julia Morley CBE, and the reigning Miss World Opal Suchata were among the special guests welcomed during the evening.
In the end, the national ambassadors returned to the stage collectively wearing their own gowns.
Red carpet, sashes and a Miss World first
Now staying at the Dream Dragon Resort, the national ambassadors walked the red carpet before taking part in the first official Sashing Ceremony in Miss World’s history.
In duos, they were presented and received the sash bearing the name of the country or territory they are representing in Vietnam.
For fans following the competition from every corner of the world, it was also a great opportunity to finally see all the national ambassadors introduced.
After the formalities came food, music and fun! It was time for the Welcoming Dinner!
During the evening, reigning Mr World Danny Mejía took the stage and sang. It did not take long before the national ambassadors were on their feet dancing, turning dinner into a Miss World party!
By the way, the Miss World class of 2026 is now complete.
The last national ambassador to arrive was Miss World Mozambique, making history as the first woman ever to represent Mozambique at Miss World.
That brought together all one hundred and eleven national ambassadors participating in this anniversary edition.
Since arriving at Dream Dragon Resort, their days have been packed with activities. They have tried golf, kayaking and jet skiing, taken part in filming and photo shoots, enjoyed the beach and discovered an impressive variety of Vietnamese and international cuisine.
When one hundred and eleven people live and travel together for several weeks, there is always something to celebrate.
Technology meets sustainability: the JAECOO J5 arrives in Vietnam
Another major event during the week was the presentation of the JAECOO J5 in Vietnam.
The J5 is particularly interesting because the model is being introduced to the Vietnamese market with three different powertrain options: petrol, hybrid, and fully electric. The BEV Flagship is the all-electric version, part of the growing shift towards lower-emission mobility in Vietnam and across Southeast Asia.
The J5 is also set to become the first model from the brand to be locally assembled in Vietnam, an important step in OMODA & JAECOO’s expansion in the country.
The Miss World national ambassadors were present for a launch combining technology, entertainment, and a glimpse at how the automotive industry is changing as manufacturers invest increasingly in electric and hybrid mobility.
And, in true festival fashion, the evening ended with fireworks lighting up the Vietnamese sky.
A magical Sunday on Ha Long Bay
After so much activity, Sunday offered a change of pace.
The national ambassadors boarded the Catherine Horizon Cruise for a day exploring one of Vietnam’s greatest natural treasures: Ha Long Bay.
Launched in 2026, Catherine Horizon is a luxury day cruise measuring almost 65 metres in length and capable of welcoming hundreds of passengers, with panoramic spaces designed to make the extraordinary scenery of Ha Long Bay the real star.
Against a landscape of emerald waters and towering limestone formations, the national ambassadors enjoyed an extraordinary lunch, music, dancing and time together. The energy was so special that some of them would later describe that day as one of the best of their lives!
There were also gifts, some filming, and plenty of photographs.
Most importantly, it was an opportunity to stop for a few hours and really experience the destination that has welcomed Miss World so warmly.
For many of these young women, it was their first visit to Vietnam. A day sailing through Ha Long Bay is unlikely to be forgotten anytime soon.
Things are heating up in the kitchen!
The Miss World Head Chef Beauty Test, sponsored by Oliviolà Olive Oil, “the fine taste of the Mediterranean,” put the culinary skills of the national ambassadors to the test.
The challenge combined flavor, creativity, and healthy eating as the contestants worked together to prepare their dishes.
There was plenty of concentration, some competitive spirit, and a lot of laughter along the way.
And when the final dishes had been tasted and evaluated, Group 2 emerged victorious!
Congratulations, chefs!
Julia Morley and a country close to her heart
Throughout the festival, Julia Morley CBE has repeatedly spoken about how happy she is to be back in Vietnam, a country she has watched transform dramatically over the years.
Whenever her schedule allows, Julia can be found talking to the national ambassadors, listening to their stories, and encouraging them as they progress through their Miss World journey.
Behind the scenes, she continues working closely with both the Miss World team and the Vietnamese organizers on what is an especially significant edition: 75 years of Miss World.
The festival also arrives at an interesting moment for its host country.
Vietnam is increasingly looking at major international cultural and entertainment events as a way of presenting a broader image of the country to the world and attracting international visitors. A recent MSN feature explored this idea precisely, looking at how hosting Miss World forms part of Vietnam’s ambition to boost tourism and reshape its international image.
For Miss World, that relationship works in both directions. The national ambassadors are travelling across the country, photographing its destinations, filming their experiences, and sharing them with audiences in more than one hundred countries and territories, while helping boost tourism. It is something Miss World has done time and again across the 20 countries that have hosted or co-hosted the event over its 75-year history.
Karolina, Danny, and our teens Ella and Coco are in action!
If you have been following Miss World on social media, you have probably already seen plenty of interviews with our candidates.
Their interviews are allowing fans to discover their personalities, ambitions, careers, projects, and sometimes very funny stories behind this year’s national ambassadors.
And two younger reporters are getting in on the action as well!
Our Teens in Action Ella and Coco are bringing their own perspective to the festival through the new @miss.teen.world TikTok channel, asking the questions teenagers actually want answered and showing another side of life behind the scenes at Miss World.
Meanwhile, Facebook has become the place to go for extensive photo galleries from the festival, while Instagram, TikTok and YouTube continue bringing videos, interviews and special moments directly from Vietnam.
So if you are following only one Miss World platform, you may be missing quite a lot!
And now… the competitions begin
The competitive side of the 75th Anniversary Miss World Festival is ready to move into the spotlight, beginning with the first stage of the Top Model competition - VBFF Vietnam Beauty Fashion Festival, the Green World.
And from here, things will only become more intense.
Over the coming weeks, the national ambassadors will have opportunities to demonstrate different talents, skills, personalities and, most importantly, the purpose that brought them to Miss World.
Eventually, the journey will take everyone south to Nha Trang, where one of these one hundred and eleven remarkable women will be crowned the new Miss World on September 5.
Until then, there is much more of Vietnam to discover, much more to experience, and certainly many more unforgettable moments to share.
The 75th Anniversary Miss World Festival continues. Stay with us!
