The twenty most promising candidates from the northern region were chosen in Hanoi on August 9 to compete in the final round of the Miss Vietnam 2012 pageant.

The qualifying round saw 38 candidates perform in three stages: ao dai (long dress), bikini and self-selected costumes.  

The jury earlier announced another 20 candidates from the southern region to enter the final round due to take place in the central city of Danang on August 25.

The organising board said 1,000 young girls nationwide registered to compete in Miss Vietnam 2012. This year, the event aims to honour the beauty of Vietnamese women in the context of international cultural exchange.

The contest is co-organised by the Tien Phong (Vanguard) newspaper and the Danang Municipal People’s Committee.

Launched in 1988, this is the country’s biggest and longest-running beauty pageant. The current Miss Vietnam holder is 23-year-old Dang Thi Ngoc Han from Hanoi.

Some photos of best contestants in the northern region:

Duong Tu Anh, 19, from the Academy of Journalism and Communication

Phan Ha Phuong, 20, from Hanoi University of Business and Technology

Nguyen Thi Hai Yen

Bikini performance by Do Hoang Anh, 18, from Hanoi University of Culture

Nguyen Thi Huong Thu with the measurement of 83-64-93

Hoang Dieu Linh from Vinh Phuc province's Technical-Economic College

Duong Tuyet Trinh from Hanoi's National Economics University is 1.69m tall and measures 83-64-92

Phan Ha Phuong, a model from Venus company, is 1.77m tall and measures 78-59-89

Vo Hoang Yen from Nghe An province, a Vinh University student

Nguyen Thuy Linh, 22, is 1.71m tall and a Hanoi's Thang Long University student

Nguyen Thi Huong Thu, 28, from Bac Ninh province

Phan Ha Phuong

Nguyen Thi Hai Yen from Thai Nguyen province

Source: VOV News