Beauty In The East

Miss El Salvador Rebeca Moreno, at a beach party at the Palm Garden Resort in Hoi An, Quang Nam province, Vietnam on Wednesday, June 25, 2008. Moreno will compete in the 57th Miss Universe competition which will take place in Nha Trang, Vietnam, at the Crown Convention Center on July 14, 2008, and be broadcast in the U.S. on July 13.

Wardrobe assistants Mark Zappone, left, and Jan Creger, right, help Miss USA 2008 Crystle Stewart get ready for her Official National Costume Portrait at the New World Hotel Saigon in Ho Chi Minh City, on Monday, June 23, 2008. Stewart will compete in the 57th annual Miss Universe competition which will take place in Nha Trang, Vietnam on July 14, 2008, airing in the U.S. on July 13, 2008 at 9 p.m. EDT.

Miss Japan Hiroko Mima, left, and Miss Korea Sun Lee, right, with costumes reflecting their native countries during the National Costume Show in Lions Theater, in Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam, Sunday, June 22, 2008.

Miss Dominican Republic Marianne Cruz wears a costume reflecting her native country during the National Costume Show in Lions Theater, in Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam, Sunday, June 22, 2008.

Elisa Najera, Miss Mexico 2008, wears her National Costume at the Lions Theater in Ho Chi Minh City on Sunday June 22, 2008.

Miss Australia 2008 Laura Dundovic, left, Miss Germany 2008 Madina Taher and Miss Philippines 2008 Jennifer Barrientos, right, pose poolside at a hotel in Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam, on Friday, June 20, 2008. They will compete in the 57th annual Miss Universe competition which will take place in Nha Trang, Vietnam at the Crown Convention Center on July 14, at 8 a.m. local time, July 13, 2008 at 9 p.m. EDT in the U.S.

Miss Israel 2008 Shunit Faragi poses poolside at a hotel in Ho Chi Minh City on Friday, June 20, 2008.

Miss India 2008 Simran Kaur Mundi poses poolside at a hotel in Ho Chi Minh City on Friday, June 20, 2008.

Miss Canada 2008 Samantha Tajik poses poolside at a hotel in Ho Chi Minh City on Friday, June 20, 2008.

Miss China 2008 Ziya Wei poses poolside at a hotel in Ho Chi Minh City on Friday, June 20, 2008.

Miss Kazakhstan 2008 Alfina Nassyrova poses poolside at a hotel in Ho Chi Minh City on Friday, June 20, 2008.

Miss USA 2008 Crystle Stewart poses for photos during an official welcoming ceremony for her and Miss Universe 2008 contestants in Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam, Friday, June 20, 2008. The 2008 Miss Universe Pageant will be held in Nha Trang, Vietnam in July.

Miss Vietnam 2008 Nguyen Thuy Trang poses for photos during an official welcoming ceremony of her and Miss Universe 2008 contestants in Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam, Friday, June 20, 2008.

Miss Universe 2007 Riyo Mori poses for photos during an official welcoming ceremony for her and Miss Universe 2008 contestants in Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam, Friday, June 20, 2008.

This year's coveted Miss Universe crown.

Miss Puerto Rico 2008 Ingrid Rivera Santos poses poolside at a hotel in Ho Chi Minh City on Tuesday, June 19, 2008.

Miss South Africa 2008 Tansey Coetzee poses poolside at a hotel in Ho Chi Minh City on Tuesday June 19, 2008.

Miss Costa Rica 2008 Maria Teresa Rodriguez poses poolside at a hotel in Ho Chi Minh City on Tuesday June 19, 2008.

Miss Ecuador 2008 Domenica Saporitti poses poolside at a hotel in Ho Chi Minh City on Tuesday June 19, 2008.

Eliska Buckova, Miss Czech Republic 2008, left, and Alizee Poulicek, Miss Belgium 2008, pose poolside at a hotel in Ho Chi Minh City on Tuesday June 19, 2008.