For women, only by men   Around 60km from downtown of capital Ha Noi, Trach Xa Village in Ung Hoa District has been known for making tradional long dress ao dai for centuries. Male bastion: For a very long time, only men were taught and allowed to make an áo dài in Trach Xa Village.--VNS Photo Doan Tung A strange feature of this fame, however, has been the fact that the iconic national dress for women was made exclusively by men. To this day, 90 per cent of the local tailors are men, owing to a long-standing rule in the region: the job was taught only to men. Explaining the special rule, Nguyen Van Nhien, 84, who has been an ao dai maker for 65 years, said that in the old days, local inhabitants had to go far away to work as dress makers to earn their living. Only men could travel thus. Women were not believed strong enough to travel so often and so far, so they stayed at home to do housework and farm work. Locals also...

While Hanoi has been famous for its 36 old streets attached to the history and culture of the 1,000-year-old capital, Saigon, the former name of HCMC, can take pride in an age-old alley that has maintained its original architecture and special traits for decades. The 100-year-old alley in the city’s District 5, better known as Hao Si Phuong, is worth visiting as tourists can take a close look at Chinese-influenced unique architectural features and gain an insight into daily lives and spiritual values of the Chinese community there. Separated from the hustle and bustle of modern city life, the alley that can be found at 206 Tran Hung Dao B Street in District 5 mostly inhabited by the Chinese Vietnamese community, boasts a harmonious combination of the past and present features with a row of old houses in Chinese-style architectural designs but repainted with vibrant colors to pray for luck and success. The old residential blocks have narrow paths and limited living space. First-time...

Mad Cow is Saigon’s newest outlet to meet, mingle and taste amazing grilled Steaks or Seafood and enjoy great selections of madly priced wines! Mad Cow is Saigon’s daring answer to a casual yet cool experience that is far from a normal restaurant.   Maddie and the Gang are fresh on the scene and are the perfect hosts, guaranteeing a great night our, delivering mouthwatering meals including a damn-good steak, seafood matched with retail priced wines.   Opening Hours:   Monday – Sunday   4pm – 12am   info@madcowsaigon.com   Level 30   Address:148 Tran Hung Dao Boulevard   District 1, Ho Chi Minh City   Tel: +84 (0)28 3838 8686   Website: madcowsaigon.com/   Mad Cow is Saigon’s newest outlet to meet, mingle and taste amazing grilled Steaks or Seafood and enjoy great selections of madly priced wines! Mad Cow is Saigon’s daring answer to a casual yet cool experience that is far...