Hanoi's nudists bare all, defying social norms

A nudist playing a flute in a hut by the southern banks of the Red River in Hanoi on Dec 11. PHOTO: AFP.

HANOI: Butt cheeks bared, Hanoi's ragtag nudist club ignore the chilly weather to do their daily exercises - some swim, some jog, one performs military drills - stripping off and defying norms in the conservative communist nation.

Tucked behind banana trees on the banks of the city's Red River, the men meet to shed their clothes, and modesty, for a cheeky dip, a game of chess, or yoga headstands in the buff - which they believe comes with health benefits.