Xuân Phương in Hanoi
Every Bánh Chưng Season, Vietnam’s Lá Dong Capital Comes Alive With Harvest Frenzy
On the patches of sandy soil by the river in Kim An Commune, Thanh Oai District, Hanoi, there’s a tiny village named Tràng Cát, where dong leaves have been embedded in local history, memory, and economy for centuries. Right in local courtyard, these broad green leaves were transformed into bánh chưng, ready for Tết feasts across the country.
Paul Christiansen in Saigon
Loneliness Too Waits for the Bus
We are all in this, but not together.
Thoughts I've Had While Stranded in Murky Floodwater on Saigon's High-Tide Days
I’m willing to forgive nearly everything about Saigon. It’s a sign of a sustainable relationship, as I still wish to coexist in peace with this city. To me, Saigon’s midday, even when the searing sun flares the strongest, is when the trees are the most glorious. The sudden bouts of torrential rain are indeed a nuisance, but I tell myself that at least the streets can get a wash after a dusty day. But there’s one thing that never goes away and that I can never write off; something I can’t, for the life of me, find reasons to romanticize or defend. Those are the infuriating floods that submerge Saigon streets every time the tide is high.
Saigon Sees a 10-Year Low of 18°C. What Are the City’s Highest and Lowest Temperatures?
This January, Saigoneers have been enjoying an unusually pleasant stretch of weather, with daytime temperatures hovering around the mid-20s and dipping to 18–20°C late at night and in the early morning.
Vietnam Bans Unskippable Ads, Requires Skip Button to Appear After 5 Seconds
If things go our way, YouTube’s notorious unskippable ads might be a thing of the past come this February.
Grindr Year-End Report Names Vietnam as Country With Biggest Top Shortage
Ever since Spotify launched its first global Wrapped function a few years ago, December has turned into an exciting season of stats-driven year-end reviews. “Wrapping” is now a tradition embraced by numerous apps, such as Strava, Duolingo, YouTube, Reddit, and of course, Grindr.
When Donations Are All Womenswear, Men in Flood Zones Turn Necessity Into Fashion
Vietnam’s South-Central Coast region is going through an especially grueling time of the year as both the local people and authorities have to deal with the aftermath of historic rainfall and flooding. Still, amid the mourning and strenuous rebuilding efforts, moments of levity shine through — a testament to the resilience, optimism, and incredible humor of the Vietnamese people in the face of hardships.
Đắk Lắk, Khánh Hòa Are Next Victims of 2025's Historic Flooding. Here's How to Help.
After nearly a week of constant downpour, many provinces of Vietnam’s Central Highlands and South-Central Coast regions have suffered severe flooding and landslides, causing catastrophic damage to local infrastructure, economic activities, and deaths. This has been yet another month of loss and destruction for Vietnam in 2025, which is shaping up to be the most devastating year in recent history due to consecutive powerful typhoons and atypically high rainfall.
Morning News Roundup: Around 0.057% Of Population Borrows Books From Public Libraries
Hanoi: 17,000 people have 30m2 of playgrounds [Vietnam Net] Vietnam pays heavy price for petrochemistry industry [Vietnam Net] Da Nang introduces speed limit on key bridge [Vietnam News]
U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry Will Pay A Visit To Vietnam Next Week
The U.S. Department of State has announced that U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry will make a stop in Vietnam next week as part of a five-country trip to the Middle East and Southeast Asia.
Hanoi Opera House To Be Repainted, Returned To Its Original Color
In what seems to be a repeat of the paint scandal that recently hit Saigon’s Central Post Office, Hanoi authorities have announced that the city’s 104-year-old opera house will soon return to its orig...
Morning News Roundup: HCMC Project Gives Facelift To Iconic Turtle Lake
Growing greenhouse gas level requires workable solutions [Vietnam Plus] More than 16,000 residents in HCMC bitten by mad animals [SGGP] Vietnam spends $463 million on imported pesticides [Vietnam Ne...
[Video] Manchester City Destroys Vietnam 8-1, VN Fans Irate After Being Ignored By Players
Manchester City easily handled the Vietnamese national football team last night, winning by a score of 8-1 at Hanoi’s My Dinh Stadium with three doubles by David Silva, Raheem Sterling and Aleksandar ...
[Photos] Deadly Floods Devastate Quang Ninh Province
Three days of continuous rains have ravaged the northern province of Quang Ninh, turning streets into rivers and killing at least three people.
Morning News Roundup: Artists Propose Ways To Enliven Ho Chi Minh City Pedestrian Street
Cai Rang among world’s six busiest floating markets [Vietnam Net] Viet Nam's stock market helps drive the economy [Vietnam News] Number of Vietnamese visiting Japan soars [VoV]
Hanoi Police To Patrol City On Bikes To Build "Friendly" Image
In order to create a friendlier public image, Hanoi will soon have some of its police officers patrol the city on bicycles.
Weekend News Roundup: Teachers Talk Less During Lessons Under New Methodology
German news agency apologizes to Vietnam defense minister for false death report [Tuoi Tre] Vietnamese arrested in Japan for cyber revenge on former employer [Thanh Nien] Vietnam’s first heart-lung ...
Experts Outraged After Hanoi Opera House Repainted Without Permission
In a story (and color) eerily reminiscent of the Saigon Post Office’s botched paint job earlier this year, experts are blasting the new, garish shade of Hanoi’s 104-year-old opera house.
Morning News Roundup: HCMC Wants Longer Visa Exemption For European Tourists
Hanoi aims to offer top welfare services by 2020 [Vietnam Plus] HCM City monorail line No 2 gets new costly project quotation [SGGP] Huge FDI projects withdraw from Vietnam and the consequences [Vie...
Singapore Refuses Entry, Sends A Number Of Vietnamese Visitors Home Without Explanation
Vietnam will soon ask its Singaporean counterparts for an explanation as to why a number of mostly female passengers were recently denied entry into the country.
Foreigners In Vietnam Will Be Able To Get International Driving Permits This Year
Vietnam will begin to issue International Driving Permits (IDPs) for locals and foreigners this October.
[Video] Massive "Komodo Dragons" Are Crawling Through Bangkok's Sewers
Though Bangkok is a sprawling metropolis, parts of the city have proved to be excellent incubators for wildlife.
Saigon To Get $5.9m River Bus System
Saigon has long neglected the potential of its waterways for public transportation, a trend that the city’s Department of Transportation hopes to reverse with river busses.
Phu Tho Man Jailed For Stealing His Own Motorbike
Desperation drives people to do unwise things, like breaking out your motorbike from a police garage. Such is the story of Do Son Tung from the northern province of Phu Tho.
Morning News Roundup: Vietnamese Parents Spend $1.8 Billion/Year For Children’s Overseas Studies
Can Tho receives first direct flight from Bangkok [SGGP] Vietnam behind in tourism workforce race in Southeast Asia, experts fear [Thanh Nien] Vietnam plans to end EVN monopoly in power market ...
[Video] China Is Transforming Beijing Into A Supercity 10 Times The Size Of Saigon
China is doing away with strict, decades-old policies that sought to limit the size or Beijing, instead putting the wheels in motion to transform the megacity into a supercity capable of supporting a ...
Vietnamese Banks Charging ATM Card Holders 30 Kinds of Fees
Taking a page out of their Western counterparts’ playbooks, Vietnamese banks are now charging ATM cardholders a slew of fees to withdraw funds and maintain their accounts.
Morning News Roundup: 10 Vietnamese Officials Found Using Fake High School Diplomas For Decades
In Vietnam, collagen makes way into hotpot, sausage as panacea [Tuoi Tre] Vietnam Register disciplines corrupt vehicle inspectors in Ho Chi Minh City [Tuoi Tre] Vietnam to build $2.5 billion seaport...
