in Hanoi

I Keep My Connection to My Family's Hanoi Tết Traditions in a Tiny Quất Tree

I am not a plant person. So when even I notice the abundance of vườn kiểng — a place selling a myriad of plants — it must mean that Saigoneers truly love buying plants. Some of my friends, who are also Hanoians, asked me one day to visit these vườn kiểng and look for Tết plants: “Let’s celebrate Tết the way northerners do, you know?” And somehow, being amongst the plants brought me right back to Quảng Bá Flower Market in Tây Hồ.

Paul Christiansen

in Saigon

How to Curate the Best Playlist to Listen to While Riding the Saigon Metro

When you get a new toy, it's only reasonable to take it out to play with as often as possible.

Paul Christiansen

in Vietnam

Đi Bão Is Vietnamese Culture at Its Most Jubilant, Raucous, and Fervent

Dustbins, tree branches, advertising stands and tarps, leftover Christmas decorations, whatever pot, pan, ladle or utensil left unattended in the family kitchen, and at least one street vendor’s bánh khọt mold: whatever wasn’t bolted down got caught up in the wave of đi bão that filled Saigon’s streets last night. 

in Saigon

Life in Saigon's Old Tenements, the Remaining Vertical Villages of Past Decades

Is “out with the old, in with the new” the new motto when it comes to Saigon's real estate scene?

in Saigon

A Merry Memory of a Mid-2000s Middle-Class Christmas in Saigon

As my palm felt the glossy wrapping paper for my Secret Santa gift, I was transported to my early childhood Christmases — filled with warmth, wonder, and the bubbling discomfort of class insecurities.

in Saigon

Watching Snowfall in 'Home Alone' Is My Saigon Christmas Tradition

Christmas is so globally celebrated that even in Saigon, as the coldest time of the year approaches, you can hear Christmas hymms echoing from homes in the alley, and spot houses adorned with Christmas trees, Santas, snowmen, regardless of their cultural relevance to Vietnamese culture. For me, one of the activities that truly embodies this global spirit of Christmas is watching Home Alone (1990). 

Paul Christiansen

in Vietnam

‘Công tử Bạc Liêu’ Asks: ‘What Would You Do if You Won the Lottery?’

They say you don’t buy a lottery ticket because you think you’ll win; you buy one so that you can fantasize about winning.

in Vietnam

For Hội An Residents, Learning to Live With Floods Is a Fact of Life

The water reached my shoulders, and when I stepped into the street I suddenly felt the current trying to pull me into its invisible grasp. A familiar feeling that set off an alarm inside my head: “Be careful! It looks like nothing, but don’t get caught in it.”

Back Stories

Brian Letwin

in Roundups

Morning Links: A Look Inside Male Brothels

Here's what's making news around Vietnam this morning: -A look inside male brothels [Tuoi Tre] -Clean cafés emerge in city, outplay sidewalk rivals [Tuoi Tre] -HCM City: River “swallows” seven hous...

Brian Letwin

in Roundups

Morning Links: Vietnam Cops to Mass Produce Fishnet Launchers to Catch Traffic Violators

Here's what's making news around Vietnam this morning: -Vietnam cops to mass produce fishnet launchers to catch traffic violators [Thanh Nien] -Drug makers accused of collusion [Vietnam Ne...

Brian Letwin

in Vietnam

What the Phở Happened This Weekend? 10 Stories You May Have Missed

While you were busy this weekend checking out the Indochina Project and waiting for the SuperMoon to appear, you may have missed this weekend’s news:

Brian Letwin

in Vietnam

Weapons Workshop Uncovered in Hai Phong

If there's a will, there's a way. When you own a workshop and are a drug addict, this could lead you to running a gun-making operation as in the case of Duong Minh Nhat. The 38-year-old and his wife ...

Brian Letwin

in Vietnam

Don't Panic: SuperMoon is on Its Way

It’s about that time again. On June 23, the year’s largest supermoon will be visible above the Saigon skies. A supermoon occurs when a full moon lines up with the Earth and the sun at a specific poin...

Brian Letwin

in Roundups

Morning Links: 550 Houses Built Illegally in HCMC in One Month

- Vietnam to reduce corporate income tax rate to help businesses [Bloomberg]  - Vietnam planning new north-south air route [Thanh Nien]  - UNESCO vows help for Vietnam’s sustainable develo...

Brian Letwin

in Asia

Thai Monks Traveling on Private Jet Cause Uproar

Three Thai monks have landed in hot water after footage of the trio flying on a private jet, wearing sunglasses and earphones and carrying Louis Vuitton bags emerged on YouTube. The video has caused ...

Brian Letwin

in Roundups

Morning Links: Vietnam Drags Feet on Single Visa for Mekong Region

- Alarming rise in accidents by drunken drivers in HCMC [SaigonGP Daily]  - Vietnam drags feet on single visa for Mekong region [Thanh Nien] - Agency questioned after travelers left stranded in...

Brian Letwin

in Asia

Lost Cambodian City Found Using Frickin' Laser Beams

Apparently Ankgor Watt is a piece of a larger puzzle. Using frickin' areal lasers, archaeologists have identified a sprawling city around the 1,200 year old temple complex, revealing how the area’s ne...

Brian Letwin

in Roundups

Morning Links: 701 Vietnamese Travelers Abandoned in Thailand

Here's what's making news around Vietnam this morning: - Prostitution ring targeting foreigners busted in Vietnam metro [Thanh Nien] - Gold Premiums in Vietnam Hit $217 Over Spot In Heavy Demand [Go...

Brian Letwin

in Roundups

Morning Links: New Plan to Curb Drunk Driving Unpopular

Here's what's making news around Vietnam this morning: - Power outage at Tan Son Nhat airport affects 1,000 flyers [Tuoi Tre] - Vietnam Stocks Fall to Three-Week Low on Gasoline Price Increase [Bloo...

Brian Letwin

in Vietnam

Friendly Between Arsenal and Vietnam in Jeopardy

The friendly between Arsenal and Vietnam is in a state of limbo after stadium owners raised fees for the match. Touted as the first Premier League team to visit Vietnam, Arsenal had planned to play t...

Brian Letwin

in Saigon

New Ho Chi Minh Statue for Downtown

The iconic statue of Ho Chi Minh, which has made its home in front of the HCMC People’s Committee building, will soon be moved and replaced by a new bust of Vietnam’s most beloved national hero. The ...

Brian Letwin

in Asia

Vietnamese Man Dead After Slashing Himself Over Plane Ticket

Last Saturday, a Vietnamese man in Dagupan, Philippines killed himself when he was unable to borrow money for a plane ticket home. The man, identified as Nguyen Tan Lap, was found bleeding heavily in...

Brian Letwin

in Vietnam

Dog Thief Beaten to Death by Angry Mob

Yesterday, residents of the north-central province of Nghe An brutally attacked 2 dog thieves, leaving one dead and another seriously injured.

Brian Letwin

in Roundups

Morning Links: For expats, cost of living in Hanoi higher than Saigon

Here's what's making news this morning: - Drunk Vietnamese official causes fatal car accident in Da Lat (Thanh Nien) - Coca Cola transfer pricing charges (VietnamNet Bridge) - Tata winning bidder i...

Brian Letwin

in Vietnam

Vietnam Ponders Name Change

This October, the National Assembly is expected to make some major changes to Vietnam’s constitution for the first time since 1992. One of the biggest modifications that may take place is a sligh...

Brian Letwin

in Asia

Saigon Pushes for One-Visa Policy

To better connect the tourism of SE Asian countries, Saigon authorities have pressed the Vietnam National Administration of Tourism to adopt a one-visa policy with Thailand, Cambodia, Loas and Mynamar...

Brian Letwin

in Roundups

Morning Links: Vietnam Losing $400 million per Year to Computer Viruses

Here's what's going on this morning in Saigon: - Thieves are getting technologically savvy (VietnamNet Bridge) - "Got to Dance" coming to Vietnam (VietnamNet Bridge) - Vietnamese Teloco to dep...

Brian Letwin

in Roundups

Morning Links: Vietnam Considers Ban on Lip-synching and Skimpy Clothes on Stage

Here's what's making news this morning: - HCMC to address plethora of unsold apartments (Saigon GP Daily) - Many of Saigon and Ha Noi's Gas Stations are Unsafe (Tuoi Tre) - Cocodile exports set to ...