As Saigon Moves Forward, Xích Lô Lag Behind as Nostalgic Remnants of a Past Era
Among Bùi Viện's assortment of xe ôm drivers and street food vendors, Bible-toting religious enthusiasts and other colorful personalities, 66-year-old Nghĩa stands out for his kind eyes and walrus-like mustache.
Khôi Phạm in Vietnam
Wipha, Yagi and Luc-Binh: How Are Tropical Storms Named in the Pacific Region?
Wipha was the latest typhoon to batter Vietnam this year, sweeping through northern provinces like Hưng Yên, Ninh Bình, Nghệ An, and Thanh Hóa and causing dangerous floods. It was 2025’s third and probably will not be the last that Vietnam will have to endure this year.
Paul Christiansen in Saigon
The Simple Pleasures of Having Your Hair Washed at the Hairdresser’s
I get my face shaved by sidewalk barbers; stop at every roving laminator I pass to have ticket stubs, photos, and doodles ...
Khôi Phạm in Saigon
Letter to the People I Met as We Hid From the Rain Under a Bridge Together
“Do not be angry with the rain; it simply does not know how to fall upwards.”— Vladimir Nabokov.
Hanoi's Bát Tràng Ceramic Village Turns Historic Craft Into Global Fame
Bát Tràng has been producing ceramics for over 700 years, but it’s the recent decades that interest me most: a period in which this small village has mirrored Vietnam’s rapid economic growth.
Final Merging Plan Brings Vietnam's Locality Number From 63 to 34
After extended working sessions to gather insights from experts and locals, Vietnam’s state government has announced the final version of the country’s administrative map.
Múa Lân Is Officially Recognized as a National Intangible Cultural Heritage
In Chợ Lớn, every Tết, amid the aroma of burning joss sticks and an onslaught of red-color decorations is the echoing beats of lion dance instruments. For generations of Saigoneer, the presence of múa lân, or lion dance, is a sign of festivity and celebration.
Uyên Đỗ in Saigon
How Saigon's Free Water Coolers Quench Thirst and Spread Kindness
In recent years, stories about climate change's impacts on the lives of Vietnamese people have been increasingly making the news.
Brian Letwin in Vietnam
VietJetAir Expands Bangkok Service and Celebrates with Free Tickets
VietJetAir has just announced a new route from Hanoi to Bangkok, set to open on June 1, 2013. To celebrate and promote this new service, the company is offering free tickets if you book between April ...
Brian Letwin in Vietnam
UPS Becomes Vietnam's First 100% Foreign Owned Shipping Company
UPS has officially become the first 100% foreign owned shipping company in Vietnam. Concidering the state of shipping serice in Vietnam, this may symbolize a big step forward.
Brian Letwin in Vietnam
Fire-Breathing Dragon Bridge Opens in Da Nang
For all the importance placed on dragons in Vietnamese culture, I’m sure at one point, we’ve all wondered to ourselves, “Why hasn’t Vietnam built a badass fire-breathing dragon bridge?” Well, wonder n...
Brian Letwin in Saigon
Silent Mics? Heavy Fines for Liquor in Karaoke Rooms
Ain't no liquor in the karaoke room. To the dismay of ballers across Saigon, a new decree from the Ministry of Culture Sports and Tourism will raise the fines for drinking liquor in karaoke rooms. So...
Brian Letwin in Asia
The War That Never Happened Continues in Laos
The Diplomat recently published the story of the Hmong, a Laotian ethnic minority group recruited by the CIA to counter the influence of communism in Laos. This compelling article chronicles not only ...
Brian Letwin in Vietnam
Trung Nguyen Coffee Eyeing the International Market
Vietnam is now one of the world's top coffee exporters. While some local companies shake in their boots as Starbucks gears up to enter the Vietnamese market, the country’s largest coffee grower, Trun...
