Paul Christiansen in Saigon
Did You Know That There's a Mummy on Nguyễn Bỉnh Khiêm Boulevard?
Why is there a mummy on display in Saigon?
Brian Letwin in Heritage
Tàu Cánh Ngầm: The Curious Case of Saigon’s Lost Soviet Hydrofoils
Not long ago, hulking “creatures” glided atop the waters between Saigon and Vũng Tàu. Like the dinosaurs that came before them, they slowly disappeared, until all that was left were their skeletons.
Relive Your Memories of Saigon Water Park via These Photos by One of Its Makers
Although water parks involve a combination of two of the most tedious human experiences, standing in lines and prolonged direct sun exposure, the now-demolished Saigon Water Park was an icon of 2000s Saigon that remains a crucial cornerstone of many city dwellers' memories.
The Vintage Charm of 1995 Vietnam on Kodachrome Film Slides
While editing a retrospective of my recent work from Vietnam in the summer of 2019, I discovered 50 yellow boxes of Kodachrome slides in my basement that were shot in 1995. The images were from my first trip to Vietnam.
The Tumultuous Tale of Three Ga Sài Gòn Locations, From 1885 Until Now
Travelers arriving by train in Hồ Chí Minh City sometimes express surprise that the main Saigon Railway Station is located in Hòa Hưng, some distance from the central business district. In fact, this is the third railway terminus in a city where each successive station has been built further away from the river.
A Brief History of the Vietnam Railways Building Before Its 110th Birthday
The iconic Bến Thành Market is not the only Saigon landmark that has endured for more than a century. The Vietnam Railways building at 138 Hàm Nghi, given its inauguration in 1914, is pushing the 110-year milestone in less than six months.
My Great-Great-Grandfathers Were in Indochina in the 1880s to Build the Railway
We often see archival images of old Hanoi, but these photos are different — they are personal. The following shots, which come from a collection of five photo albums, are the only surviving record of my two great-great-grandfathers’ presence in what was then Indochina.
From Saigon to Đà Lạt: A Tourist's Journey Through Vietnam in 1963
Old archives of images from 1960s Saigon are easy to come by, but how often does one get to have a peek into the past version of Đà Lạt.
[Photos] A Hanoi in Transition, Over a Century Ago
Today, Hoan Kiem Lake has no lantern-lifting Statue of Liberty that people fish beside, Russian naval ships don't moor in the Red River, and nón lá hardly cover every head in the capital.
[Photos] 1994 Hanoi in the Eyes of a Former Japan Ambassador to Vietnam
On a day like any other in November 1994, some Hanoians might have been curious about the fact that their shop front and daily routine were being photographed by a wandering Japanese man.
[Photos] 30 Film Photographs That Take You Back to 1965 Saigon
What draws viewers to the spectacle that is old photographs?
[Photos] 18 Rare Black-and-White Photos of Northern Vietnam in the 1970s
What draws us towards the spectacle that is old photos?
Hanoi Launches Night Tour at Hoa Lo Prison to Attract Domestic Tourists
History buffs from the rest of the country might find the night tour an opportunity to observe the storied historical site from a different perspective.
[Photos] A Walk on the Streets of Quaint 1966-1967 Da Nang
Like its namesake river, the Han Market remains a bustling destination attracting visitors and casual shoppers to the area today, just as it did decades ago.
[Photos] Rare Black-and-White Shots Reflect Hanoi Street Life in 1950
No skim milk and saltine parties here.
[Photos] Hanoi's Colonial Architecture in Postcards From 1916
The French aimed to remake Hanoi in Paris' image via elaborate architecture and infrastructure projects.
[Photos] Vietnam's Sepia-Drenched Past
The past was just as colorful as our present, though we rarely imagine it that way.
[Illustrations] This Set of Gouache Paintings Showcases Rural Life in 1890 Nam Dinh
Step into the life of a Nam Dinh resident in 1890 through this series of vintage paintings.
[Photos] What Vintage School Assignments Can Teach Us About 1933 Vietnam
Cultural artifacts like artwork can reveal fascinating insights into our ancestors’ past life, though the pieces below are far from the kind of artistic creations that get featured in museums.
[Photos] A Bird's-Eye View of 1930 Hanoi
Now that the age of drones has dawned upon us, cityscapes are easily captured from above.
The City as Text: Chợ Trời and the Representation of an Invisible Hanoi
Despite being the largest marketplace in the city since the 1950s, and still the oldest temporary market in town, Troi Market (chợ Trời) doesn't appear in delightful pieces of literature or art like t...
Paul Christiansen in Vietnam
Street Cred: The Fame and Shocking Death of Cải Lương Icon Thanh Nga
Fame, murder, sex and music — this story has it all.
Vauban Architecture: The Foundation of Central and Northern Vietnam's Citadels
Let's get historical.
A Brief Primer on Vice and Sex Trade in Colonial Vietnam
War loves sex. Sex loves war.
[Photos] Inside the Back-Breaking Mining Operations of Bac Kan Under French Rule
Bac Kan Province in northern Vietnam is the country’s least-populous locality, with just over 300,000 people, but it has an abundance of metal veins, the mining of which dominates the local economy.
[Photos] The Retro Artistry of Vietnam's Hand-Drawn Song Sheet Covers
Does a song have a color?
[Photos] 20 Rare Black-and-White Photos of 1948 Saigon by Jack Birns
"Photography takes an instant out of time, altering life by holding it still." — Dorothea Lange
A Personal History of Hồ Tây: Romance, Colonial Rule and Subsidy-Era Fishing Heists
My father-in-law has spent decades visiting Hồ Tây (West Lake). His personal story both contrasts and reflects Vietnam's history as a whole and, as a result, offers a profound insight into the im...
