Tim Doling in Saigon
The Story of Quách Đàm, the Man Who Shaped Modern Chợ Lớn — Part 1
Hải Thượng Lãn Ông Boulevard (the former quai Gaudot) in central Chợ Lớn preserves several elegant old colonial shophouse buildings, but perhaps the most interesting of all is the one at No. 45, once the modest headquarters of Cantonese millionaire and philanthropist Quách Đàm. This is Part 1 of our miniseries on the origin story behind Chợ Lớn. Read Part 2 here.
Charming Hosts Invite You to Experience Serene Beachside Stays at Danang Marriott Resort & Spa
What do you want from a hotel?
Visit a Serene Đà Nẵng in 1991 During a Time Before the Tourism Boom
As a special municipality of Vietnam, Đà Nẵng is considered by many as one of the most livable cities in the country, with lower costs, delicious local cuisine, and a languid, wholesome pace of life. This, in conjunction with readily available modern services, has turned the coastal metropolis into a magnet luring young professionals away from the chaos of Saigon and Hanoi, and attracting snowbird tourists from Russia, China and South Korea seeking tropical warmth.
Linh Phạm in Hanoi
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 importance of Hanoi's largest lake.
Tim Doling in Saigon
A Brief History of Cung Văn Hóa Lao Động and Saigon's First Swimming Pool
Once a fashionable rendezvous for the elite of colonial society, the Labour Culture Palace ( Cung Văn hoá Lao động ) ...
Khôi Phạm in Vietnam
6 Saigon Streets That Were Named After Lesser-Known Female Historical Figures
Any place is a great learning opportunity if you know where to look. A brisk walk in Saigon can be amazing fodder for history aficionados to exercise their brain muscles — just look at street titles and the amazing people they were named after.
How Did Vietnam Start Celebrating International Women's Day on March 8?
In the hyper-commercialized world we now live in, it might be impossible to associate anything but overpriced flower bouquets and corporate sponsorships with International Women’s Day (IWD), but the widely celebrated occasion actually has a rich history of over 100 years of the women’s rights movement.
A Collection of Illusory Saigon Nightscapes From 1938 by Eli Lotar
A rare glimpse into colonial Saigon after sunset.
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
[Photos] Amble Through Saigon’s Markets and Pagodas in 1965–1966
The photo series was taken by Thomas W. Johnson, a chaplain assistant working at the US 3rd Field Hospital in Saigon in the 1960s.
[Photos] Rare Black-and-White Images Showcase Vung Tau's Calm in the 1960s
Towns are never settled, their characters forever suffering wanderlust.
[Photos] Over 100 Years of Hanoi's Historic Opera House
There are some among the population who remember, with rose-tinted glasses, the days before coronavirus began ravaging countries across the globe. Many also remember Hanoi’s Opera House, particularly ...
[Photos] Building the City: Snapshots of Saigon in the Late 1960s
Buildings play a significant role in shaping how we see and navigate Saigon — the Notre-Dame de Paris gives us a sense of belonging to history while modern high-rises can feed our dreams of grandeur a...
[Photos] Into the Wilderness of Saigon in 1867
Before “southern Vietnam,” there was Cochinchina; before Saigon, there wasn’t much of anything but vast stretches of tropical jungle and mosquito-infested swamps.
Unearthed: Tracing the Past Citadels of Southern Vietnam
Although the forces of modernization encourage constant progress and leaving behind the pre-modern past, the trails of yesterday never fail to leave our presence.
[Photos] Cho Lon's First-Ever Post Office, as Seen in the 1920s
Located at the junction of Hai Thuong Lan Ong, Chau Van Liem and Cha Va Bridge in today’s Saigon, the post office of District 5 is a well-known landmark in the mind of denizens living in the area. Not...
[Photos] Remarkable Color Photos Document Life in Japan Over 100 Years Ago
Even a century ago, Japan was a little weird.
Street Cred: Dauntless Antiwar Icon Nguyen Thai Binh and His Tragic Death
If one were to see the streets of Vietnam as a tangled network of people whose names they took, every city would resemble a messy collection of historical fragments.
[Photos] Views of 1954 Saigon-Cho Lon From a USS Rochester Sailor
The USS Rochester CA-124 was a heavy cruiser that was first launched after World War II.
Part of Historic Building, Meant to Be Preserved, Destroyed After Miscommunication
Part of a historic building, meant to be saved from demolition and recognized as a heritage site, has been bulldozed thanks to a miscommunication.
[Illustrations] Everyday Life in 1923 Northern Vietnam Through 10 Rare Sketches
It was a simpler time in Vietnam 100 years ago — just people going about their life without a single phone in sight.
Saigon to Preserve Part of Old Binh Loi Railway Bridge
The new Binh Loi railway bridge, built 12 meters away from the old one, has been open for public use since September last year.
