Tim Doling in Saigon
From WWI Monument to Ancestor Temple: The Story of Saigon's Hùng King Temple
The Hùng King Temple at 2 Nguyễn Bỉnh Khiêm was originally built in 1927–1929 under the name Temple du Souvenir Annamite (Annamite Temple of remembrance), primarily to honor the memory of Vietnamese soldiers who died while fighting in World War I.
Tim Doling in Saigon
A Brief History of the Saigon-Mỹ Tho Line, Indochina’s First Railway
Inaugurated on July 20, 1885, the Saigon–Mỹ Tho line was the first railway line in French Indochina.
Wilbur's Vietnam: 1960s Saigon Through the Lens of a Famed National Geographic Editor
The 1960s witnessed an unprecedented influx of foreigners into Saigon and Vietnam. From soldiers to teachers to just intrepid shutterbugs, the visits of these camera-clutching characters resulted in a wealth of old photos taken in the city from the early 60s all the way until 1975.
From North to South, a French Photographer's Glimpses of 1992 Vietnam
How much of Vietnam have you explored? For many of us with a busy life and working schedule, one or two trips a year might be as much as our time and money can afford, and even so, at times, visiting a location only involves staying at an all-inclusive resort to recuperate from work stress.
From Quảng Nam to Gwangju: Confronting the Bloody History of South Korea's 'Vietnam'
In her novel Human Acts, the renowned South Korean author and Nobel Prize recipient Han Kang writes about the May 18 Democratization Movement, also known as the Gwangju Uprising. That month, student-led demonstrations broke out in the city of Gwangju following army general Chun Doo-hwan’s coup d'état, and his military government responded with a violent crackdown and an indiscriminate massacre of civilians.
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.
Life on the Streets of 1978 Hanoi in Black and White
In August 1978, I visited Hanoi as part of an educational tour organized by a professor from La Trobe University in Melbourne. I was a high school history teacher at the time and an avid photographer. I walked the streets of Hanoi and took many photographs of everyday life in the city, and until now, these photographs have remained unpublished.
A Rare Album by Photographer Bruno Barbey Brings Us Back to Tết in 1994 Hanoi
What do you remember most about the 1990s? Do you remember the fashion, the old-timey technology, or the lack of traffic? And if you were just a wee child, do these memories stay with you?
[Photos] Striking Black-and-White Images of Hue's Imperial City in 1896
Just two weeks ago, we published some monochrome photos of Hue taken earlier this year. Yet in this series, we can browse another black-and-white selection of images from the city, this time from ...
[Video] Rare Newsreels From 1930 Show Harsh Realities of Life in Colonial Saigon
In an extremely rare collection of disjointed clips, Saigon in 1930 appears like the setting of a haunting fever dream.
[Photos] The Small-Town Placidity of Hue in 1966
Neat perpendicular lines of trees that make up the Imperial Palace grounds, the meandering Perfume River hugging central Hue, clusters of red-roofed houses like tiny Lego pieces scattered across a bed...
Brian Letwin in Saigon
From Botany Institute to Amusement Park: The Evolution of Thao Cam Vien Sai Gon
Local parks such as the Jardin d’Espagne and Jardin de la Ville, now Tao Dan Park, were a focal point of Saigon’s early urban development. But no green space carried such significance as the Jardin Bo...
[Photos] 16 Rare Images of 1900s Vietnam as Part of French Indochina
In a mishmash of sketches and grainy photographs, Vietnam’s landscapes in the 1900s feels almost surreal.
[Photos] Old Da Lat's Majestic Charm, Captured in a Series of Timeworn Postcards
In these postcards of early twentieth-century Da Lat, we see a town that’s a far cry from its modern, tourist-packed self: colonial houses line its hills, and barely a soul walks down the narrow footp...
[Photos] 13 Black-and-White Shots of Saigon in 1962
Badass girl power, young love and vintage cars: the streets of Saigon in 1962 seemed much cooler than they are today, when pavements weren't riddled with debris and construction sites.
[Photos] The Ceremonial Tradition of a 1920s Hanoi Funeral
In Vietnam, there is a powerful sense of importance carried within the belief of life after death. This can be seen in the way family members create shrines and pray for those who have passed away, in...
[Photos] 17 Photos of 2002 Saigon as Seen From Above
2002 might not seem like a long time ago, but Saigon’s urbanscapes have grown so much in the last ten years that these scenes offer some surprising insights into our city 17 years in the past.
[Photos] Out and About on Nguyen Hue Boulevard in the Late 1960s
Horse-drawn carriages, flower shops with white-tiled basins and a multitude of parked bikes: these were what used to occupy the length of Nguyen Hue Boulevard in the 1960s before it became the walking...
[Photos] 10 Remarkable Black-and-White Shots of Saigon in 1967
Lush bunches of fresh bananas at a market, a street-side merchant selling embroidered artworks to tourists, and Buddhist worshipers praying at a local temple — these Saigon scenes are rather mundane b...
[Photos] From Bach Dang to An Dong: 25 Photos of 1965 Saigon
A stroll along Ham Nghi, basking in the breeze of the Bach Dang Wharf and unwinding at the Saigon Zoo: George P. Morgan, Jr. followed the typical tourist trail in the city for a day during his time in...
[Photos] A Road Trip Across Vietnam's Barren Landscapes in the 1970s
In 1971, average annual income across Vietnam was less than US$100.
[Photos] Walk Into Saigon's Rarely Seen Neighborhoods in 1966-1967
Did you know that Hung Vuong Street used to run alongside a railway connecting Saigon with My Tho?
[Photos] Vung Tau in 1970: Bars, Beaches and a Bustling Bazaar
Opposite of Saigon’s metropolitan vibes, Vung Tau in 1970 was a quiet town fit for tourism activities, as shown through these film snapshots by Australian serviceman Barry Connors.
[Photos] Striking Color Images Portray Daily Life in Hanoi 100 Years Ago
Old black-and-white photos of Hanoi sometimes feel like relics of a long-lost past. Monochrome photography often forces the viewer to use their imagination and fill in the blanks, yet these candi...
[Photos] A Stroll on the Quaint Streets of 1920s Chau Doc
Today, Chau Doc is a busy secondary city just a stone’s throw from the Vietnam-Cambodia border. Formed at the intersection between two major rivers, the town has always been a dynamic trading hub conn...
[Photos] Take a Trip Back In Time To Ong Lanh Bridge
Believed to be built in the 19th century, Ong Lanh bridge is a name that, upon its mention, often conjures up tales and myths of Vietnamese gangsters and criminals.
[Photos] Vietnam's 1969 Street Fashion Story as Told Through Honda Cubs
The very definition of cool was established decades ago in Vietnam, and it was badass women in áo dài dashing on the street in slick sunglasses.
[Photos] A Visual Tour of Late 1960s Saigon by Brian Wickham
It seems that every day, we get to uncover yet another old photo collection of Saigon from the 1960s.
