Tim Doling in Saigon
How Bách Tùng Diệp Became a Saigon Park From Earmarked Consulate Land
In 1927, after being abandoned for more than 60 years by its Spanish owners, the “Jardin d’Espagne” — known today as Bách Tùng Diệp or Lý Tự Trọng Park — seemed set to become the new home of the British Consulate General in Saigon… but it was not to be.
Grab a Cold One: The Thirsty Colonial History of Ice Production in Vietnam
Walking through Saigon nowadays, you will notice that ice is so omnipresent, it’s part of the scenery. From trà đá, cà phê sữa đá to sinh tố, every drink is consumed with ice in order to combat the intense heat. Before the French brought ice factories to Vietnam, in hot, tropical cities like Saigon, you wouldn’t expect to find ice. Controlling the cold chain is now an important part of our logistics, be it for healthcare or food storage, opening the door for any cuisine to expand with new ingredients. A few centuries ago, however, it was once a thriving business catering to French colonists.
Khôi Phạm in Vietnam
What Does the ‘Tower of Hanoi’ Puzzle Have to Do With Vietnam?
What is the Tower of Hanoi? While this official name might sound mysterious, if you’re an avid consumer of adventure media and role-playing games or just simply a curious former child, it’s likely that you’ve seen or even played this game without knowing what it’s called.
From Kiều's Snowy Skin to K-Beauty's Glow: Delving Into Vietnam's Love for Fair Skin
The preference for light skin is widespread in Vietnam. It is discernible from the mere sight of Saigon’s streets during the day, when the majority of riders are covered up — in hoodies, jackets, jeans, pants, and masks — for protection against UV radiation, but also to prevent tanning under the blistering sun. Especially more so for women, light skin is often associated with beauty and social status, so protection against the sun has become more than a health concern.
Tim Doling in Saigon
The History of Saigon General Hospital, the Clinic Funded by a Doctor's Generosity
The Saigon Hospital at 125 Lê Lợi was originally built in the late 1930s as the Polyclinique Dejean de la Bâtie. The French named it after French doctor Théodose Déjean de la Bâtie, who devoted his life to treating members of the Vietnamese community.
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.
[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.
The Hanoian Family Tracing 700 Years of Ancestral History
There’s a certain air of intrigue one feels upon entering one of Hanoi’s many labyrinthine alleyways. Anything could be around the corner: a raucous market, a hair salon or a nhà nghỉ. These areas pro...
[Photos] An Idiosyncratic Car Parade in 1920s Hanoi
Street festivals have come a long way since the endearing car parades of early 1900s Indochina.
[Photos] 30 Black-and-White Photos of 1947 Vietnam's Landscapes by Michel Huet
If you enjoyed our previous article on French photographer Michel Huet’s portraits of Vietnam series, then the second batch of his work from 1947 Vietnam will pique your interest as well.
[Photos] An Exploration Into Vietnam's History Through Black-and-White Portraiture
From inside aristocratic mansions to the austere fields of rural Vietnam, black-and-white portraiture has never looked so filled with life and stories.
[Photos] In 1995 Vietnam, a Paradise for Honda Cubs and Xích Lô
How heartening — or rather, disheartening — to discover that flooding isn’t a problem that is unique to 2010s Saigon.
A Rare Look Inside the Hue Imperial Court in 1895 in Watercolor
'La cour de Hue' (The court of Hue) is a series of painting done by Nguyen Van Nhan in 1895, during the reign of Thanh Thai, emperor of the Nguyen Dynasty at the time.
[Photos] 18 Rare Photos of Northern and Central Vietnam in the Late 19th Century
During the 19th century, postcards were one of the most popular forms of media that connected Vietnam with the rest of the world.
Paul Christiansen in Saigon
Street Cred: The Sins and Saving Grace of Dr. Albert Calmette
If you help save hundreds of thousands of lives via medical breakthroughs and establish one of the country’s first and most advanced research institutes, but also assist in the colonial regime’s bruta...
[Photos] The Children of Southern Vietnam in 1967
To see old photos of children is profound because we know, in a way they couldn't when the photos were taken, how their lives have been shaped since.
[Photos] 27 Snapshots of Saigon in 1970 by Carl Nielsen
Almost five decades ago, Saigon didn’t have much in terms of high-rise buildings; however, judging by the amount of people hanging about in public spaces, street life was as much a big part of metropo...
[Photos] Enthralling Black-and-White Aerial Shots of 1950s Ha Long Bay
It will come as a surprise to no one that Ha Long Bay was much quieter in the 1950s than it is today.
[Photos] A Visual Excursion to Past Bac Lieu, Home of Cải Lương Master Cao Van Lau
Tucked just below the Mekong's main aquiferous arteries, Bac Lieu Province serves as an interesting case study of how humans can thrive in swampy, steamy surroundings.
[Photos] 20 Black-and-White Snapshots of 1920 Saigon by Ludovic Crespin
In the early 1920s, central Saigon was an immaculate neighborhood with glamorous shops and clean streets.
[Photos] Walk the Streets of 1965 Da Nang
Given how fast Vietnam's major cities change, and it can be hard to imagine what they looked like in decades past.
[Photos] Saigon Then & Now: Rue Catinat, Tu Do and Dong Khoi Street
While some of Saigon's most extreme changes over the years have occurred in suburban areas like District 7 or Binh Thanh, central District 1 is obviously no stranger to transformations either.
