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.
Long An Officials Will Proceed With Demolition of 1930s Bridge
A piece of Mekong Delta history is about to disappear, as officials in Long An province move ahead with the demolition of a decades-old bridge across the Bao Dinh River.
[Photos] 20 Vintage Postcards of Turn-of-the-Century Nam Dinh Province
At the turn of the 20th century, northern Nam Dinh province was an ever-growing combination of Vietnamese and French influences. The local houses and marketplaces of the Vietnamese occupied the same t...
Old Saigon Building of the Week: Former Saigon Adventist Hospital
The Phú Nhuận Red Cross Association building at 2 Hoàng Văn Thụ originated in 1960-1961 as the Saigon Adventist Hospital.
Architects Lament the Demolition of Saigon's Old Buildings
With limited space in downtown Saigon, it's pretty well-known that the city's heritage buildings are often in danger of being lost to newer, flashier development projects. More than a few historical s...
[Video] Watch Vietnamese History Unfold in This 1896-1945 Video
For a 14-minute crash course in early 20th century Vietnamese history, look no further than the following video, posted to YouTube by user Duc Duong. Beginning as far back as 1896, its choppy black-an...
Tim Doling in Saigon
Date With the Wrecking Ball: Thu Thiem Parish Church and Lovers of the Holy Cross Convent
Two of Saigon’s oldest Roman Catholic institutions, located across the river in Thủ Thiêm, may soon be gone.
[Photos] Welcome to Hue Circa 1896
Few photographic records exist of Vietnam – or anywhere, for that matter – before the 20th century. Still, Flickr user and master of vintage Vietnamese photos manhhai managed to dig up a series o...
Tim Doling in Heritage
Icons of Old Saigon: The Gambetta Monument
This week, we trace the saga of colonial Saigon’s monuments to French republican statesman Léon Gambetta (April 2, 1838 – December 31, 1882), whose statue was commissioned twice by mistake and th...
[Photos] Take a Trip Back in Time to 1969 Can Tho
For decades, Can Tho has been the capital of the Mekong Delta, drawing people from across southwestern Vietnam to its sleepy, riverside town. But while the city is developing a more modern edge these ...
Tim Doling in Vietnam
What Phu Quoc Was Like in 1907
A translation of Pierre Rev’s description of Phú Quốc island from his 1907 book, Dans le Golfe de Siam.
[Video] This Is What Saigon Looked Like in 1945
There's something wholly captivating about old footage of Saigon. In a city that seems to transform in the blink of an eye, it's rare to find evidence of the southern hub from long ago.
Tim Doling in Saigon
Date With The Wrecking Ball: The Customs Directorate Building
The Customs Directorate, one of the city’s best-loved colonial landmarks, is the latest in a series of government buildings to face the threat of redevelopment.
[Photos] One Photographer's Journey Through 1990 Vietnam
Life moves pretty fast in Vietnam. What's here today may be gone tomorrow and, two years from now, replaced with a skyscraper or a hotel or a high-end shopping complex. Everywhere you turn, it seems, ...
Tim Doling in Saigon
Saigon’s Famous Streets and Squares: Thái Văn Lung Street
One of the city's oldest thoroughfares, the street we know today as Thái Văn Lung bore the name Pasteur Street for over half a century.
[Photos] Here's What Hanoi Looked Like In 1905
During the French colonial period, Tonkin, or Đàng Ngoài, was the name given to northern Vietnam. Situated in and around the Red River Delta, the word 'Tonkin' is a corruption of Đông Kinh, the name o...
17 Photos That Capture the Lives of Indochina's Ethnic Minorities in 1944
While the vast majority of Vietnamese hail from one ethnic group – the Kinh – the country is home to 54 different ethnicities, each with their own culture, traditions, language and style of dress.
Tim Doling in Saigon
Saigon’s Famous Streets And Squares: Trần Hưng Đạo Boulevard
One of Saigon’s youngest major boulevards, Trần Hưng Đạo was built in 1911-1913 over former swamp land to provide a more direct route between the cities of Saigon and Chợ Lớn.
[Photos] Old Photos Of Dalat’s Lost Railway
In the early 20th century, when Dalat was still a nascent town, the Swiss-built LangBian cog railway was its connection the coast. Joining the Central Highlands town with Ninh Thuan province's Thap Ch...
Tim Doling in Saigon
Saigon’s Famous Streets And Squares: Hai Bà Trưng Street
One of Saigon’s longest and busiest streets, Hai Bà Trưng is a thoroughfare of great antiquity which dates back more than 200 years.
20 Photos Of 1960s Phu Nhuan
Everyone in Saigon knows the drill: what's a shoe store today might be a phở stall tomorrow. Hairdressers become restaurateurs, office buildings turn into hotels and your favourite bánh mì cart could ...
