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streets of Hanoi and took many photographs of everyday life in the city, and until now, these photographs have remained unpublished.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?
Khôi Phạm in Vietnam
The First Asian in Space Was Vietnamese. He’s Still Alive Today.
Most Vietnamese schoolkids grew up learning about Phạm Tuân as the first Vietnamese in space, but few know that he was also the first Asian person to clinch the honor.
The Year of the Horse Gallops into The Grand Ho Tram
Inspired by the spirit of the horse, The Grand Ho Tram encourages you to have a year of success, confidence, and new horizons. Traditional Tết performances and activities alongside special feasts and opportunities for revelry will usher in a year of remarkable achievements and memorable moments.
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.
Paul Christiansen in Vietnam
An Indie Archival Project Dreams of Time Travel. How? Lots and Lots of Vietnam Maps.
Its entrances flanked by ATMs and adverts for international airlines, the Sun Wah Tower on Nguyễn Huệ today appears to be another nondescript testament to the global economy and Vietnam’s enthusiastic place within it. However, on those same grounds only 150 years ago, a guillotine was set up to decapitate people on order of the colonial authorities at the Justice de paix.
Marc Dinh in Vietnam
A Brake Failure and 200 Victims: Remembering Vietnam's Deadliest Rail Accident
About 55 kilometers from Saigon, in the small commune of Tây Hoà rests the 17/03/1982 Railway Cemetery. It currently houses 85 unidentified graves of victims of the Train 183 Disaster, the deadliest railway accident in Vietnamese history.
[Photos] Abandoned Nam Dinh Church Being Swallowed by the Sea
Nam Định Province is full of beautiful churches, but while many remain in good condition, the Heart Church, located on Xương Điền beach, has seen better times. With each passing day, the now aban...
30 Color Photos Of Peaceful 1956 Saigon
1956 was the calm before the storm of violent conflict that would characterize the next 2 decades and transform Saigon into a militarized city, plagued by bombings and overcrowded by war refugees.
Tim Doling in Saigon
Old Saigon Building Of The Week: 128 Nguyễn Thị Minh Khai
In the early 20th century, the colonial villa at 128 Nguyễn Thị Minh Khai (the former rue Chasseloup-Laubat) was home to one of Saigon’s best-known Corsican families, the Canavaggios.
26 Old Photos Of Hanoi’s Majestic Long Biên Bridge
Described by one writer as “a misshapen but essential component of Hà Nội’s heritage,” the Long Biên Bridge has seen better days. These 17 photos show the beloved Bridge during its golden years.
Tim Doling in Saigon
Icons Of Old Saigon: The Hotel de L’univers
Contrary to what many tourist websites would have us believe, the Grand Hôtel Continental was not Saigon’s first up-market hotel.
[Photos] The Streets of 1970 Saigon Captured by Jerry Bosworth
Saigon has come a long way from 1970 when it was truly feeling the effects of war. During this time, much of the government’s funds were going towards military equipment, leaving little for infrastruc...
[Photos] Saigon Then & Now: Part 1
We’re back with a new series of “Then and Now” photos of Saigon featuring the Continental Hotel, the city’s former opium refinery and a few other iconic places you may recognize.
Tim Doling in Saigon
Old Saigon Building Of The Week: 39 Trần Quốc Thảo
One of District 3’s grandest old colonial mansions, the Quận ủy (District council) building at 39 Trần Quốc Thảo (the former rue Eyriaud-des-Vergnes) was once the plush managerial residence of the Lyo...
[Photos] The People of 1880 Indochina
When French photographers Hippolyte Arnoux and Emile Gssel (who would eventually become the first commercial photographer in Saigon) traveled to Indochina in 1880, they visually documented not only it...
Hue Citadel’s 'Colosseum': Where Tigers and Elephants Battled to the Death
A unique, yet rarely visited monument in Huế’s ancient citadel is Hổ Quyền Arena, a stadium where tigers and elephants once fought till their last breath for the royal family’s entertainment.
38 Beautiful Illustrations Of Hanoi Street Vendors And Their Melodic Cries
These days, the melodic cries of Hanoi’s street vendors are drowned out by the city’s constant buzz of activity. But 85 years ago, these songs, which announced a seller’s goods or services, made up th...
[Video] A Walk Through The Streets Of 1975 Saigon
Earlier this week, we posted a video of 1975 Saigon filmed from a low-flying helicopter. This piece, made in the same year, takes you from the city’s skies to its streets.
[Photos] This Is What Vietnam Looked Like In 1880
By 1880, when photographers Hippolyte Arnoux and Emile Gsell traveled across Vietnam, the French had just begun to solidify control over their new colony.
[Video] Take A Helicopter Ride Through 1975 Saigon
In 1975, an American news crew boarded what was presumably a military chopper as part of their report on Saigon.
Tim Doling in Saigon
Old Saigon Building of the Week: St. Paul’s Convent
Occupying a large, leafy compound on Tôn Đức Thắng street in District 1, the Convent of Saint-Paul de Chartres is another rarely-visited haven of peace in busy Hồ Chí Minh City.
[Photos] Inside A 1960s Saigon TV Station
In the mid-1960s, Saigon was one of the most modern cities in Asia and part of this technological prowess was manifested in its telecommunications and TV equipment.
17 Old Photos Of Women In Saigon
Happy Vietnamese Women's Day! Chúc các bạn nữ một ngày 20/10 thật vui!
Brian Letwin in Vietnam
A Look at Vietnamese Currency Through History
Like Vietnamese history, the country's currency has undergone significant changes over the past century.
These 17 Old Photos Show Life in Vietnam 100 Years Ago With Vivid Color
The last century has been one of immense change for Vietnam. It has been one full of occupation, liberation, war and peace. This set of vivid color photos taken between 1914 and 1917 by Leon Busy is t...
Tim Doling in Saigon
Tạ Dương Minh – Thủ Đức’s Founding Father
Built in 1879-1880 by the French, the historic Thủ Đức Market has in recent years become an increasingly popular destination for Hồ Chí Minh City residents wishing to stock up with the delicious local...
