in Culture

The 10 Unholy Driving Commandments Of Vietnam

On his website, On A Bike Vietnam, Alex Sinclair Lack presents his list of the 10 driving commandments for Vietnam. While a tad less scandalous than Biggies 10 crack commandments, keeping Lack’s list ...

in Culture

[Photos] The Simple Differences Between Hanoi And Saigon

As Hanoi and Saigon are constantly compared to one another, graphic designer, Nhat Le, created this illustration book, The Difference Between Hanoi and Saigon.

in Culture

Modernization Of A Holiday: The Mid-Autumn Celebration In Saigon

Today’s Trung Thu (Mid-Autumn Festival) has become a “modernized” affair with plastic lanterns vendors and mooncake shops sprouting up on every corner, selling their wares a month beforehand. But ther...

Brian Letwin

in Culture

This Insane 12 Gigapixel Photo Of Hanoi Will Blow Your Mind

We love our timelapses and animations but this static, 12 gigapixel photo shot almost 270 meters above Hanoi is mighty impressive.

in Culture

Saigon’s Non-War Museums

I remember that exciting day in my childhood when I was taken to a museum for the first time. It was the War Remnants Museum, and my excitement quickly gave way to horror for having seen its exhibits ...

in Culture

A Brief History Of The Áo Dài

Every country has its national attire. China’s has the cheongsam, Japan the kimono, Korea the hanbok, America denim and Vietnam has its áo dài. Like the country from which it originated, the áo dài ha...

in Culture

[Photos] “Cemetery” For Tanks, Planes And Pretty Much Everything Else In Bac Ninh

In the village of Quan Do, Bac Ninh Province lies a massive cemetery of old military and civilian equipment. 

in Culture

An Interview With 2 Vietnamese Dog Thieves

Dog theft has become a major issue over the years in Vietnam, especially as the country develops and people form deeper bonds with their pets. Any local dog owner lives with the knowledge that there a...

in Culture

The Little-Known Hero’s Tomb Next To Bà Chiểu Market

Located at the intersection of two bustling streets in Bình Thạnh District – Phan Đình Phùng and Đinh Tiên Hoàng – and a few steps from the crowded Bà Chiểu market, is a temple dating back to the city...

in Culture

An Ode To Saigon’s Rain Showers

Despite the inconveniences that unpredictable rain showers bring to Saigon, they are an essential part of the city’s character.

in Culture

[Photos] Honda Chalys That Have Undergone Extreme Makeovers

Though they’re becoming increasingly rare on Vietnam’s roads, Honda Chalys remain a favorite for local mechanics who out their own spin on the diminutive motorbikes.

in Culture

[Video] Saigon Hustlers

For many in Saigon, life is a hustle. From street vendors to motorbike ice delivery boys, everyone is trying to eek out a living. This video, made by Luke Penders, does a great job of capturing those ...

in Culture

3 Thrilling Vietnamese Games To Play During The Month Of Ghosts

Small trays of colorful cakes are popular offerings for superstitious Buddhists during the Month of Ghosts. But Vietnamese children have a number of other ways to make contact with spirits, including ...

in Culture

Masters Of Recycling: Saigon Technicians Turn Old Computer Screens Into TV Sets

If you needed anymore proof that Vietnamese are the masters of recycling and reuse, here it is. At District 10’s Nhật Tảo Market, technicians spend their day stripping down old computer monitors to cr...

in Culture

The Fixie Fad Takes Off In Saigon

Well, it was only a matter of time. After confirming earlier this month that the hipster subculture is alive and well in Saigon (in addition to flying whales, apparently), it looks like one of its def...

in Culture

4 Unique Saigon Markets

Saigon is full of markets, with each having its own characteristics. Together, they form a kind of community, comprised of everything from the aesthetically pleasing but overpriced Bến Thành to the ub...

in Culture

The 90-Year-Old Lumberjack Of Hanoi

Though nearly a century old, 90-year-old Hanoi man, Lê Văn Sâm still amazes people with his incredible health and work ethic. Every day for over 70 years, Sâm has cut and transported large trees to ma...

in Culture

[Video] Professional Vietnamese Tennis Players Trade In Rackets For Stools, Wine Bottles

Having mastered the tennis racket, a group of players in Saigon have decided to replace their normal frames with wine bottles, wooden chairs and even pieces of pattern tile.

in Culture

[Photos] Architecture Student Builds Sweet Custom Bike

This badass custom, motorcycle-scooter hybrid was not built by a professional mechanic, but rather a student at the Ho Chi Minh City University of Architecture.

in Culture

August: The Month Of Damned Spirits

The 7th lunar month, which usually falls in mid-August, is celebrated by Buddhists all over the world as the Month of Ghosts. Known as Vu Lan month in Vietnam, it is marked by large religious celebrat...