As Infrastructure Lags Behind, Saigon's Poorest Hardest Hit by Worsening Flooding
In April 2023, in the first downpour of southern Vietnam’s rainy season, the narrow rented room where Mã Thị Diệp and her children were staying in Hồ Chí Minh City was inundated by knee-high water.
Khôi Phạm in Environment
What I Talk About When I Talk About Vietnam's Penguin Trashcans
Compared to the average Vietnamese, I might be thinking about trashcans a smidgen too much — not just any trashcan, but the infamous penguin-shaped trashcans that are ubiquitous at every corner of our public spaces.
Linh Phạm in Parks & Rec
House Dance Hanoi Teaches You How to Free the Body
I stood on the top floor of a building on Khâm Thiên Street, feeling grateful for the cold air. I came out here to take a break from the other side of the floor, which was divided into three rooms — three dance studios.
Inside Saigon's Grassroots Carton and Aluminum Recycling Plants
With plastics claiming many of the headlines worldwide and constituting a major issue in Vietnam, scant attention is being paid to other recyclable materials, namely cardboard and aluminum.
How Táo Xanh Forum Created a Safe Space for Gay Vietnamese Before Social Media
Before Vietnamese could hop on social media sites such as Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter to share our hot takes of the week, there was an era of past cybersphere when online forums were the crucial online space to connect local netizens.
Paul Christiansen in Environment
As Climate Change Threatens, Flood Waters Usher In Sustainable Opportunities for Communities in the Mekong Delta
The Mekong Delta is developing faster than Google Maps can keep up with. A stretch of road that was too narrow to accommodate cars and required a transition to motorbikes just six months ago was under construction during our August visit. Gargantuan machines for laying pulverized gravel inched aside to let our 7-seater pass so we could reach the home of Nguyễn Thị Thu Thủy to check in on her small fish drying home business.
Khôi Phạm in Natural Selection
10 Species of Lesser-Known Fruits to Get to Know Vietnam's Biodiversity
In the Vietnamese language, the word “cỏ” — meaning “grass” in the literal sense — is often used to signify that something is locally grown, no frills, and charmingly rustic; grassroots, if you will. Chó cỏ is the general term for the adorable mutts, usually mixes between Vietnam’s native dog species, born without the prestige of named breeds, while gym cỏ and net cỏ denote the casual gyms and internet cafes in one’s neighborhood. In the same vein of logic, may I put forth a new name for a special genre of Vietnamese fruits: trái cỏ?
How Vietnamese Architecture Adopted Modernism and Made It Our Own
Ask a person on the street what Vietnam’s distinctive style of architecture is, and the answer you get might be traditional architecture, like the historic curves of northern Vietnam’s village temples or the ornate regality of Nguyễn-Dynasty palaces. This time-honored style is widely accepted as the hallmark of Vietnam’s cultural wealth. What’s more fascinating but lesser-known is how this cultural vestige — which distinguished our architecture from that of China and Japan — has also managed to evolve in the new age, finding ways to exist right in the middle of our modern lifetime.
[Photos] Vo Trong Nghia's 'Bamboo House' Is a Green Oasis in Sweltering Saigon
The latest addition to Vo Trong Nghia Architects’ "House for Trees" series is a fusion between bamboo and a typical Saigon tube house.
Spotify Likely to Expand to Thailand and Vietnam This Year
It appears likely that Spotify, the popular Swedish music streaming service, will expand to Vietnam and Thailand this year.
Historic Maison du Combattant to Be Replaced by Mixed-Used Complex
Two years after the real estate giant Tan Hoang Minh won the bid for Saigon's "gold land" property at 23 Le Duan, the former Maison du Combattant will finally meet the bulldozer this fall.
Vietnamese Startup VNG Reaches for Country's First IPO Abroad
Vietnamese startup VNG Corp. has signed a memorandum of understanding to list on New York's Nasdaq Stock Exchange.
[Photos] Suoi Tien Park Playground Gets Colorful Makeover
To brighten up an otherwise drab and nondescript playground, all you need is a few hundred colored flags.
Meet Vietnam's Most Tech-Savvy Great-Grandma
Despite her advanced age, a great-grandmother in Hanoi uses Google, Facebook and Skype to check the news and keep in touch with her family, in addition to regularly writing and painting.
[Photos] The State of Saigon's Metro: 2017 Progress
Last year you had a chance to marvel at Hanoi’s first metro line from above, now get ready for a glimpse into Saigon’s future Metro Line 1.
Vietnam Is Crazy About the New Nokia 'Brick' 3310
Vietnam’s most popular phone model ever has officially made a comeback.
[Photos] Saigon Architects Turn Derelict Office Space Into Colorful Apartment
A Saigon-based architecture firm has made full use of vibrant colors to create a lively living environment that strikes a balance between form and function.
[Photos] Meet Tao Dan Park's 'Squirrel Lady'
You’ve heard stories about Saigon’s famous cat lady, now meet Tao Dan Park’s squirrel lady.
[Photos] Hanoi Neighborhood Grows Roadside Vegetable Garden
A neighborhood in Hanoi has turned a patch of roadside into a community garden.
[Photos] This West Lake House Is the Perfect Place for a Weekend Getaway
Sometimes you need a home away from home.
Mel Schenck in Architecture
Opinion: Saigon’s Architecture Should Express Our Times Today, Not the Past
Based upon its fascinating history, modern-day Saigon displays a rich character all its own, with buildings across the city representing each era of its storied past. However, several faux colonial bu...
Work Begins on $3bn Tourism Complex on Cat Ba Island, Threatening National Park
Sun Group has begun construction of a US$3 billion resort and entertainment complex on Cat Ba Island in northern Vietnam.
52% of Computers in Vietnam Are at Risk of Ransomware Attack: Cybersecurity Experts
Vietnam’s computer users are at high risk of being attacked by ransomware, according to a recent cybersecurity report.
Saigon's Metro Line 1 Might Extend Into Binh Duong and Dong Nai: Study
The governments of both Binh Duong and Dong Nai provinces are studying the feasibility of extending Saigon's Metro Line 1 into their areas.
[Photos] Saigon's 'Binh House': A Harmonious Blend of Nature and Concrete
This irregularly shaped house is the latest addition to VTN Architects’ “House for Trees” series, a project aimed at introducing more green spaces to Vietnam’s urban housing projects.
[Photos] A Tour of Saigon's Biggest Motorbike 'Prisons'
In Saigon, motorbikes can go to jail just like their human counterparts.
New ISHCMC Campus Propels Saigon’s First International School into the Future
Upon opening in 1993 ISHCMC, or the International School of Ho Chi Minh City, became the first such school in Saigon. Though it is the oldest international school in the city it is also the most innov...
Gaming, Movies and Kid's Stuff: Here's What Vietnam Watches on YouTube
Vietnamese spend a lot of time watching YouTube videos and being online, recent research shows.
