in Parks & Rec

How a Dance Project Is Reframing Deaf Identity in Saigon via Movement Art

Lắng Nghe Điểm Chạm is a project aiming to expand exposure opportunities and application potentials of performing arts into the life of marginalized and minority communities of Vietnam.

in Environment

I Saw the World's Most Handsome Bird Right in Vietnam's Hidden Backyard

Everywhere I go in Vietnam, I keep my eyes peeled for the incredible birds that call this country home. Sometimes I don’t even realize that I’m doing it. I scan the horizon above low hills for migratory hawks. I stare into breaks in the foliage for passing buttonquail. I peer into rice paddies, fingers crossed for a cryptic snipe. And, of course, there’s Facebook. I refresh Facebook over and over again, waiting for the arrival of the mandarin duck. Its scientific name is Aix galericulata, which one assumes means “prettiest goddamn duck in the world.”

Khôi Phạm

in Natural Selection

The Rise and Fall of Phượng Vĩ, the Summer Icon of Our Teenage Dreams

I was a teenage cliché. No matter how much I try to rack my brain to find any other personal connection to the incandescently red tree that is phượng vĩ, I keep going back to my middle school crush and that one tree in the front yard of our school.

Paul Christiansen

in Natural Selection

The Reason to Cry for Cu Li, Vietnam's Deeply Misunderstood Primate

A drop of the animal’s blood renders the soil barren; entire mountains can crumble and collapse where it landed. Be wary of this slow wayfarer of the forest, for if you catch sight of its glowing eyes in the distant darkness, your trip is doomed and should be abandoned immediately. And if someone brings one back to the village, make all efforts to return it to the jungle, lest you invite sorrow and ruin into your home. Don’t let its meagre stature, a mere 500 grams, and slow, cuddly demeanor confuse you; the cu li guards the gates to hell.

in Environment

The Hunt for Vietnam's Dinosaurs Has Found Nothing Yet, but There Is Hope

Why aren’t there any Vietnamese dinosaurs?

in Parks & Rec

In Hanoi, Waacking Is Not Just a Dance, but a Home for Creativity, Gender Fluidity Too

“I get to express my madness.” That is what Trần Khánh Linh, also known as Lyna, says when asked why she has been waacking for the last 10 years. By day, Lyna is a jewelry and gemstone seller, but by night, she joins her friends at the Soul Waackers, a waacking group based in Hanoi, and practices a dance style that allows her a vibrant way to self-express.

Uyên Đỗ

in Tech

There's a Cordial Vietnamese Greeting That Has Been Floating in Space Since 1977

At this very moment, while you're reading these lines, a silver “bird” of human design is hurtling away from the Sun at roughly 60,000 kilometers per hour, slipping past the boundaries of our solar cradle and into the endless quiet of the cosmos.

Paul Christiansen

in Environment

How a Self-Taught Documentarian Spreads His Boundless Enthusiasm for Vietnam's Nature

Why “Sticky Discovery”? This was the first question I asked during my interview with the man behind the YouTube series of...

Back Society

in Health

Street Food Vendors May Be Required to Comply With New Food Safety Regulation

Street food could soon get a thorough cleaning, as new regulations proposed by the Ministry of Industry and Trade seek to bring food safety standards to Saigon's roadside dining.

in Tech

Viettel to Require New SIMs for 4G Service

Starting in October of this year, Viettel will offer its users the option of 4G coverage, reports Zing.

in Tech

Vietnam Breaks Ground on First Solar Power Plant

Quang Ngai officials broke ground on the construction of Vietnam's first solar power plant this Saturday. The facility, which is expected to be operational by mid-2016, will cover 24 hectares and come...

in Development

[Photos] New Bridge Cutting Distance From HCMC To Mekong Delta Opens Tomorrow

Starting tomorrow, city travelers will be able to cut their trip to My Tho from 100 kilometres to 25 kilometres, reports Tuoi Tre.

in Architecture

[Photos] Open-Air Cafe Stands Out On Kontum Waterfront

Kontum is not, perhaps, the first place you'd expect to find a piece of modern architecture, but perched on the Dakbla River is the imposing Kontum Indochine Cafe. Designed by award-winning architectu...

in Development

[Video] 3-D Animation Spotlights Thu Thiem 2 Bridge

A new video by Sub Zero Animation posted on REIC brings to life the proposed Thu Thiem 2 Bridge, which is set to reach completion in 2018. The bridge will serve as a direct route between District 1's ...

in Development

Old Thao Dien Villa Gets A Modern Makeover

Rather than tear down this District 2 villa altogether, MM++ Architects decided to give its concrete frame a makeover using recycled red bricks and steel frame glass windows.

in Health

Female Viagra May Be Coming To A Pharmacy Near You

Last week, the Vietnamese Department of Health announced that it would consider circulating a newly-approved drug call Addyi, which treats low sexual desire in women.

in Development

Future Saigon: The Sabeco Tower

Sabeco, the Vietnamese beverage company that has a commanding 40% market share of the domestic market, is in the process of trading in its massive warehouse at Me Linh Square for a shiny new skyscrape...

in Development

[Photos] Award-Winning Design Links Nha Trang Restaurant And Sea

When D3 Architects came up with this design for a beachside Nha Trang restaurant, they sought to create a structure with a strong connection to its surrounding environment, in this case, the beach. Gi...

in Tech

Apple, Inc. Plans to Open Subsidiary in Vietnam

Apple seems to have set its sights on the Vietnamese market with reports that the company is gearing up to open a subsidiary in Vietnam.

in Development

What Does The Future Hold For Saigon’s Skeleton Tower?

The monolithic Saigon One Tower is the most obvious victim of the city's burst real estate bubble (which looks to be finally recovering). Even though the skeleton of the unfinished US$238 million ...

in Development

Construction of Saigon Metro Flyover Above the Hanoi Highway Begins

Work on the above ground section of Saigon's first metro line is in full swing. Along with the construction of a rail bridge across the Saigon River and the installation of concrete girders, ...

in Development

Future Saigon: The District 5 Cultural Center

Below are some renderings of a new cultural center designed by HSP International Vietnam and Ardor Architects that will be located at 105 Tran Hung Dao, District 5.

in Development

Vietnam Plans To Launch High-Speed Rail Line By 2040

Despite the National Assembly’s opinion that it should be pushed to the back burner, the Transport Ministry is moving ahead with plans for Vietnam’s first high-speed rail line.

in Development

[Video] Workers Toss Molten Rivets To Repair Long Bien Bridge

Hanoi’s iconic Long Bien Bridge in the midst of a much-needed renovation to make it safer for pedestrians and drivers. But while one might think that a US$15 million upgrade would be conducted with cu...

in Development

Vietnam Moves Ahead With Plans For First Nuclear Power Plant

After years of delays, it looks like plans for Vietnam’s first nuclear power plant are slowly moving forward.

in Architecture

[Photos] Nha4 Architects Designs Flood-Proof Extension For Thai Hoa Home

Given the recent flooding in northern Vietnam, this “flood-proof” house extension seems like a smart addition for many Vietnamese families that face rising waters each rainy season.

in Tech

[Video] Dirtbiker Glides On Water, Surfs Waves With Custom Bike

When roads across Vietnam transform into rivers during the rainy season, water floods the engines of motorbikes, rendering them useless in the face of the murky currents. At some point, each of these ...

in Health

How I Learned To Stop Worrying And Love The Gluten

So you’ve been told that gluten is the antithesis of healthy living. Google searches involving the words “gluten” and “bad” yield thousands of articles branding this highly misunderstood substance as ...