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 Development

[Renderings] A Look Inside Landmark 81, Vietnam's Future Tallest Skyscraper

In less than three years, the colossal Landmark 81 will rise from what was once a container port next to Saigon Pearl. Once completed, the 461.2 meter structure will be the tallest building in Vietnam...

in Architecture

[Photos] Da Nang Spa Is a Modern-Day Twist on Babylon’s Hanging Gardens

“In this palace he erected very high walks, supported by stone pillars; and by planting what was called a pensile paradise, and replenishing it with all sorts of trees, he rendered the prospect an exa...

in Development

Design For Saigon’s Underground Metro Tracks Approved

While the concrete pylons that comprise the above ground portion of Saigon’s first metro have lined the North-South Expressway for years, things are finally ramping up on its subterranean stations.

in Health

Up To 54% Of Ice In Saigon Found To Be Contaminated

From trà đá and cafe sữa đá to bia hơi, ice is an important element of beverage culture in Saigon. But according to a new study by the city’s Department of Food Hygiene and Safety, more than half of i...

in Development

Car Sales In Vietnam Have Increased 58% Over Last Year

Over the past year, 103,500 automobiles were sold in Vietnam, perhaps signaling the dawn of the car age in a country where motorbikes have long reined king.

in Development

[Photos] Behind The Scenes Of Hanoi’s First Metro Line

Wavy tracks and all, work is quickly moving ahead on Hanoi’s aboveground Cat Linh-Ha Dong railway. Seemingly on pace with Saigon’s first metro line, last week workers moved ahead with tricky girder in...

in Development

Design Officially Approved For Vietnam’s Tallest Building

Binh Thanh District's Landmark 81 skyscraper has been officially approved by the city's People’s Committee, clearing the path for the construction of Vietnam’s tallest building.

in Tech

Viber Closes Its Vietnam Office Due To Poor Performance: Insiders

Viber, maker of the instant messaging and Voice over IP (VoIP) app of the same name, announced that it has closed its Vietnam office and moved its operations to the Philippines.

in Development

Saigon to Demolish 61 Old Apartment Buildings

Saigon plans to take down 61 deteriorating apartment buildings and relocate their 7,200 households to resettlement areas. However, it's easier said than done.

in Development

City Announces Plans for New Bridge Connecting Thu Thiem and South Saigon

Another significant feature of Thu Thiem’s transportation infrastructure is in the works as the city is planning to build a bridge between the new urban area and South Saigon in District 7.

Brian Letwin

in Architecture

[Photos] The Disappearing Japanese Colonial Architecture Of Korea

Like the European empires of France, Britain, Spain and the Netherlands, Japan once occupied wide swaths of Asia, imposing its military and cultural influence over its colonies.

in Development

$2bn Thu Thiem Eco Smart City Set to Break Ground This Year

A week after the city unveiled Thu Thiem Empire City, a project that will include Vietnam’s tallest building, a group of Asian developers have announced that they will break ground on its neighbor, th...

in Development

Garbage Is Trashing Vietnam’s Natural Beauty

Over on his blog, Vietnam Coracle, Tom just posted an insightful piece about garbage consuming Vietnam’s once pristine natural landscapes.

in Development

Transport Ministry: Hanoi’s Wavy Metro Tracks Are Safe

In an attempt to address safety concerns about wavy sections of Hanoi’s new metro line, the Ministry of Transport (MoT) has released a statement saying that the project observes technical standards.

in Tech

Apple Music Launches in Vietnam at Absurdly Low Price

Vietnamese users can now enjoy Apple’s new streaming music service at a significantly lower price compared to the U.S., poising it to steal business away from both Spotify and Vietnamese web-based mus...

in Health

Beer Prices In Saigon Among The Cheapest On Earth: Index

According to the 2015 Beer Price Index, Saigon has some of the cheapest been in the world.

in Development

Future Saigon: Thu Thiem’s Empire City

Yesterday afternoon, the Ho Chi Minh City People's Committee held a ceremony to announce the Thu Thiem Empire City development, the crown jewel of the city’s new urban area.

in Tech

Bphones Recalled Less Than 2 Weeks After Delivery

Two weeks following the release of the Bphone, dubbed “the best smartphone in the world,” by its maker, the company has announced that the handsets are being recalled for a software update and camera ...

in Architecture

[Photos] Vietnamese Solar-Powered, Green-Roofed Toilet Design Wins Architecture Award

A restroom/garden design constructed in Vietnam's northern province of Cao Bang by Hanoi-based H&P Architects has taken home the Social Good Award at the 2015 AZ Awards.

in Sports

Vietnam Plans to Send 15 Athletes to 2016 Summer Olympics

Following a strong showing at the SEA Games earlier this month, Vietnam has announced that it will send up to 15 athletes to the Rio de Janeiro Olympic Games next year in Brazil.