A Botanical Illustrator Captures Vietnam's Flora on Paper, One Species at a Time
When science and art commingle in a botanical illustration, it’s as if a magical world appears, where colors, brushstrokes, and lighting work together to not only replicate but also breathe life into nature’s best creations.
Lúa Ma, the Mekong's Ancient Wild Rice Varieties Holding Secrets to Climate Resilience
“It’s been so long I can barely remember. It’s delicious, fragrant, soft but not sticky,” says Trần Văn Lựa, 53, a farmer from Đồng Tháp Province, south-west Vietnam, recalling the taste of wild rice. As a child, he would harvest the grain during flood season, when wild rice flowers. Today, however, it is a rare sight.
Paul Christiansen in Natural Selection
Cầy Mực, the Fluffy Bearcat Whose Pee Really Smells Like Popcorn
Vietnam is home to a diverse range of species, from the elusive sao la to Hanoi's pungently fragrant hoa sữa. As an ode to the wondrous nature of the country, we're introducing a new article series, Natural Selection. Each article will feature a species of plant or animal native to Vietnam — starting with the laidback cầy mực (binturong).
As Saltwater Intrudes More of Mekong Delta, Durian Farmers Struggle to Stay Afloat
Nguyễn Văn Quại, 63, walked slowly on the muddy dirt path in his yard, his hands clasped behind his back. He stopped beside a tree split in half, its branches dipping into the stagnant water of a narrow moat, and gestured towards the rest of his leafless crop — their trunks yellow, their bark cracked and brittle.
Khôi Phạm in Tech
On Vietnam's Internet, You're a Mom, I'm a Mom, Everyone Is a Mom
I am a mom. Well, not in the most conventional meaning of the word — I am childless, and it’s still biologically impossible for men to give birth the last time I checked, but for most of my existence on the Vietnamese cybersphere, I have been using the designation “mẹ” amongst my closest friends.
Khôi Phạm in Architecture
On Phú Quý Island, a Curious Collection of Modernist Houses From Central Vietnam
From the 1960s towards the end of the 1970s, urban centers in southern Vietnam saw robust and widespread growth of modernist influences in architecture. Still, outside the usual foci of the movement like Saigon, Cần Thơ or Mỹ Tho, how has this unique form of vernacular architectural expression been transformed?
Văn Tân in Architecture
An Homage to Courtyards, the Heart of Traditional Vietnamese Homes
This time of the year, the giáng hương tree in my grandma’s courtyard is probably blooming with clusters of golden blossoms, enticing the kids in the neighborhood to gather around it and carefully pick off the prettiest petals to create makeshift jewelry.
Mầm in Parks & Rec
The Young Vietnamese Artisans Breathing New Life Into Animals Carcasses
Skeletons and carcasses are often reminiscent of eerie, spine-chilling scenes in horror movies. But in the taxidermy community, animal corpses are of great value for artisans to create unique works that blur the line between life and death.
HCMC Seeks To Lure Scientists With $7,015 Monthly Salaries
As HCMC seeks to position itself as the country’s science and technology hub, it is offering massive incentives to lure scientists.
[Photos] Vietnamese Artist Imagines A More Beautiful Hanoi
There’s plenty to love about Hanoi, but sometimes the electricity wires, dirty canals and abandoned construction sites leave a lot to be desired.
40% Of Pregnancies In Vietnam End In Abortion: Report
Vietnam’s defunct but lingering family planning policies, poor sex education programs and easy access to clinics has resulted in one of the highest abortion rates in the world, according to a recent r...
Say Goodbye to the Iconic Statue in Front of Ben Thanh Market
The statue of General Trần Nguyên Hãn that has stood in front of Bến Thành Market for decades is in the process of being permanently removed from the location to accommodate a new metro station.
Vietnamese Jeweler Begins To Ship 24k Gold Plated iPads
Some Vietnamese spend months of their salary on iPhones and iPads for a lift in status. But some go a step further, paying more than the value of the actual product to have it dipped in gold.
Vietnam Ranks First in Southeast Asia for Diabetes
Add diabetes to smoking and drinking on the list of major threats to Vietnam’s public health.
Made In Vietnam: La Dalat
Known once as “the pearl of the orient,” Saigon was Indochina’s hub of modern industry and entertainment. This environment spawned the “La Dalat,” one of the first cars to be produced in Vietnam.
[Photos] HCMC Begins To Chop Down Old Trees On Tôn Đức Thắng
The chopping down of the beautiful old trees on Tôn Đức Thắng Street has begun.
Hanoi “Running Short” Of Clean Water
According to two water companies that serve the city, Hanoi is facing some serious water shortages.
Hackers Tap Into Private Vietnamese CCTV Cameras, Put Feeds Online
In a reminder to avoid passwords like “admin” and “12345,” a group of hackers tapped into almost 1,000 Vietnamese private CCTV cameras and put them on the web for all to see.
Future Saigon: Vietcombank Tower
The next big addition to Saigon’s skyline, the Vietcombank Tower, is nearly complete after years of construction.
VNCam App Taps Into Street Cams So You Can Beat The Traffic
If you’re planning to hit the streets of Saigon or Hanoi during rush hour, VNCam, a new traffic tracking app, should be of great assistance.
[Video] New Film Highlights The Father Of Modern Cambodian Architecture
Vietnam and Cambodia have a shared colonial past and have both endured the peaks and valleys of development and war. For both, the 1960s and 70s were periods of modernist architectural innovation, esp...
Petition Against Son Doong Cable Car Has Over 10,000 Signatures
After news broke that a $220 million cable car would be built through portions of Son Doong Cave, the response was overwhelming negative. Many were stunned that a plan, meant to lure troves of tourist...
Uber Launches In Hanoi
The battle of the taxi apps is set to grow fierce in Hanoi with the arrival of Uber.
Apple Set To Officially Enter Vietnamese Market
Instead of opening an official store in Vietnam, Apple has opted to partner with a local retailer to distribute their products in the country.
Vietnamese Smokers Spend $1bn per Year on Cigarettes
Vietnam boasts 16 million smokers who pay VND22 trillion ($1.05 billion) per year to feed their deadly habit. But the actual cost of smoking is compounded by a nearly equal cost in treatment for commo...
Facing Delay, HCMC Pushes To Build Thủ Thiêm Bridge 2 In 2015
The main prerequisite for the large-scale development of Thủ Thiêm is infrastructure - roads, tunnels and bridges that serve as arteries into the new urban area.
GrabTaxi Launches GrabBike, Bringing Xe Ôms Into the Digital Age
With companies such as EasyTaxi, GrabTaxi and Uber, it’s never been easier to summon a car or cab in Saigon. However, xe ôms have been left out of the digital transportation revolution. That is, of co...
[Photos] Behind The Blue Walls: A Look At The Progress Of Saigon’s Pedestrian Promenade
Reddit user, WeAllWantToBeHappy, recently visited a number of spots around District 1 to see what was going on behind the large blue walls where a new pedestrian promenade is currently under construct...
