in Health

Sweating out My Sadness on the Canal's Exercise Machines

We're all unlucky in love sometimes. When I am, I go jogging. The body loses water when you jog, so you have none left for tears.

Paul Christiansen

in Environment

Charting the Flow of the Nhiêu Lộc Canal From Start to Historical Start

When I fall in love with an album, I seek out the artist's first mixtapes and demos. When I come to admire a poet, I hunt down their early poems and chapbooks. I even linger over the old highlight reels of my favorite football players' college games. Understanding where something starts allows me appreciate it more. So it is with the Nhiêu Lộc–Thị Nghè Canal.

Khôi Phạm

in Society

Nhiêu Lộc Canal Hosted Trudeau's Night Run. Why Is It Not as Famous as Obama's Bún Chả?

You know how much Vietnamese culture revolves around food by the fact that one of the first questions we pose to any foreign visitor is “What’s your favorite Vietnamese dish?” Asking about other aspects of the country could invite honest opinions that some of us might not be prepared to hear. Deep down, more than anybody else, we know that our air quality is subpar and our urban cleanliness leaves much to be desired, but our food is the one thing every Vietnamese can trust to make us proud. What easier way to foster diplomacy than to center the conversation around deliciousness?

in Architecture

In Hanoi, a Family Home Balances Commercial Hustle With Spiritual Haven

If many Vietnamese families often opt to reserve one room in their house plan for ancestor worship, this household in Hanoi decided to dedicate an entire backyard to their family altar.

Paul Christiansen

in Environment

An Homage to the Mekong Delta and Its Bag-Wearing Fruits

Rats, mice, mosquitos, snakes, centipedes, caterpillars, snails, beetles and slugs: the more fertile a region is, the more pests inhabit it.

in Tech

Grindr Once Again Names Vietnam Amongst Nations With Highest Percentage of Bottoms

Started by Spotify, Unwrapped has become one of tech companies’ favorite marketing campaigns in recent years; LinkedIn, Duolingo, and even Vietnam’s own Zalo are amongst some revelers of this trend in recent years. Last year, gay dating app Grindr continued the tradition with their own annual insights, and Vietnam managed to claim a spot in the roundup.

in Environment

On the 12th Day of Christmas Saigoneer Gave to Me: 12 Birdcalls From Across Vietnam

Almost everywhere we go in the world, birdsong abounds.

Paul Christiansen

in Natural Selection

Crickets Are More Than Just Chirpy Reminders of Our Childhood

Cricket song. You read the words and immediately hear the chirping. That thrilling trill of strummed air. Humans have been hearing that quivering echo since we first came into existence. And over time, we’ve attached a variety of meanings to it and the creature that makes it.

Back Society

Brian Letwin

in Development

Quang Ninh's Stone House

The Stone House from, you guessed it, Vo Trong Nghia Architects, was built back in 2011 but just caught our attention.

Brian Letwin

in Tech

Vietnamese Students Win 2 Awards at Intel Science Competition

2 Vietnamese high school students received awards for their projects at last week’s 2014 Intel International Science and Engineering Fair (Intel ISEF) held in Los Angeles, California held May 11-16, r...

Brian Letwin

in Development

[Photos] Changes Over Time: Saigon's Canals (2003 - 2014)

A major feature of Saigon’s recent urban development has been the implementation of major infrastructure projects including upgrading canals across the city.

Brian Letwin

in Tech

‘Less Addictive’ Version of ‘Flappy Bird’ Coming This August

Get ready for an uptick in your blood pressure. ‘Flappy Bird’ is about to re-enter the world in a ‘less addictive’ form, according to the game’s creator, Dong Nguyen.

Brian Letwin

in Environment

Frenchman Swims the Length of the Mekong River to Highlight Pollution

While many of Saigon’s canals have been scrubbed and cleaned, the Mekong River is in bad shape. To highlight the polluted state of the region’s most important waterway, one which is used simultaneousl...

Brian Letwin

in Development

Future Saigon: Lim Tower 2

You may have noticed the large building going up on the corner of Vo Van Tan and Cach Mang Thang 8. This Lim Tower 2, a project being developed by CotecCons with financing from the JSC investment corp...

Brian Letwin

in Tech

Vietnam Reverses Ban on Local Online Gaming Companies

Vietnamese authorities have reversed a 4-year-old ban on the development of local online games after acknowledged that it has not only failed to limit their usage, but has allowed foreign firms to dom...

Brian Letwin

in Health

7 Reasons Why Vietnamese Food is Good for You

While you may have to watch out where you’re buying your produce in Vietnam, the cuisine itself is about as healthy you can get. The Huffington Post recently talked to the Vietnamese owners of Pho, a ...

in Development

[Photos] Looking Back at the Development of Phu My Hung (2003-2005)

Saigon South, the largest new urban area in Vietnam got its start in the mid-1990s through a joint-venture between a Taiwanese development company and a city development agency. The Phu My Hung New Ci...

Brian Letwin

in Tech

Why Twitter Won't Take Off in Vietnam

As the world’s largest social network, Facebook, continues its massive expansion in Vietnam, many have wondered why Twitter, which ranks second, is ignored. One of our favorite tech writers, Anh-Minh ...

in Development

Nearly Gone But Not Forgotten: 213 Dong Khoi

The magnificent art deco apartment building at 213 Dong Khoi has nearly been reduced to a pile of rubble to make way for a 14-story City Administration Center.

Brian Letwin

in Health

It's Harder Than You Think to Find Safe Produce in Vietnam

Mind the VietGAP. According to a recent report in The Guardian, Vietnam’s sole safety certification mechanism is at best ineffective and, at worst, pulling the wool over the eyes of Vietnamese consume...

Brian Letwin

in Development

Sustainable Home Design for Vietnam's Low-Income Earners

It’s all about the green. Earlier this week we looked at a sustainability-focused kindergarten by Vo Trong Nghia Architects. While that project seeks to educate Vietnam’s youth, in the same compound, ...

Brian Letwin

in Health

Brew Nation: Vietnamese Consume 3bln Liters of Beer Each Year

While some raised doubts about a WTO report that found Vietnamese women outdrink Russian (and Vietnamese) men, there’s no question that Vietnam is a country that loves its beer. So much so in fact, th...

in Sports

[Video] Stressed? Why Not Try Some Laughing Yoga?

There’s a famous phrase, “Laughter is the best medicine.” A group of Hanoians are putting this to the test and mixing it with another highly-touted health booster – yoga. 

Brian Letwin

in Development

Vietnam Set to Overtake China as World’s Counterfeit Goods Capital

Due to rising labor costs in China, many counterfeit goods manufacturers are moving their operations to Vietnam. As the country becomes increasingly intertwined with the global economy via free trade ...

in Tech

Beautiful Photos of Saigon From Above

Camera-mounted drones are becoming increasingly popular in Saigon, capturing the city’s frenetic energy from the calm skies above.

in Tech

Vietnam's Taxi-hailing App Market Heating Up

Vietnam is fast-becoming part of the global apps market. While mobile games like ‘Flappy Bird’ have garnered the most press, more utilitarian apps are becoming popular, especially the taxi-hailing var...

in Tech

Vietnamese E-Commerce Grew by 314% Last Year

Experts have long forecast strong E-Commerce growth in Vietnam due to a booming internet population, but new statistics from the country’s E-Commerce and Information Technology Agency (VECITA) have su...

in Development

[Slideshow] Amazing Views from The Manor

The Manor Saigon is a luxury condominium apartment complex consisting of two high-rise 30-storey towers in Binh Thanh District. They are located within the midst of a seemingly endless maze of typical...