
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.

Another Hoàn Kiếm Turtle Dies in Hanoi, Setting Back Conservation Efforts
It’s reported that a “Hoàn Kiếm turtle” living in Hanoi has died, further impeding efforts by conservationists to keep the species from extinction.

The Rustic Beauty of Hanoi's Red River Brick Factories
Living in a city as culturally rich and absorbing as Hanoi, it’s not unusual to discover new secrets in a place you thought you knew completely. The depth of the capital really is astounding. And yet, I wasn’t quite prepared for the striking, rustic beauty of the brick factories on the Red River’s north shore.

The Ugly Truth of the Life and Impending Demise of the Hoàn Kiếm Turtle
Everyone knows the mythological story of the Hoàn Kiếm turtle.

I Went Cloud-Hunting and Found Peace Atop Đà Lạt's Tea Hill
Northern California is blessed with serene nature. Growing up there, pathless trails and cloudy mountain peaks were my safe havens, and when returning home on break from college, it was a tradition to visit my favorite hideout place: a curvy hill near my old high school. Sitting atop the hill and looking down at the city offer a peaceful means to recharge and quiet my mind. The appearance of clouds adds more to the valley’s awe-inspiring nature.

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.”

Amid Bảo Lộc Hills, a Wooden Cafe Floats Amongst the Clouds
In the middle of nowhere Bảo Lộc, perched on the side of an alternative national road is the wooden carapace of Nguyen Coffee, a veritable “Noah’s ark” welcoming travelers in for a short break to enjoy its drinks and spectacular view of the Đá Bàn Stream below.

Amid a Resort, This Thatched Hut Houses a Zero-Waste Water-Bottling Plant
A humble production hut built with recycled bottles, local timber, thatched roof and simple granito concrete floors is used as a bottling facility for drinking water.

As Companies Divert From China, Vietnam Poised to Become Major Apple Producer
When production begins, as early as mid-2021, it will mark the first time that Apple is producing a significant number of its iPads outside of China.

[Photos] Saigon Architects Turn Old French Villa Into Judo Dojo
A team of local architects has transformed a French building into a practice hall for martial arts.

2nd Made-in-Vietnam Covid-19 Vaccine Candidate Enters Human Trials
A second COVID-19 candidate vaccine has officially entered the human trial phase.

How Saigon Moved 2,200km of Electrical Wires Underground in a Decade
So famous they've adorned T-shirts, Saigon's tangles of electrical wires are disappearing.

In a Franchise First, Strategy Game Civilization Adds Vietnam as Playable Civ
This is the moment that Vietnamese fans of the Civilization video game series have been wishing for.

US Zoo Celebrates Birth of Quý Báu, an Endangered Primate Indigenous to Vietnam
Xìn chào Quý Báu!

Vietnam to Allow High School Students to Choose 5 Subjects in 2022
An upcoming program to restructure Vietnam’s high school syllabus is evoking excitement and concerns among educators.

Zalo Debuts First Vietnamese AI Assistant Named Kiki
Kiki ơi!

Vietnam's Startup Scene Aims to Build on a Strong 2020
While 2020 will go down as one of the most grueling years in recent human history, there is positivity in Vietnam’s startup industry. In advance of the annual Saigon Startup Year-End Party on Jan...

[Photos] When Bricks Not Only Form a House's Structure but Also Unique Texture
Gardens and bricks allow Bien Hoa's Wall House to fill its lungs. It is essential we have some in our homes. But not all air is equal.

Construction of Long Thanh Airport Commences This Week
The massive project in Dong Nai Province will relieve pressure on Tan Son Nhat once completed.

Vietnam Is Negotiating to Secure 30m Doses of the UK's Covid-19 Vaccine
We are ready and waiting.

Vietnam Detects First Case of New Covid-19 Variant Discovered in UK
The individual in question was quarantined upon arrival, posing no threat to the community.

Vietnam Traffic Police Introduce Bamboo Nozzles for Breathalyzers
Vietnam’s nascent green movement is hitting the streets in a unique way.

[Photos] Floating Nest Home Re-Imagines the Traditional Vietnamese Tube House
Tube houses have long been a consistent presence in Saigon’s urban fabric - their rectangular designs matching the city’s traditionally narrow lots.

To Teach Children the Importance of Play, First Bring Playgrounds Back to Hanoi
In rapidly developing urban Hanoi, finding engaging outdoor play areas for young children is near impossible. But since 2014, the social enterprise Think Playgrounds has colored public spaces across V...

This New Female Cụ Rùa Might Save Its Entire Species From Extinction
Scientists announced that a turtle found in Hanoi's Dong Mo Lake is indeed a Swinhoe’s softshell turtle (Rafetus swinhoei), the critically endangered species Hanoi's famed Hoan Kiem turtle belonged to...

Grindr Names Vietnam Among Countries With Highest Percentage of Bottoms
Inspired by the clamorous spectacle of Spotify Wrapped, the gay dating app Grindr has come up with their own version of a year-end assessment, with some interesting data.

Vietnam to Allow Female Employees to Take Paid Menstrual Breaks in 2021
It is part of a number of regulations aimed at making workplaces more accommodating for women.

21 Vietnamese Students Test Positive for Covid-19 in South Korea Dorm Cluster
The infections are part of 1,078 new COVID-19 cases reported on Wednesday, the highest single-day total for South Korea.