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.

in Environment

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.

Chris Humphrey

in Society

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.

Paul Christiansen

in Natural Selection

The Ugly Truth of the Life and Impending Demise of the Hoàn Kiếm Turtle

Everyone knows the mythological story of the Hoàn Kiếm turtle.

in Parks & Rec

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.

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.”

in Architecture

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. 

in Architecture

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.

Back Society

in Tech

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.

in Architecture

[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.

in Health

2nd Made-in-Vietnam Covid-19 Vaccine Candidate Enters Human Trials

A second COVID-19 candidate vaccine has officially entered the human trial phase. 

in Development

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 Tech

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.

in Environment

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

Xìn chào Quý Báu!

in Society

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.

in Tech

Zalo Debuts First Vietnamese AI Assistant Named Kiki

Kiki ơi!

Michael Tatarski

in Tech

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...

in Architecture

[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.

in Development

Construction of Long Thanh Airport Commences This Week

The massive project in Dong Nai Province will relieve pressure on Tan Son Nhat once completed.

in Health

Vietnam Is Negotiating to Secure 30m Doses of the UK's Covid-19 Vaccine

We are ready and waiting.

in Health

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.

in Environment

Vietnam Traffic Police Introduce Bamboo Nozzles for Breathalyzers

Vietnam’s nascent green movement is hitting the streets in a unique way.

in Architecture

[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.

in Architecture

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...

in Environment

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...

in Tech

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.

in Society

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.

in Health

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.