in Tech

The People Building a Virtual Vietnam in the Pixelated World of Minecraft

Minecraft is now a modern classic world-building game allowing players to construct elaborate buildings using isometric cubes. Thanks to this endless stream of materials, one can theoretically build anything in the game world if they have enough patience and attention to details.

in Parks & Rec

In Đà Nẵng, a Close-Knit Surfing Community Rides the Waves

Đà Nẵng does not feel like a surf town. The gaudy beachside nightclubs are a far cry from the bohemian vibes of Hawaii or San Diego, and the coastline is more synonymous with basket boats than surfboards. Look for it, however, and you’ll find a subculture of beach breaks, skate bowl surf shacks, board rental huts, and passionate surfers within a tight knit but welcoming community.

in Environment

As Infrastructure Lags Behind, Saigon's Poorest Hardest Hit by Worsening Flooding

In April this year, in the first downpour of southern Vietnam’s rainy season, the narrow rented room where Mã Thị Diệp and her children were staying in Hồ Chí Minh City was inundated by knee-high water.

in Sports

A Glimpse Into the Epic Underground Shows of Vietnam Pro Wrestling

Back in 2018, Saigon witnessed the birth of Vietnam Pro Wrestling (VPW), the first and only Pro Wrestlers in the whole of ...

Paul Christiansen

in Natural Selection

An Ode to Lục Bình, Vietnam's Invasive, Destructive, Beautiful Aquatic Jerk

Knotted gnarls of lush stems, leaves, vines; a verdant scrimmage of tangled plant matter kept afloat by buoyant bladders accented by pleats of pink petals that resemble the skirts of ballerinas trapped inside music boxes: the water hyacinth.

in Sports

Saigon Heat Wins Intracity Rivalry Over HCMC Wings, Closing Out VBA Regular Season

Families of fans filed into the “Fire Pan” on September 3, wearing red, white, and black jerseys. The atmosphere hums with anticipation.

Paul Christiansen

in Environment

Vignette: Local Ox Rampages Airport, Stops Flights, Gets Put in Museum in Huế

Name a famous buffalo.

Back Society

in Health

Health Ministry Stresses 'LGBT Is Not a Disease' in Response to Rise in 'Gay Cure' Clinics

Vietnam’s Ministry of Health recently issued an official dispatch stressing that homosexuality is not a disease.

in Architecture

In Huế, a Glass Cottage to Spend the Rest of Your Life With Your Beloved

If somehow your relationship manages to survive illnesses, conflicts, and external temptations to endure until both of you are in your sunset years, how would you spend the rest of your life?

in Environment

Hanoi Students Create Green Material From Durian Rind to Aid Oil Spill Cleanup

A group of university students has created an aerogel material from durian rind which can help clean up oil spills.

in Natural Selection

Gõ Nước: An Endangered Tree That Offers Hope for Conservation Efforts

Is it true that the more names something has, the more beloved it is? Consider all the nicknames you have for your best friends, or the myriad of terms people have invented for deities. If one can ass...

in Development

Hanoi Unveils Design for New Floating Opera House Near West Lake

Hanoi is planning to build a 13,000 square-meter floating theater near West Lake with a capacity of around 3,500 seats. 

in Architecture

[Photos] A House in Sơn La Cocoons Its Residents Around a Quiet Courtyard

In many up-and-coming urban areas in Vietnam, empty plots of land are sectioned off and sold as narrow puzzle pieces that will eventually become towering tube houses facing the chaos of arterial stree...

in Parks & Rec

How Exotic Pole Dance Challenges Both Personal Limits and Gender Stereotypes

Flashing flares of neon lights hug the body of a dancer who’s spinning around a pole in the raucous thrum of music and sensuous gasps. In the mind of the average Vietnamese, pole dancing is often asso...

in Environment

In Đà Lạt, Greenhouses Revolutionize Farming, but at What Environmental Cost?

Plastic greenhouses in the city of Đà Lạt may protect farmers from the impacts of erratic weather, but the environmental toll of agri-plastics is building in the agriculture-dependent region.

in Architecture

[Photos] This Buôn Ma Thuột House Is a Cottagecore Dreamland

In recent years, the Central Highlands has slowly become one of the most sought-after regions in Vietnam for young people to travel and live in.

in Environment

Scuba Diving at Nha Trang Island Temporarily Banned Due to Poor Coral Health

Hòn Mun, a 5-square-kilometer square island about 10 kilometers off the coast of Nha Trang, will be closed to swimmers and divers indefinitely to protect the area's severely damaged coral.

in Health

Due to Bidding Red Tape, Pasteur Institute HCMC Runs Out of Vaccines

Saigoneers wishing to inoculate themselves or their children have recently been turned away at the Pasteur Institute in HCMC as the institute struggles to secure its vaccine supplies.

in Natural Selection

Đom Đóm: Why the Light Is Going Out for Fireflies in Vietnam

Much like their brief existence on Earth, once-common fireflies are quickly disappearing from Vietnam’s natural and oral histories.

in Environment

In Ninh Thuận, a Bamboo Scientist Builds the 'Great Green Wall' to Protect the Soil

In Ninh Thuận Province, not far from the South-Central Coast, Dr. Diệp Thị Mỹ Hạnh, a botanist, is growing a "wall" of bamboo.

in Environment

Vietnamese Students Win Earth Prize for Dragon Fruit Peel Biodegradable Sanitary Pads

A trio of Vietnamese high schoolers claimed the top prize in the environmental awareness competition The Earth Prize 2022 thanks to their project which turned dragon fruit peels into biodegradabl...

in Environment

Award-Winning Children's Book on Conservation to Release Sequel Tomorrow

Saving H'non: Chang and the Elephants, a sequel to the critically acclaimed children’s book by Trang Nguyễn, is scheduled to hit shelves on June 11 following the success of Saving Sorya: Chang and the...

in Environment

Lê Xuân Ái, Vietnam's Dedicated Turtle Conservationist, Passes Away at 63

Last week, Lê Xuân Ái, the former director of Côn Đảo National Park, passed away at the age of 63 after years of battling cancer. He had made great contributions to the revival and preservation of sea...

in Parks & Rec

Left Foot Brake, Right Foot Gas: Hanoi's Go-Kart Track Is Fast and Glorious

Moments before the engine started, I became aware of the fact that just a few centimeters of metal and plastic separated my butt and the asphalt.

in Environment

Hanoi, Home to 51% of Vietnam's Captive Bears, Remains Bile-Farming Hot Spot

Hanoi has more than half of Vietnam's registered captive bears, which makes the capital the biggest, and the last, hot spot of bear bile farming in the country.

in Sports

Here's What a Night of Post-Football Đi Bão Looks Like in Saigon and Hanoi

In Vietnam, the dynamic between football and đi bão is not much different from monsoon rain and garden mushrooms.

in Sports

With 205 Gold Medals, Vietnam Finishes 1st at SEA Games, Breaking Previous Record

The closing ceremony, which took place last night, May 23, officially marked the end of this year’s Southeast Asian Games (SEA Games).