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.
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.
Paul Christiansen in Natural Selection
Thanh Long: How Dragon Fruit Proves Beauty Is Only Skin-Deep
Of all my accomplishments in life, my greatest may be the creation of The Banana Line. This is a ranking tool, based on the belief that if all fruits were lined up from worst to best, taking into account taste, availability, price, consistency, portability, ease of consumption, versatility, etc., the banana would represent the exact middle; the precise median. The dragon fruit (thanh long) falls well, well below the banana line.
[Photos] Katinat Cafe's Gò Vấp Location Is an Industrial Glass Fortress
Cement, air, water, sand, and gravel: concrete is a simple material. Same for glass, that spread of super-heated quartz sand.
Vĩnh Long's Rich Architectural Heritage Tells Stories of Taste, Time, and Turbulence
Vĩnh Long is a land of rich historical values located in the Mekong Delta. Here, generations of residents from diverse cultural backgrounds have been living, working, and interacting across key milest...
From Silicone and Clay, a Hanoi Duo Craft Intricate Cosmetic Prostheses
“The products we make are fake arms, legs, noses, ears…from silicone. The value we create is emotional healing, giving our customers confidence in themselves and their lives — the things they lack aft...
The Greater Mekong's Primates Are Under Threat, but All Hope Is Not Lost
A recent report from the WWF has highlighted ongoing threats to the Greater Mekong's wondrous, but shrinking, bounty of unique primates, as well efforts to bring these amazing creatures back from the ...
PM Calls for Faster Progress on Long Thành International Airport
During a visit to the site of the planned Long Thành International Airport in Dong Nai Province last week, Prime Minister Phạm Minh Chính expressed frustration with the slow progress of the proje...
Women's Football Team Reaches Vietnam's First-Ever World Cup
Việt Nam Cố Lên!
[Photos] Saigon Home Re-Imagines the Traditional Tubehouse
The mixed-use shophouse/home structure has long been a staple of Vietnam’s urban fabric — allowing residents to generate revenue from lower-floor businesses while making a home on the upper levels.
Khoi Pham in Natural Selection
A Eulogy for the Last Wild Cọp of Vietnam
The story of Vietnam and cọp is not one where we will come out looking good.
[Photos] This Bình Dương House Harks Back to a Simpler Tree-Filled Time
If only we could all have a garden around our house.
Michael Tatarski in Environment
Scientists Confirmed 91 New Species in Vietnam in 2020, WWF Report Shows
A new report from the World Wide Fund for Nature (WWF) highlights just how biodiverse the Greater Mekong region remains, even as major threats continue to impact flora and fauna populations.
New Flowering Plant Species Confirmed in Central Vietnam Nature Reserve
If you discovered a new plant, what would you call it?
Over 90% of Vietnam's Adult Population Now Fully Vaccinated: Health Ministry
Vietnam's vaccination campaign has made remarkable strides over the last six months.
High-End Graphics Cards Stolen in California Appear in Vietnam
Paging the Fast & Furious screenwriters.
Huge Tourism Complex Featuring Lotus-Shaped Island Proposed for Phú Quốc
The most notable feature of Selavia, an "all-in-one" tourist destination, is a 180-hectare artificial island shaped like a lotus that will stretch into Phú Quốc's Đầm Bay and contain villas, boat...
For VBA Player Nguyễn Phú Hoàng, Family and Health Are What Matters Most
For fans of Vietnam's basketball league, the name Nguyễn Phú Hoàng is most likely a familiar one. The Hanoi-born-and-raised point guard was well-known in the local streetball community long before the...
The Weird, Whimsical, Wondrous World of Art Toys in Vietnam
At the end of 1999, Hong Kong artist and designer Michael Lau presented the “Gardener” toy collection, an amalgamation of his interests in G.I. Joe action figures and street culture. The launch is wid...
Vietnam's Undersea Internet Cables Break on Average 10 Times Annually, Experts Say
Vietnam’s internet is inconsistent, but very affordable when compared with regional peers, according to experts at the recent Vietnam Internet Day 2021 conference.
Nano Covax Vaccine Provides 92% Protection Against Severe Covid-19
A domestic vaccine may still see the light of day.
[Photos] At Hanoi's Astronomy Park, an Earth-Bound Journey to the Stars
Vietnam's major cities are infamously short on green space, so any new park is noteworthy — particularly when they are as uniquely designed as the Astronomy Park in Hanoi's western suburbs.
Wallet App MoMo Becomes Unicorn Startup With $200m in New Investment
M-Service, the owner of Vietnam's leading payment app MoMo, raised US$200 million during a Series-E funding round led by Japanese bank Mizuho, resulting in a US$2 billion valuation.
Acrobatic Giang Brothers Shatter Guinness World Record in Stair-Climbing
Next step: finding a practical application.
