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.

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.

in Architecture

[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. 

Back Society

in Architecture

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...

in Health

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...

in Environment

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 ...

in Development

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...

in Sports

Women's Football Team Reaches Vietnam's First-Ever World Cup

Việt Nam Cố Lên!

in Architecture

[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.

in Architecture

[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.

in Environment

New Flowering Plant Species Confirmed in Central Vietnam Nature Reserve

If you discovered a new plant, what would you call it?

in Health

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.

in Tech

High-End Graphics Cards Stolen in California Appear in Vietnam

Paging the Fast & Furious screenwriters.

in Development

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...

in Society

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...

in Parks & Rec

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...

in Tech

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.

in Health

Nano Covax Vaccine Provides 92% Protection Against Severe Covid-19

A domestic vaccine may still see the light of day.

in Architecture

[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.

in Tech

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.

in Sports

Acrobatic Giang Brothers Shatter Guinness World Record in Stair-Climbing

Next step: finding a practical application.