An Ode to Vũng Tàu, Saigon's Unwavering Summer Crush
I recently took a trip to Vũng Tàu after a long summer of cultural research, which had me traveling up and down Vietnam. It had been seven years since I’d been back to the homeland, and 19 since I’d last seen the beaches of Vũng Tàu, when I was only 16. It felt like returning to a high school crush, and it made me think of the words of Trần Thiện Thanh, who once wrote, “Nhớ lúc xa xưa mười sáu trăng tròn…” I won’t say I wasn’t looking for something familiar, poetic, and possibly even as sappy.
Paul Christiansen in Travel
In Hội An’s Pottery Museum, Mini Clay Landmarks Hold Unexpected Memories
When preparing to visit Hội An’s Thanh Hà Pottery Museum, I didn’t anticipate an opportunity to reminisce. I hadn’t been to the museum dedicated to the region’s pottery traditions before, so how could it illicit fond memories?
Kit Humphrey in Travel
The Poetry of Everyday Life in Central Vietnam's Coastal Towns
Traveling south through central Vietnam by train can bring you to the familiar or the obscure: the Disney-fication of Hội An, the peaceful bays of Quy Nhơn, or the thrill of derelict spaces in Huế.
A Tribute to the Incredibly Eye-Catching, Organic Signage of Sa Đéc
Signs are like voices.
Linh Phạm in Travel
On a Walking Tour, Mulling Over the Glorious Past and Odious Present of Tô Lịch River
We began our journey in front of a bank where the street Trần Nhật Duật turned into Chợ Gạo.
Tuyết Nhi in Travel
Visit a 160-Year-Old Chapel Inside Saigon's Historic St. Joseph's Seminary
Hidden within the compound of the Saigon St. Joseph’s Seminary is a historic chapel that has withstood the test of time.
Tà Năng, One of Vietnam’s Most Beautiful Trails and Best-Kept Secrets
Whether we choose to participate or not, most of us are fascinated by Vietnam’s motorbike culture.
Khôi Phạm in Travel
Bask in the Morning Sun in the Green Heart of Huế Along the Hương River
As tourists, it's in our built-in compass to seek out novelties and excitements, if anything, to remind us that our daily humdrum is not everything, and there exists a world out there with multitudes to explore.
Kit Humphrey in Travel
[Photos] Capturing the Unexpected Amid Vietnam’s Mountainous Landscapes
The Taj Mahal, the Eiffel Tower, a smiling lady in a conical hat: human nature practically guarantees that even the most iconic image will eventually turn stale through proliferation. These depictions...
[Photos] Tractors and Cabbages: A Different Da Lat Away From Urban Chaos
Not looking for a fancy destination, I sought out Da Lat for a different perspective that’s comfier, simpler and quieter.
National Assembly Member Suggests Imposing Departure Tax on Citizens, Tourists
The implementation of a departure tax, an elector of the National Assembly argued, could bring in additional revenue to improve Vietnam’s tourism infrastructure.
Michael Tatarski in Travel
[Photos] The Island in Hong Kong That's Completely Free of Traffic
Hong Kong is famed for its incredible population density and vertiginous skyline, where streets are hemmed in by concrete canyons of towering high-rises.
[Video] A Serene Glance of Ninh Binh
Towering karst formations, light seeping in through the watery entrance to a cave, bananas sold out of shoulder-slung bamboo baskets by an old lady: clichés about Vietnam exist for a reason, and it ca...
Vietnam's Homestay Boom Brings About Both Promise and Perils
As tourism booms, people across the nation are transforming their homes into rentable accommodation, a potentially lucrative but also risky endeavor.
[Video] From Ha Long to Hanoi in Search of a Street Food Feast
Hungry in Hanoi documents an experience many of us know first-hand: the satisfaction of a day out exploring followed by a celebratory street food feast.
Quang Binh Homestay Owners Struggle in Price War Against Major Hotels
Price reduction by companies with deep pockets disproportionately harms homestay proprietors, who used to be farmers living near Phong Nha–Ke Bang National Park.
From Hamlet-Dotted Wilderness to Tourist Hotspot: The Story of Phu Quoc
“Phu Quoc is a large, uncultivated island, apart from a few hectares of coffee plantation and the small gardens of Duong-Dong, covered throughout its whole extent by beautiful jungle which grows on a ...
[Photos] Playing Beneath Galvanic Skies in an Isolated Laos Village
I left Nong Khiaw and began a demanding drive down a dirt track, trying to find a village I’d only seen on satellite images on Google Maps. It lay nestled right on top of a distant peak.
Tea, Comfort Food and Unique Antiques at Villa Royale
Two large crane statues stand atop ceremonial turtles with lotus flowers in their mouths on either side of the entrance to Villa Royale.
Hue's Tu Duc Tomb Is Now Preserved Digitally in Google Arts and Culture
Open Heritage 3D aims to provide open access to digital preservation data of heritage sites around the world.
VietJet to Start Flying to From Saigon to Bali This May
Indonesia's most popular beach destination just got one stop closer for Saigon residents.
Iconic Da Lat College Closes Doors to Tourists Indefinitely
A well-traveled tourist attraction in Da Lat recently closed its doors to visitors due to insufficient resources.
[Photos] Born in California, a Vietnamese-American Returns to Traverse Vietnam
My parents are originally from Vietnam and came to the United States as refugees after the war. I was born in Orange County, California, where many Vietnamese people who came to America made their new...
Hanoi–Saigon Becomes World's 6th-Busiest Flight Route
The Hanoi–Ho Chi Minh City route moved No. 6 in the study of world’s busiest air routes in 2018, reported by British aviation analysis company OAG.
Born in California, a Vietnamese-American Returned to Vietnam. This Is What She Saw.
My parents are originally from Vietnam and came to the United States as refugees after the war. I was born in Orange County, California, where many Vietnamese people who came to America made their new...
Struggling With Trash From Tourists, Con Dao Decides to Charge Entrance Fee
Con Dao District is currently dealing with 70,000 tons of garbage.
VietJet Will Start Daily Flights From Saigon to Tokyo in July
VietJet currently operates 39 domestic routes and 69 international routes.
Taiwan to Reinstate Special Visa for Vietnamese Tourists, Albeit With Stricter Rules
Beginning March 20, Vietnamese will again be able to travel to Taiwan under the Kuan Hung, or Quan Hồng in Vietnamese, visa.
