Paul Christiansen

in Travel

Ruminate on Our Natural Legacies While Surrounded by Cây Sao at Ao Bà Om

I never pass up an opportunity to reflect on chò nâu and its dipterocarp relative, cây sao. The massive trees that gracefu...

Paul Christiansen

in Travel

Art, Flowers Bloom at Huế’s Hidden Museum, Lebadang Memory Space

People often think that art is distant and difficult to appreciate, but a garden is different; everyone knows how to admire a flower.

Brian Letwin

in Travel

The Quiet Calm of Hiding From the Heat Under Phan Rang's Grapevines

The punishing mid-day sun dictates the pace of life in the corridor between Phan Rang and Cam Ranh, where locals escape to their living rooms or hammocks, and tourists seek the cooling breeze of the beach, seafood restaurants or resort pools. Perhaps one of the most underrated ways to take refuge from the heat is to duck into one of the nearby grape vineyards where winding vines create a natural oasis.

Paul Christiansen

in Travel

The Curious Case of Quy Hoà Leprosy Colony's Park of Busts

A delightfully bizarre place, Quy Nhơn’s Quy Hoà leprosy colony deserves exploration in full , but clustered in a grove of...

in Saigoneer Getaways

On Japan’s Shonan Coastline, a Wintry Vista of Mount Fuji

It was my first trip to Zushi Beach and the sun was beginning to set. 

in Saigoneer Getaways

Finding Solace in the Placid Water of Trị An Lake as a City Dweller

I took a deep breath, realizing that I was suspended in the midpoint of everything, above the calm, glassy surface of Trị An Lake and beneath the vast, enveloping azure sky that blanketed Mã Đà forest.

in Travel

In Gò Vấp, a 'Floating Temple' Stands the Test of Time and River Currents

On an isle amid the Vàm Thuật river in Gò Vấp District, Phù Châu Temple, colloquially known among locals as the “floating temple,” has welcomed religious practitioners looking for a serene quarter in fast-paced Hồ Chí Minh City for over three centuries.

Back Travel

in Travel

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.

in Travel

After Trump-Kim Summit, North Korea Tours Are Trending Among Vietnamese Tourists

In the past, tours to North Korea were often avoided due to high costs, political conflict, and a lengthy, strict visa procedure.

Khoi Pham

in Travel

[Photos] On Photographing the Gentle Romance of a Hueless Hue

Any mention of Hue or Hoi An within a conversation about central Vietnam tends to conjure up images of intensely vibrant colors: crimson paper lanterns dotting the sky; neighborhoods filled with the d...

in Travel

With New Flight Routes, Can Tho Hopes to Revitalize Underused Airport

The international airport, which is currently operating below 30% capacity, will hopefully see a boost in passengers thanks to six new routes being added to service the city.

Chris Humphrey

in Travel

[Photos] The Poetry of Everyday Life in Vietnam's Coastal Towns

Traveling south through central Vietnam by train can bring you to the familiar or the obscure: the Disney-fication of Hoi An, the peaceful bays of Quy Nhon, or the thrill of derelict spaces in Hue.

in Travel

Vietnam Expands E-Visa Pilot Program to 35 More Countries, Territories

A pilot program granting tourists 30-day electronic visas has been expanded to include 35 additional nations and territories.

in Travel

Travel Agency Vietravel Wants to Launch Vietnam's 6th Airline

Is Vietnam’s air travel market big enough to accommodate another air carrier?

Chris Humphrey

in Travel

[Photos] Ha Giang: Evocative Portraits From Hoang Su Phi

Nestled amid the textured, corduroy rice terraces of Ha Giang Province lies Hoang Su Phi, a rural district that’s home to an array of ethnic minority communities.

Michael Tatarski

in Travel

[Photos] Saigoneer Getaways: Dak Lak and an Abundance of Central Highlands Charm

For many, Tet is a time to reunite with family they haven't seen in months. For those like me without relatives in Vietnam, it's the perfect time to take a break from increasingly stressful city life....

in Travel

[Video] The Hyperlapse of Saigon That Took 2 Years and Over 200,000 Photos to Make

Living in Saigon can feel like being spun in a centrifuge: swirled amongst an overwhelming amount of sights, sounds, smells and experiences at dizzying speeds.

Chris Humphrey

in Travel

[Photos] Exploring the Myriad Cathedrals of Nam Dinh Province

Though they receive more attention, the cathedrals of Hanoi and Saigon pale in comparison to those found in Nam Dinh Province. What’s more, the area not only boasts a surprising array of these magnifi...

in Travel

[Video] Vietnam's Hectic Energy Set to a Funky Soundtrack

Vietnam is a country that’s always on the move.

in Travel

How Hemingway Inspired a Cyclist to Scale the Heights of Northern Vietnam

Former Saigon resident Dale Nottingham has conquered Vietnam’s extreme northern highlands by bicycle, climbing 22,587 meters over 1,306 kilometers during an epic 12-day ride that started in Bac Kan Pr...

in Travel

First Flight of Bamboo Airways Is Once Again Delayed to Next January

Despite being scheduled for a December 29 takeoff, Vietnam's newest airline Bamboo Airways won't leave the tarmac until mid-January.

in Travel

Vietjet Air Launches Direct Flight Route From Saigon to Osaka

The budget carrier also launched a Hanoi-Osaka route back in November of this year.

in Travel

Saigoneer Getaways: Off the Beaten Path in Hong Kong's Old-School Side

There was once a time when Saigon and Hong Kong were rivals in the exotic east, both jostling for the cultural title of “Pearl of the Orient”. With British colonialism on one side and French on the ot...

in Travel

[Photos] Pseudo-Suicide and Evil Spirits at Bali’s Usaba Manggung Celebration

Each year in Bali’s Bugbug Village, Hindus gather to take part in a three-day celebration that includes splashing holy water, atavistic wailing and role-play suicide to ward off evil spirits. &nb...

in Travel

Mui Ne's Suoi Tien Damaged by Tourist Activities, Illegal Construction

Suoi Tien, a famous natural tourist site in Mui Ne, is losing its appeal due to overcrowding and unauthorized construction work.

Chris Humphrey

in Travel

[Photos] Reaping the Rice Harvest in Mu Cang Chai

Each September, the rice fields of Mu Cang Chai turn ripe and as gold as coins, and then the back-breaking work begins.

in Travel

[Video] A Tilt-Shift Travelogue Showcases Stalinist Architecture, Everyday Nationalism in Pyongyang

Isolated from the rest of the world since 1953, North Korea has since been the center of much curiosity, myths and sensationalist headlines that leave more space for reductionism rather than nuan...