Insights, Polished History Lessons Await in Hanoi's Massive, Brutalist Military Museum
When I pitched a review of Hanoi’s massive new Vietnam Military History Museum to the Saigoneer editorial staff, I expected to find the museum somewhat boring. After all, although I am a historian, I am not really that interested in military stuff, and I’d been to the original location on Điện Biên Phủ Street several times — how could this new museum improve on the old one? What could this new museum say that the old one didn’t? What could I learn here that I haven’t already learned at Saigon’s War Remnants Museum and Hồ Chí Minh Campaign Museum, at Điện Biên Phủ’s war museum, at Hải Phòng’s naval museum, and at the countless other shrines to Vietnamese martial prowess across the country? Quite a lot, it turns out.
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.
Live Music, Sports, Art and Activities Fill District VUI with Summer Fun
Vietnam’s south-central coast is blessed with warm sunshine, cool waves, and relaxed vibes all year round, creating a perpetual vacation atmosphere. With school breaks and summer holidays, there is no better time to explore the tropical regions at the nexus of forest and sea.
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...
Oliver Newman 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.
Uyên Đỗ 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.
Con Dao to Reclaim Sea for $99m Proposed Extension of Airport Runway
Ba Ria-Vung Tau provincial authorities have identified a runway extension of Con Dao's airport as a key development project for the region's development.
Vietnamese Influencer Sparks Outrage for Sitting on Coral Reefs in Phu Quoc
Maritime tourism in Vietnam is developing fast, but for a lot of domestic tourists, conservation education in the country is lagging behind.
Pivoting to Domestic Tourism, Hanoi Hopes to Attract 11m Visitors This Year
With international visitors nowhere in sight, officials and tourism operators in Hanoi are fully focusing on the domestic travel market.
Hai Phong to Open New Cable Car Route Connecting Cat Ba, Cat Hai Islands
On June 6, the northern city of Hai Phong will welcome a cable car line connecting Dong Bai Commune on Cat Hai island and Phu Long Commune on Cat Ba island.
Japan Might Reopen for Vietnamese Visitors With Negative Covid-19 Tests
Vietnam's successful containment of the coronavirus outbreak may mean its people will be able to travel abroad sooner, rather than later.
Vietnam Extends E-Visa Scheme to 80 Countries; Borders Remain Closed
Starting July 1, citizens from 80 countries and territories will be eligible for electronic visas for future Vietnam visits, though this does not mean that foreign visitors will be allowed into the co...
Hue's Infamous Abandoned Water Park Might Get a Makeover Soon
After years in limbo, Hue is making plans to transform the derelict Ho Thuy Tien Amusement Park into a more useful site.
[Photos] Urbanist Travel Getaways: The Stillness of Kyoto's Fushimi Inari Taisha at Night
If you visited Kyoto but didn’t snap a snazzy shot of the seemingly infinite row of torii gates, did you really visit Kyoto? Or at least, that’s what common travel conventions seem to suggest.
Airlines in Vietnam Prepare to Resume Domestic Flights on Thursday
The two airlines plan to begin offering more domestic routes from April 16, following the scheduled ending of the national social distancing campaign.
Adrien Jean in Travel
[Photos] In Yangon's Forsaken Amusement Park, Nature Finds Home in Decrepit Artifacts
Yangon Amusement Park was built in 1997 by the former military junta as a flashy distraction from their violent dictatorship.
Chris Humphrey in Travel
[Photos] Dangerous, Adorable, Bizarre: A Look at Japan's Time-Honored Art of Making Mochi
Frenetic, dangerous, absolutely bizarre… the time-honored art of pounding mochi, a simple Japanese glutinous rice desert, is as entertaining as it is ngon vãi chưởng.
[Photos] In a H'Mong Village, Harvest Time Is When Perseverance Pays Off
Tending to a crop takes dedication. Workers are subjected to early mornings, sore bodies and weary minds. However, after all the trials and tribulations, harvest time — the world over — is usually a t...
[Photos] For Vietnam's H’Mong Communities, Life Tilts on a Precipice
On a small goat path beneath the high peaks of the Ma Pi Leng Pass, a group of H'Mong ladies walked uphill with more than 10 kilograms of wood and grass on their backs.
Bamboo Airways to Launch Vietnam–Germany Flight Routes From July
The upstart airline will operate flights to Munich from Saigon twice a week and from Hanoi once a week starting July.
Adrien Jean in Travel
[Photos] Immersing in a Lonely Japan Outside the Urban Crowds
Japan's cities are known for their dense urbanity and crowded subways, but they can also be isolating.
Vietnam Launches Campaigns to Revitalize Tourism Industry Hit by Coronavirus
The campaigns are the effort to compensate for the losses in tourism revenue due to the Covid-19 epidemic.
UN Report Names Vietnam World's 7th-Fastest Growing Destination of 2019
Will the coronavirus put a dent in that?
Almost 2m Foreign Tourists Visited Vietnam in January, a Record Number
Vietnam's tourism industry saw unprecedented growth in international arrivals last month, though the timing of this success — right in the middle of a coronavirus outbreak — is unfortunate.
Vinpearl Air, Slated for a Summer Launch, Is Suddenly Cancelled by Vingroup
The move comes as Vietnam's largest private company looks to focus on its technology and industry operations.
Google Names Da Nang as 2020's Top Trending Travel Destination
The central coastal city experienced the biggest increase in travel searches, according to Google analytics.
