
Every Bánh Chưng Season, Vietnam’s Lá Dong Capital Comes Alive With Harvest Frenzy
On the patches of sandy soil by the river in Kim An Commune, Thanh Oai District, Hanoi, there’s a tiny village named Tràng Cát, where dong leaves have been embedded in local history, memory, and economy for centuries. Right in local courtyard, these broad green leaves were transformed into bánh chưng, ready for Tết feasts across the country.

Loneliness Too Waits for the Bus
We are all in this, but not together.

Thoughts I've Had While Stranded in Murky Floodwater on Saigon's High-Tide Days
I’m willing to forgive nearly everything about Saigon. It’s a sign of a sustainable relationship, as I still wish to coexist in peace with this city. To me, Saigon’s midday, even when the searing sun flares the strongest, is when the trees are the most glorious. The sudden bouts of torrential rain are indeed a nuisance, but I tell myself that at least the streets can get a wash after a dusty day. But there’s one thing that never goes away and that I can never write off; something I can’t, for the life of me, find reasons to romanticize or defend. Those are the infuriating floods that submerge Saigon streets every time the tide is high.

Saigon Sees a 10-Year Low of 18°C. What Are the City’s Highest and Lowest Temperatures?
This January, Saigoneers have been enjoying an unusually pleasant stretch of weather, with daytime temperatures hovering around the mid-20s and dipping to 18–20°C late at night and in the early morning.

Vietnam Bans Unskippable Ads, Requires Skip Button to Appear After 5 Seconds
If things go our way, YouTube’s notorious unskippable ads might be a thing of the past come this February.

Grindr Year-End Report Names Vietnam as Country With Biggest Top Shortage
Ever since Spotify launched its first global Wrapped function a few years ago, December has turned into an exciting season of stats-driven year-end reviews. “Wrapping” is now a tradition embraced by numerous apps, such as Strava, Duolingo, YouTube, Reddit, and of course, Grindr.

When Donations Are All Womenswear, Men in Flood Zones Turn Necessity Into Fashion
Vietnam’s South-Central Coast region is going through an especially grueling time of the year as both the local people and authorities have to deal with the aftermath of historic rainfall and flooding. Still, amid the mourning and strenuous rebuilding efforts, moments of levity shine through — a testament to the resilience, optimism, and incredible humor of the Vietnamese people in the face of hardships.

Đắk Lắk, Khánh Hòa Are Next Victims of 2025's Historic Flooding. Here's How to Help.
After nearly a week of constant downpour, many provinces of Vietnam’s Central Highlands and South-Central Coast regions have suffered severe flooding and landslides, causing catastrophic damage to local infrastructure, economic activities, and deaths. This has been yet another month of loss and destruction for Vietnam in 2025, which is shaping up to be the most devastating year in recent history due to consecutive powerful typhoons and atypically high rainfall.

Bird Flies Directly Into Nose of VietJet Plane, Damages Aircraft
The pilot of a VietJet flight was in for a surprise on Wednesday when his plane was struck by a bird – or several birds – damaging the nose of the aircraft.

Morning News Roundup: Vietnam To Stop Collecting Road Fees From Motorbike Owners In Early 2016
Reservoir anti-flooding plan still on hold in HCM City [Vietnam Net] Survey finds most Vietnamese respondents want to legally gamble at home [Tuoi Tre] Hanoi building near Ho Chi Minh Mausoleum tall...

Vietnam's GDP Growth Hits Highest In 5 Years
Last Tuesday, the General Statistics Office announced that gross domestic product (GDP) growth in Vietnam is up to 6.81% for the first nine months of this year, reports Bloomberg.

Attack Of The Monsoons: Part 1
In the first of a two-part series, cultural and environmental anthropologist Jacob Weger explains why it won't stop raining.

Morning News Roundup: Fast-Growing Ho Chi Minh City Misses Most Environmental Targets
Vietnam's economic growth accelerates as exports beat peers [Bloomberg] Urban dilemma: Fast-growing Ho Chi Minh City misses most environmental targets [Thanh Nien] Foreign experts offer su...

Plan To Plant 100,000 Coconut Trees In Saigon Comes Under Fire
In an effort to spruce up the city's dazzling canals, Saigon may soon receive a brand new grove of coconut trees.

Indonesia Is Destroying Its Forests (and Choking Its Neighbors) in the Name of Palm Oil
If you were in Singapore last week, you might have noticed an unusual haze hanging over the city. Normally Southeast Asia's bastion of environmental cleanliness, the Lion City closed schools and shutt...

Vietnam To Phase Out Its Print Media
In case you haven't heard the news, print is dying.

Jetstar Passenger Opens Emergency Exit, Delays Plane...Again
Remember that time a VietJet passenger mistook the emergency exit for the bathroom door? How about the one when a first time flier opened the exit on the tarmac to get some fresh air? Or that incident...

Morning News Roundup: Vietnam Tops Lists Of Ideal Investment Destinations: Cushman & Wakefield
Vietnam recalculates public debt, and it now exceeds safety limit: report [Thanh Nien] 25 bridges to be built with JICA loans [DTI] Vietnam tops lists of ideal investment destinations: Cushman & Wak...

A Look At The Vietnamese Province Obsessed With Sai Gon Beer
If there's one thing Ha Tinh loves, it's beer.

Morning News Roundup: High Tide, Rainstorm Likely To Inundate Ho Chi Minh City This Week
Tourists say visa waiver too short [Vietnam News] Ministries declare new vision standards for motorbike drivers [Vietnam Plus] Vietnam lowers dollar deposit interest rates [DTI]

[Video] Suspected Drunk Careens Truck Into D7 Intersection, Injuring Two
No matter how safe you are as a driver, accidents can still happen – even when you're standing still.

After Villa Collapse, Hanoi Will Examine All Colonial Buildings
Following the collapse of a 110-year-old villa in downtown Hanoi last week, officials in the capital are planning to launch a large-scale audit of the city's colonial buildings.

Weekend News Roundup: Expensive Railway Station Left Empty Because Of Uneven Development
Vietnam inflation hits 10-year low in Jan-Sep [Tuoi Tre] Tap water in Ho Chi Minh City fails to meet chlorine standards [Tuoi Tre] Expensive railway station left empty because of uneven development ...

Saigon Is Getting Some Flashy New Bus Routes
Public transportation in Saigon may not be glamorous but it's about to get a little more convenient for local residents. From October 1, Saigon will launch two new bus routes, connecting both District...

Thousands Of Sea Cucumbers Wash Up On The Shores Of Phu Quoc
Last week, tourists in Phu Quoc were privy to a strange sight, as thousands of sea cucumbers washed up on the shores of Long Beach.

Morning News Roundup: Public Land, A Cake Illegally Shared By Many Firms In Vietnam
Security guard arrested for procuring sex for guests at Saigon hotel [Thanh Nien] Vietnamese teen electrocuted while wading through flooded schoolyard [Thanh Nien] Ministry wants nationwide survey o...

Saigon Internet Cafes Ordered To Close By 10pm To Prevent Gaming, Sex Chats
For anyone who enjoys late-night gaming or a good sex chat in a public place, we've got some bad news.

Vietnamese Are Getting Paid To Wait In Line For New iPhones
In Vietnam, everyone loves an iPhone.

