The Rickety Last Days of Hanoi's Tramway System in the 1990s
Vietnam residents are rightfully celebrating recent advances in public transit.
How the National Lottery Reflects Vietnam's Socio-Economic Realities Through Time
For nearly a century, lottery tickets and their strings of lucky numbers have occupied a special role in Vietnamese society: both as a lifeline for dreams of better fortune and as a mirror reflecting the socio-economic realities of the times.
The Vintage Charm of 1995 Vietnam on Kodachrome Film Slides
While editing a retrospective of my recent work from Vietnam in the summer of 2019, I discovered 50 yellow boxes of Kodachrome slides in my basement that were shot in 1995. The images were from my first trip to Vietnam.
The Forgotten History Behind Saigon's CEE Colonial Substations
Woven into the fabric of modern-day streets, the aging electrical substations of Saigon stand as quiet witnesses to a historical era shaped by the complex legacy of French colonialism.
Hanoi's Soviet-Style Khu Gia Binh and Life Amid Vietnam's Growing Pains
Hanoi is often known in Vietnam as the land of a millennium-old civilization, a living archive of past Vietnam life. Each tiny alley within the capital can evoke a strong sense of nostalgia in visitors, as those locations encapsulate both wartime memories and charming quotidien moments. There’s one special place in Hanoi that has contributed to the city’s languid pace of life amid the nation’s rapid developments — khu gia binh.
A Flight Over Đà Lạt in 1968–1971 Before the Tourism Boom
If you’ve taken a trip to Lâm Đồng within the last few years, these scenes seem like a distant dream of a sparsely populated and verdant Đà Lạt that’s engulfed by nature.
The City That Never Sits Still: Traffic in 1994 Saigon via Photos by Ed Kashi
In Saigon on Wheels, American photojournalist Ed Kashi managed to capture the pulse of a simpler Saigon.
With Unchecked Destruction, Saigon's Heritage Shophouse Architecture Is in Danger
The colonial shophouse, one of Saigon’s most iconic forms of architecture, is in imminent danger of extinction.
[Photos] The Days When Hanoi Had Traditional Paper-Making Villages
Situated near the To Lich River, in the west of Hanoi, Yen Thai was a famous dó paper-making village, which began to develop rapidly in the 12th century once Hanoi became established as the capital o...
[Photos] Vintage Stamps From 1950 Depict Tourist Sites in Indochina
As if prematurely nostalgic for a colony that was rapidly slipping through their fingers, France issued a set of stamps focused on their Southeast Asian territories.
Quoc An Temple, One of Hue's Oldest, Is Dismantled for a New Structure
Citing deterioration of the roof and wooden main structures, Venerable Thich Minh Chon moved forward with a major renovation project on his temple, Quoc An, in Hue.
[Photos] A Celebration of the Hung Kings' Festival Decades Ago
Every year, the Hung Kings' Temple Festival is held to mark the death anniversary of the Hung Kings on the 10th day of the third month on the lunar calendar.
[Photos] A Dao Mau 'Mother Goddess' Ritual in 1920s Nam Dinh
Situated in Nam Dinh City, Phu Giay is considered the largest center of the Dao Mau 'Mother Goddess' religion across all Vietnam. There are more than 20 temples and mausoleums in the area dedicated to...
[Photos] Travel Through Time to Singapore in the 1960s
There used to be a time when the sights and people of Saigon and Singapore didn’t look too dissimilar.
[Photos] Memories of 1966 Saigon in 11 Film Photos
Have you ever wondered why a fascination about old images is encoded in our blood? Tattered family albums, tiny Polaroid shots, a roll of undeveloped film — these have great potential to surprise us w...
[Photos] 1885 Hanoi Revealed Through Sepia Prints, Sketches, Postcards and Maps
All too often these days, we come across monuments of historical significance, pull out our smartphone and take a picture, only for it to waste away in our maze of a camera roll, never to be looked at...
[Photos] 23 Photos of Saigon Street Life in 1969-1970
Free of international-style skyscrapers, Saigon’s urban quarters used to be all red roofs and modernist tube houses in the late 1960s.
[Photos] The Streets of Cho Lon, as Seen Through Old Postcards
From downtown Saigon, take Tran Hung Dao Boulevard, drive past rows of towering dipterocarp trees, and one will arrive in the colorful quarters of Cho Lon.
[Photos] The Two Sides of 1920s Hai Phong: Fancy Hotels and Seaside Shanties
Established in the late 19th century, Hai Phong is one of Vietnam's five municipalities and the second-largest city in northern Vietnam, after Hanoi.
[Photos] The Small-Town Vibes of Quy Nhon Half a Century Ago
The central coast city has been charming guests for decades with its awe-shucks charisma.
New Proposals Suggest Repairing or Replacing Nam Dinh Cathedral With Replica
Back in May, a renovation plan to replace Bui Chu Cathedral in Nam Dinh Province with a newly-built replica angered the public.
[Photos] Saigon Street Life in 1965 by Bruce Baumler – Part 2
Continuing the visual spectacle of Saigon from part 1 of the collection, here are more candid shots of the city’s street life in 1965.
[Photos] The People of 1880s Indochina Captured in a Series of Striking Portraits
When French photographers Hippolyte Arnoux and Émile Gssel traveled to Indochina in 1880, they documented not only its landscapes, but also its people.
[Photos] Saigon Street Life in 1965 by Bruce Baumler – Part 1
Identifying streets and neighborhoods of Saigon based on old pictures might seem like a skill exclusively reserved for those who have lived through the eras, but at times it’s like a fascinating game ...
[Photos] An Eerie Tokyo in the 1970s by Canadian Photographer Greg Girard
Born in 1955, Greg Girard is well-known for his photography work in some of Asia's largest cities.
Saigon's Built Heritage Is Under Threat. How Do We Protect What's Left?
In an exclusive excerpt from his latest book, Exploring Saigon-Chợ Lớn: Vanishing Heritage of Hồ Chí Minh City, historian Tim Doling discusses the city's threatened heritage architecture and what the ...
[Photos] The Hustle and Bustle of Maritime Life in 1995 Quang Ninh
Just around 150 kilometers east of Hanoi, Quang Ninh Province is home to the world-famous heritage site Ha Long Bay and Vietnam’s largest coal reserves.
[Photos] Saunter Across Hanoi's Old Quarter Streets in 1896
Being alive today means seeing such an abundance of photos that they can become meaningless, yet these shots of Hanoi’s Old Quarter invoke a feeling that’s hard to define.
