From D4's Village Past to Now, History Keeps Wanting to Widen Nguyễn Tất Thành Street
A century before today's bulldozers, colonial planners were already wrestling with the same congested waterfront corridor — and the same promises of transformation.
Paul Christiansen in Vietnam
Vietnam Sound Library Races to Capture Saigon's Sounds Before They Disappear
Thwunk! Thwunk! Thwunk! Thwunk! The vendor’s cleaver struck the heavy wooden chopping board again and again after slicing through duck meat. Centimeters away, a microphone hovered, capturing each strike.
Vua Versus Volcano: How the 1883 Eruption of Krakatoa Upset the Nguyễn Dynasty
On September 9, 1883, ominous smoke hung over Huế. The sun was blue-green, and throughout the day, people on the streets had no shadows. As their legitimacy relied on maintaining the Mandate of Heaven, the Nguyễn royal court was alarmed. Three high-ranking mandarins rushed to advise the Emperor to change his ways to regain Heaven’s favor. While this strange incident can be easily dismissed as another case of outdated superstitions, a closer look reveals it as a rare conjunction of astrology, power, and — given the source of the smoke — volcanism, all set against the backdrop of France’s rapid incursion into Vietnam.
1992 Vietnam Through the Lens of French Photographer Raymond Depardon
After his Saigon trip in 1972 , famed French photographer Raymond Depardon returned in 1992 to traverse the length of Viet...
Tim Doling in Saigon
How Nhà Thờ Đức Bà Narrowly Escaped Being the 'Leaning Cathedral of Saigon'
Soon after its completion, Saigon’s iconic Notre Dame Cathedral developed an embarrassing tilt.
Family-Friendly Summer Vacations Made Easy at Crowne Plaza Phu Quoc Starbay
The ripening of sweet jackfruit, mangosteen and mangos; hammocks swinging gently in patches of cool shade; and evenings that stretch on with the comfort of knowing there is no alarm clock waiting the next morning: summer arrives as opportunity. When school holidays begin, families scramble to adjust schedules and secure care and activities, creating the potential to carve out some time for a vacation to savor fresh air, explore thrills, and simply bond as a family in a beautiful destination.
Tim Doling in Vietnam
The History of Hanoi's Lost Tramway Network
When they first drew up plans for a citywide tramway network in 1894, it seemed as though the Hanoi authorities would follow Saigon’s example by opting for steam traction. Yet, by the time government approval was forthcoming in 1899, advances in technology made it possible to construct the entire system as a state-of-the-art, one-meter gauge electric tramway.
Tim Doling in Saigon
How Bách Tùng Diệp Became a Saigon Park From Earmarked Consulate Land
In 1927, after being abandoned for more than 60 years by its Spanish owners, the “Jardin d’Espagne” — known today as Bách Tùng Diệp or Lý Tự Trọng Park — seemed set to become the new home of the British Consulate General in Saigon… but it was not to be.
[Photos] A Stroll Along Saigon's Tet Flower Streets in the 1960s
Flowers never go out of fashion.
[Photos] An Artist's Sketches Capture the Charm of Indochina's Street Vendors
These illustrations of vendors working on Hanoi streets during French colonial rule are half-sketched, half-painted, which adds to the air of memories fading.
[Photos] A Brief Tribute to Saigon’s Old Electricity Substations and Their Iconic Logo
Have you ever spotted these substations peppered across downtown Saigon and wondered what the initials CEE stands for?
[Photos] An Aerial Perspective of Pleiku and Kon Tum in 1970
In today’s Vietnam, Pleiku in Gia Lai Province is the Central Highlands’ third-biggest city, after Da Lat and Buon Ma Thuot.
Thu Thiem Church, Convent Classified as City-Level Heritage Sites by Saigon
After years of precarious existence in the face of constant development in the Thu Thiem Peninsula, the two Roman Catholic institutions have finally achieved protected status.
[Photos] A Walk Down Memory Lane: 1990 Saigon Caught on Camera
Once among the 1990s’ most recognizable icons, xích lô is now a rare species on Saigon streets that’s reserved only for tourists.
A Meandering Photographic History of the Red River and Long Bien Bridge
Upon its completion in 1902, Hanoi’s Long Bien Bridge was the second-longest of its kind in the world — it was only a few hundred meters shorter than Brooklyn Bridge in New York City.
[Photos] The Wilderness of Suburban Saigon in 1904
In 1904, the entirety of Saigon was confined to the area we know as District 1 today. Apart from the neatly planned city center and Cho Lon’s bustling trade town, the city’s peripheral regions were ov...
[Photos] Daily Life in Northern Vietnam in the Early 1900s
Daily life in northern Vietnam was a little different over 100 years ago.
[Photos] Aerial Shots of a Past Saigon Without Towering High-Rises
Saigon represents constant transition.
[Photos] 21 Rare Old Photos Showcase Kuala Lumpur's Unique Architecture
If you’ve enjoyed our collections of old Saigon photos so far, this set of rare images of Kuala Lumpur taken throughout the 20th century might pique your interest.
How the Storied Caravelle Balances History and Modernity
Expensive imported cars idle in front of Saigon’s century-old Opera House, where inside a local orchestra is performing a medley of wartime songs, 19th century European standards and modern American f...
[Photos] 21 Rare Old Photos of Kuala Lumpur Through the Decades
If you’ve enjoyed our collections of old Saigon photos so far, this set of rare images of Kuala Lumpur taken throughout the 20th century might pique your interest.
[Video] Travel Back in Time to Late 1970s Hanoi When Bicycles Ruled the Streets
The following footage of Hanoi from 1975 to 1980 reminds us that, less than 50 years ago, the capital was tranquil, slow-moving and unpolluted.
[Maps] A Brief Cartographic History of Hai Phong From 1898 to 1968
Known today by the moniker "City of Red Flamboyant Trees," Hai Phong has always been one of Vietnam’s most prominent port cities ever since its establishment in 1888.
[Maps] A Brief Cartographic History of Hai Phong 1898–1968
Known today by the moniker "City of Red Flamboyant Trees," Hai Phong has always been one of Vietnam’s most prominent port cities ever since its establishment in 1888.
[Photos] Cruising Across Vietnam on the North-South Train in 1920
It appears train travel in Vietnam has changed very little in the past 100 years.
[Photos] A Bird's-Eye View of the Capital in the 1930s
Aerial photography has been around since the 19th century. During colonial rule in Vietnam, French photographers took to the air to show sights of Hanoi in ways previously only appreciated by birds.&n...
[Photos] 17 Photos of Quiet Moments in 1963 Saigon by Pete Komada
In piecing together our collective memory of a Saigon past, old photos play an insurmountable role in providing visual evidence that the human mind might miss after decades.
[Video] This Vintage Travelogue Showcases Life in Rural and Urban Taiwan in the 1950s
In today’s Asia, mentions of Taiwan conjure up visions of futuristic technological advancements and major progress in LGBT rights.
