The Legends of Thăng Long Tứ Trấn, the 4 Guardian Temples Protecting Hanoi
In the edict to move Vietnam’s capital to Hanoi, Emperor Lý Thái Tổ described this land as the middle of heaven and earth, the center of the four directions. Such a place would bring peace and prosperity, he believed, and deserved sacred protection.
Regent Phu Quoc's Spa Attracts Guests with International Wellness Expertise
What do royal families, tennis superstars and celebrities like Gweneth Paltrow and Naomi Campbell have in common?
Slices of Life in Saigon, Huế, Hanoi in 1989 on Film
What is it about coming across old photos that tugs on our heartstrings so much, even when they depict a time when some of us weren’t alive yet?
Exploring Chợ Quán Asylum, Saigon’s Oldest Prisoner-of-War Camp
In a secluded corner of Saigon’s Bệnh viện Nhiệt đới, or Hospital for Tropical Diseases, a prison continues its century-long existence hidden from public memory and discourse.
Mang Thít, Vĩnh Long's 'Kingdom of Brick Kilns,' Is on Its Last Legs
Along the rivers and canals of Mang Thít, clouds of smoke from the Mekong Delta’s last brick kilns languidly stream into the air.
[Video] Vintage VHS Travelogue Takes You to Đà Lạt in 1992
Get ready for a road trip with nostalgia riding shotgun.
The Splendor of Hát Bội, as Depicted in Vintage Posters for the 1889 Paris World's Fair
From the end of the 19th century to the beginning of the 20th century, hát bội left a major mark on the hearts and minds of many viewers, including French colonizers. The French brought this form of folk performance art to the 1889 Exposition Universelle in Paris, a world’s fair organized to showcase international cultures. Scenes of hát bội can be seen on promotional materials, souvenirs, and lithograph prints from back then.
[Photos] Look Back at Hanoi's Nội Bài Airport in 1995
In February, 1995, Yuichi Kobayashi, a Japanese businessman, came to Vietnam with a mission to set up a factory here.
[Photos] Take a Trip Back In Time To Ong Lanh Bridge
Believed to be built in the 19th century, Ong Lanh bridge is a name that, upon its mention, often conjures up tales and myths of Vietnamese gangsters and criminals.
[Photos] Vietnam's 1969 Street Fashion Story as Told Through Honda Cubs
The very definition of cool was established decades ago in Vietnam, and it was badass women in áo dài dashing on the street in slick sunglasses.
[Photos] A Visual Tour of Late 1960s Saigon by Brian Wickham
It seems that every day, we get to uncover yet another old photo collection of Saigon from the 1960s.
The Hanoian Family Tracing 700 Years of Ancestral History
There’s a certain air of intrigue one feels upon entering one of Hanoi’s many labyrinthine alleyways. Anything could be around the corner: a raucous market, a hair salon or a nhà nghỉ. These areas pro...
[Photos] An Idiosyncratic Car Parade in 1920s Hanoi
Street festivals have come a long way since the endearing car parades of early 1900s Indochina.
[Photos] 30 Black-and-White Photos of 1947 Vietnam's Landscapes by Michel Huet
If you enjoyed our previous article on French photographer Michel Huet’s portraits of Vietnam series, then the second batch of his work from 1947 Vietnam will pique your interest as well.
[Photos] An Exploration Into Vietnam's History Through Black-and-White Portraiture
From inside aristocratic mansions to the austere fields of rural Vietnam, black-and-white portraiture has never looked so filled with life and stories.
[Photos] In 1995 Vietnam, a Paradise for Honda Cubs and Xích Lô
How heartening — or rather, disheartening — to discover that flooding isn’t a problem that is unique to 2010s Saigon.
A Rare Look Inside the Hue Imperial Court in 1895 in Watercolor
'La cour de Hue' (The court of Hue) is a series of painting done by Nguyen Van Nhan in 1895, during the reign of Thanh Thai, emperor of the Nguyen Dynasty at the time.
[Photos] 18 Rare Photos of Northern and Central Vietnam in the Late 19th Century
During the 19th century, postcards were one of the most popular forms of media that connected Vietnam with the rest of the world.
Paul Christiansen in Saigon
Street Cred: The Sins and Saving Grace of Dr. Albert Calmette
If you help save hundreds of thousands of lives via medical breakthroughs and establish one of the country’s first and most advanced research institutes, but also assist in the colonial regime’s bruta...
[Photos] The Children of Southern Vietnam in 1967
To see old photos of children is profound because we know, in a way they couldn't when the photos were taken, how their lives have been shaped since.
[Photos] 27 Snapshots of Saigon in 1970 by Carl Nielsen
Almost five decades ago, Saigon didn’t have much in terms of high-rise buildings; however, judging by the amount of people hanging about in public spaces, street life was as much a big part of metropo...
[Photos] Enthralling Black-and-White Aerial Shots of 1950s Ha Long Bay
It will come as a surprise to no one that Ha Long Bay was much quieter in the 1950s than it is today.
[Photos] A Visual Excursion to Past Bac Lieu, Home of Cải Lương Master Cao Van Lau
Tucked just below the Mekong's main aquiferous arteries, Bac Lieu Province serves as an interesting case study of how humans can thrive in swampy, steamy surroundings.
[Photos] On the Sidewalks of 1979 Saigon: Books, Knick-Knacks and a Multitude of Bicycles
Before the motorbikes invaded all aspects of modern Vietnam, Saigon streets were all bicycles, vintage cars and xích lô.
[Photos] 20 Black-and-White Snapshots of 1920 Saigon by Ludovic Crespin
In the early 1920s, central Saigon was an immaculate neighborhood with glamorous shops and clean streets.
[Photos] Walk the Streets of 1965 Da Nang
Given how fast Vietnam's major cities change, and it can be hard to imagine what they looked like in decades past.
[Photos] Saigon Then & Now: Rue Catinat, Tu Do and Dong Khoi Street
While some of Saigon's most extreme changes over the years have occurred in suburban areas like District 7 or Binh Thanh, central District 1 is obviously no stranger to transformations either.
[Photos] 20 Snapshots of Saigon in 1969 by George Lane
With every uncovered archive of old photos, we come closer and closer to reconstructing a complete tapestry of life in past eras.
