How Did Vietnam Start Celebrating International Women's Day on March 8?
In the hyper-commercialized world we now live in, it might be impossible to associate anything but overpriced flower bouquets and corporate sponsorships with International Women’s Day (IWD), but the widely celebrated occasion actually has a rich history of over 100 years of the women’s rights movement.
Life on the Streets of 1978 Hanoi in Black and White
In August 1978, I visited Hanoi as part of an educational tour organized by a professor from La Trobe University in Melbourne. I was a high school history teacher at the time and an avid photographer. I walked the streets of Hanoi and took many photographs of everyday life in the city, and until now, these photographs have remained unpublished.
A Rare Album by Photographer Bruno Barbey Brings Us Back to Tết in 1994 Hanoi
What do you remember most about the 1990s? Do you remember the fashion, the old-timey technology, or the lack of traffic? And if you were just a wee child, do these memories stay with you?
Khôi Phạm in Vietnam
The First Asian in Space Was Vietnamese. He’s Still Alive Today.
Most Vietnamese schoolkids grew up learning about Phạm Tuân as the first Vietnamese in space, but few know that he was also the first Asian person to clinch the honor.
The Year of the Horse Gallops into The Grand Ho Tram
Inspired by the spirit of the horse, The Grand Ho Tram encourages you to have a year of success, confidence, and new horizons. Traditional Tết performances and activities alongside special feasts and opportunities for revelry will usher in a year of remarkable achievements and memorable moments.
My Great-Great-Grandfathers Were in Indochina in the 1880s to Build the Railway
We often see archival images of old Hanoi, but these photos are different — they are personal. The following shots, which come from a collection of five photo albums, are the only surviving record of my two great-great-grandfathers’ presence in what was then Indochina.
Paul Christiansen in Vietnam
An Indie Archival Project Dreams of Time Travel. How? Lots and Lots of Vietnam Maps.
Its entrances flanked by ATMs and adverts for international airlines, the Sun Wah Tower on Nguyễn Huệ today appears to be another nondescript testament to the global economy and Vietnam’s enthusiastic place within it. However, on those same grounds only 150 years ago, a guillotine was set up to decapitate people on order of the colonial authorities at the Justice de paix.
Marc Dinh in Vietnam
A Brake Failure and 200 Victims: Remembering Vietnam's Deadliest Rail Accident
About 55 kilometers from Saigon, in the small commune of Tây Hoà rests the 17/03/1982 Railway Cemetery. It currently houses 85 unidentified graves of victims of the Train 183 Disaster, the deadliest railway accident in Vietnamese history.
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] 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.
[Photos] On the Road to Nha Trang in the 1960s, a Medley of Spartan Fields
If downtown Saigon was the epicenter of frenetic energy and urban chaos in the late 60s, you’d have been hard-pressed to find a crowd of more than five people or buildings with more than one floor onc...
[Photos] A Rare Aerial Perspective of Saigon in the 1920s
Thanks to the prevalence of photographic drones, nowadays it’s a cakewalk to source aerial photos of Vietnam with just a simple internet search.
[Photos] Rare Black-and-White Photos of Downtown Saigon in 1938–1939
A trip back to an era when the Saigon as we know today only consisted of central District 1 and Cho Lon.
[Photos] Have a Glance at Saigon's Snacks Through These Photos of Street Vendors in 1966
Street food has long been the epitome of Saigon's daily culture.
[Photos] A Final Family Journey Through Vietnamese Landscapes in the 1800s
This is the third and final collection from my family’s photography archives, and it is also the most important to me. Beyond my family’s colonial past, it is this last series of images that have infl...
[Illustrations] Paintings of Hanoi’s Old Quarter in the Feudal Era
Depicting an age before the stress of modern life took hold, these illustrations are an endearing reminder of the Old Quarter’s former imperial life over 1,000 years ago.
A Brief History of Saigon's Now-Defunct Thu Thiem Ferry Service
While the Thu Thiem Bridge and Thu Thiem Tunnel allow easy access to the District 2 peninsula from nearby districts, for decades past Saigoneers had to rely on the Thu Thiem Ferry to cross the river.
[Photos] Family Albums Depict the Everyday Lives of Vietnamese People in the Late 1800s
Following last week’s photo essay on railway construction, this week’s images focus on the everyday lives of people in northern Vietnam.
[Photos] A View of 1968 Cho Lon Through the Lens of an Australian Soldier
Through the lens of Gary Grayson, a former Australian military officer, life persisted in 1968 Saigon despite the tumultuous political climate enveloping the region at the time.
