in Saigon

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.

in Hanoi

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.

in Vietnam

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.

in Saigon

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.

in 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.

in Hanoi

Rare Black-and-White Album Depicts a Historic Flooding in 1952 Hanoi

The extreme weather patterns in recent years might make you worry that Vietnam’s drainage network is buckling under the pressure of rapid urbanization, but looking at these rare photos taken of a flood in Hanoi over half a century ago provides strange comfort that our soggy reality today might not be all that bizarre.

in Vietnam

Back in Time to the 1990s, When Vintage Renault Goélette Roamed Vietnam

A sturdy, stately vehicle roamed Vietnam's city streets and rural roads not too long ago.

Back Heritage

in Vietnam

[Photos] A Black-and-White Look at Hoi An From 1930 to 1950

It appears that flooding in Hoi An is a common phenomenon that dates back to at least the 1930s.

in Saigon

[Photos] Same as It Never Was: Saigon in 1968

Pedestrians dodging traffic on colorful streets, squatting vendors tending baskets stuffed with fresh fruits and sunlight splashing lethargic afternoons along the vier – these photos from 1968 co...

in Hanoi

[Maps] A Brief Cartographical History of Hanoi From 1873-1936

How was Hanoi in the late 19th century different from its current state?

in Vietnam

[Maps] A Brief Cartographical History of Hanoi in 1873-1936

How was Hanoi in the late 19th century different from its current state?

in Vietnam

[Photos] Take a Day Trip to Vung Tau Half a Century Ago

For some residents from Saigon and other southern provinces, Vung Tau has always been a sleepy tourist town that’s perfect for a weekend away, but not much else. However, if these photos of the town i...

in Saigon

[Photos] A Stroll Around 1969-1970 Saigon

Take a stroll through Saigon in 1969-1970 thanks to these black and white photos.

in Saigon

Date With the Wrecking Ball: The Former Secretariat du Gouvernement Building, 59-61 Ly Tu Trong

The project to build a new City Administration Centre behind the Ho Chi Minh City People’s Committee involves the destruction of several heritage buildings. The art deco office and apartment block at ...

in Saigon

[Photos] Life on Saigon Streets in 1971 Through the Lens of an American Soldier

If you were born when these photos were taken, you would be 47 years old now.

in Saigon

[Photos] Sri Thendayuthapani Temple: The Architectural Footprint of Tamils in Downtown D1

Saigon used to be home to a modest but vibrant Indian diaspora. Despite being an integral part of the city, their history often went off the records.

in Saigon

[Photos] A Day in the Life of Saigon's Apartment Dwellers

When I arrived here ten years ago, I lived in the Eden Building, until it was destroyed to put in yet another shopping mall. Escalators and lifts in this mall are at a standstill. The corridors are no...

in Saigon

[Photos] A Study of Saigon's 1970 Street Style

You might never be as cool as the ladies on Saigon's streets in 1970.

in Saigon

[Photos] The City That Never Sits Still: Traffic in 1965 Saigon

Half a century ago, Saigon was home to many familiar sights as well as some surprising interlopers from across time and space.

in Vietnam

[Photos] A Glimpse Into Life in Vung Tau in 1967

Today, Vung Tau is a bustling tourist spot for Saigoneers looking to get out of the city and enjoy some ocean waves, but these photos from 1967 reveal its past as a working port.

in Saigon

[Photos] Walk Down the Streets of Saigon in 1969

  How often are we treated to the spectacle that is 1969 Saigon and Vietnam from above?

in Saigon

[Photos] Snapshots of Downtown Saigon During the Mid-1960s

For the past 30 years, the country’s economic changes have placed Saigon at the epicenter of rapid urbanization and modernization, with endless development projects.

in Saigon

[Photos] 21 Snapshots of Downtown Saigon in 1967

As time goes by, our memories of past eras slowly lose their linear structures but instead come in snippets when chancing upon old memorabilia; an old ticket stub may bring back snapshots of nigh...

in Vietnam

[Video] Take a Stroll on Hanoi Streets in 1974

Thanks to an influx of tourists, video montages and photo collections of Saigon from previous decades are not hard to come by, but visual recordings of Hanoi are few and far between.

in Vietnam

[Photos] Immerse in the Nostalgia of Tet Past With These Black-and-White Snapshots

While schoolchildren and some food vendors are still enjoying the rest of Tet holiday, vacation is officially over for the majority of Vietnam’s office workers. On the first day of work after Tet, let...

in Vietnam

[Video] Rare Footage Documents How Vietnam Celebrated Tet in 1950

In less than two weeks, the Year of the Rooster will be over, making way for the reign of the Dog in the lunar calendar.

in Vietnam

[Photos] A Look Into the Life of Duy Tan, Vietnam's Child Emperor

Vietnam’s child emperor, Duy Tan, ascended to the throne at age 8 with all the pomp and ceremony the title involves.