Neighborhood Vibes and Modern Comforts Combine at Hotel Indigo Saigon The City
Staying in a local neighborhood means surrounding yourself with the sights, styles, routines, traditions, and history of a locale. Hotel Indigo Saigon The City, a new boutique lifestyle hotel, tells the stories of the iconic Ba Son area via its details, decor, atmosphere, and experiences, so checking in feels like taking part in a celebration of the city.
Uyên Đỗ in Hanoi
A Slice of Life in Coupon-Era Hanoi via Colorful Vintage Lottery Tickets
What can tiny sheets of paper reveal about a whole time period?
Brian Letwin in Heritage
Tàu Cánh Ngầm: The Curious Case of Saigon’s Lost Soviet Hydrofoils
Not long ago, hulking “creatures” glided atop the waters between Saigon and Vũng Tàu. Like the dinosaurs that came before them, they slowly disappeared, until all that was left were their skeletons.
Tim Doling in Saigon
The Surprisingly Recent History Behind Bình Thạnh's Lonely 'Gia-Đinh' Gate
It’s claimed by several tourism websites that a gateway from one of the ancient Gia Định citadels has survived and may be viewed on the Lê Văn Duyệt-Phan Đăng Lưu intersection in Bình Thạnh District, close to the Lê Văn Duyệt Mausoleum. However, a little research into the history of that area reveals that the gateway in question has more recent origins.
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.
Feel the Pulse of a Fast-Changing Vietnam in the 1990s via This Lively Photo Album
By the mid-1990's, Vietnam's astounding economic transformation was well underway.
Street Cred: Dauntless Antiwar Icon Nguyễn Thái Bình and His Tragic Death
If one were to see the streets of Vietnam as a tangled network of people whose names they took, every city would resemble a messy collection of historical fragments.
Linh Phạm in Hanoi
Street Cred: Pháo Đài Láng, Home of Ông Voi and Where the War Began
More often than not, a country’s independence is won with guns. The location where the first shots were fired for Vietnam is memorialized to this day.
[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.
Khoi Pham in Saigon
Old Saigon Building of the Week: The Glitz and Glam of Tự Do Nightclub
While today’s Dong Khoi Street is peppered with tourist-centric shops and restaurants, just half a century ago, the downtown street was the nightlife hotspot for Saigon’s cool kids to congregate.
[Photos] Wilbur's Vietnam: Life in Da Lat, Nha Trang and the Mekong Delta in the 1960s
With his role as a picture editor for National Geographic, Wilbur E. Garrett had many opportunities to travel across Vietnam for photo assignments.
[Photos] Wilbur's Vietnam: 1960s Saigon Through the Lens of a Famed National Geographic Editor
The 1960s witnessed an unprecedented influx of foreigners into Saigon and Vietnam. From soldiers to teachers to just intrepid shutterbugs, the visits of these camera-clutching characters resulted in a...
[Photos] An Egret's Eye View of Saigon in 1969
Experience an elegant egret's vantage point of the city circa 1969.
[Photos] The Bygone Days of 1920s Vinh Long
Across the internet, there is ample documentation of Vietnam’s cities in the days of French colonialism. Turn-of-the-century countryside snaps, however, are a little harder to come by.
[Photos] The Laid-Back Life in Saigon and Bien Hoa in 1965
Take a look at this gallery of photos that showcase Saigon and Bien Hoa in 1965 and pay homage to decidedly more quiet versions of the bustling cities.
[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.
[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...
[Maps] A Brief Cartographical History of Hanoi From 1873-1936
How was Hanoi in the late 19th century different from its current state?
[Maps] A Brief Cartographical History of Hanoi in 1873-1936
How was Hanoi in the late 19th century different from its current state?
[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...
[Photos] A Stroll Around 1969-1970 Saigon
Take a stroll through Saigon in 1969-1970 thanks to these black and white photos.
Tim Doling 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 ...
