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] The Pastoral Charm of Bac Ninh in the 1920s

Despite being one of Vietnam’s tiniest provinces, Bac Ninh was home to the earliest trace of ancient Vietnamese tribes.

in Saigon

[Photos] A Montage of Saigon's Street Life from 1964-1968

Even today, some parts of Saigon’s road system still leave much to be desired. However, judging by this set of old photos from 1964-1968, at that time most of the metropolis’ thoroughfares didn’t even...

in Vietnam

[Photos] 36 Photos of Life in Vietnam in 1956

There are many things to love about life in Vietnam in past decades, but over the years, Saigoneers nowadays might have gotten used to a certain standard of living, making it hard to picture a time wh...

Khoi Pham

in Saigon

Memories of 1997 Vietnam Through the Lens of Saigon's Canadian Consul General

Digging into one’s collection of old mementos can be a thrilling experience. From antique watches to tattered letters, these trinkets serve as a remembrance of a period of time in our past. For Kyle N...

in Vietnam

[Photos] The Iconic La Dalat, Vietnam’s First Domestic Vehicle

Though production only lasted five years, the La Dalat has earned a place in Saigon history as Vietnam’s first locally manufactured commercial car.

in Vietnam

[Photos] Saigon of the Late 1960s Through an American's Lens

Saigon is changing so fast these days it can be difficult to recall what the city looked like in 2008, let alone 1968.

in Saigon

[Photos] A Black-and-White Look Into Saigon and Hanoi in 1890

Vietnam’s swift pace of development might render a neighborhood unrecognizable in the span of just a few months. Thus, imagine how much change could occur in local metropolises over the duration of mo...

in Vietnam

[Photos] Take a Quick Trip to Vung Tau in 1967

Due to its proximity to Saigon, Vung Tau is perhaps Saigoneers’ favorite location for a quick weekend trip to unwind. Based on this set of photos taken in 1967 by American veteran Tom Twitty, the slee...

in Vietnam

[Photos] 20 Photos of Vietnam's Spartan Rural Provinces in the 1960s

Less than a decade before 1975, Vietnam’s rural provinces were still sparsely developed despite Saigon’s rising position as one of Southeast Asia's major cities.

in Saigon

[Photos] A Dreamlike Saigon in 1964 on Film

What makes Saigon’s 1964 self different from how it is today?

in Heritage

[Photos] A Walk Down Dong Khanh Boulevard in Old Saigon's Cho Lon

Ask anyone who has ever set foot in Saigon and they have undoubtedly heard of Cho Lon. Spanning the western half of District 5 and a few neighborhoods in Districts 6 and 11, the quarter has been one o...

in Heritage

[Photos] Life in 1973 Saigon - Part 3

On his trip to Saigon in 1973, famed American photographer Nick DeWolf spent a lot of time strolling local streets to capture on film numerous slices of life in the southern city just before the ...

in Vietnam

[Photos] Vinh Phuc's Tam Dao Hill Station in Its Glory Days

Nestled in a cradle of hills about 85 kilometers northwest of Hanoi is the Tam Dao Hill Station, a former colonial village whose lakes, waterfalls and villas made it known during its heyday as “The Da...

in Vietnam

[Photos] A Wistful Reel of Life in Vietnam in 1989

Vietnam is evolving fast. It seems like every day in local metropolises, centuries-old buildings are being demolished to make way for new skyscrapers. The photos below, taken by famed photographer Dav...

in Heritage

[Photos] The Quietude of Saigon in 1965

Thanks to decades of steady economic growth, Saigon is getting more and more crowded as people from all over the country and even overseas decide to settle down in the southern hub.

in Vietnam

[Photos] Tet Trung Thu Celebrations in Old Hanoi

As this year’s Mid-Autumn Festival approaches, more than a few Saigoneers have shown a renewed interest in the holiday’s traditions.

in Vietnam

[Photos] A Visit to Hanoi's 1,000-Year-Old Taoist Temple

Once known as Tran Vu Temple, Quan Thanh Temple is a Taoist temple situated near West Lake in Hanoi.

in Vietnam

[Photos] The Quaint 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.

in Heritage

[Photos] A Walk Through Downtown District 1 in 1967-68

Saigon’s current growing pains are obvious: streets are fenced off for metro construction, trees are torn down to make way for overpasses and old apartments are obliterated one by one.

in Saigon

Saigon's Iconic 'Rainbow Bridge' Riddled With Large Cracks

One of Saigon’s most recognizable landmarks, the Rainbow Bridge in downtown District 1, is suffering from major structural problems including extensive cracks.