A Recuperating Vietnam in 1980, as Documented by Philip Jones Griffiths
Released in 1971, Vietnam Inc. by Philip Jones Griffiths was a career-defining work for the Welsh photographer, whose candid...
By Preserving Tradition, Honoring Creativity and Showcasing Sustainability, Young Vietnamese Chefs Excel at Ngon Challenge by Marriott International
The glossy menus, sleek decor, and iconic logos of international hotel restaurants often obscure the human stories behind each dish. While catering to global guests, these restaurants often serve meals with origins in family kitchens and regional culinary traditions. Young, local chefs balance nostalgic associations with contemporary techniques and creative expression to create these menus. Returning for its second year this past September, Ngon Challenge continued to celebrate and nurture Vietnamese culinary talent across Marriott International’s hotels and resorts in Vietnam.
Tim Doling in Saigon
Lycée Chasseloup-Laubat, the Saigon School That Taught Marguerite Duras, Norodom Sihanouk
Lê Quý Đôn High School (Trường Trung học Phổ thông Lê Quý Đôn) at 110 Nguyễn Thị Minh Khai Street is the city’s oldest surviving educational establishment.
Sác-Lô in Hanoi: How a Pre-Industrial Vietnam Captivated Charlie Chaplin in 1936
About 90 years ago, Modern Times was released. Its title carried a warning. The film railed against the new industrial age and the misery it inflicted on workers amid the Great Depression. Yet a film about the dangers of modernity was being told through an almost-silent medium, nearly a decade into the era of sound. Charlie Chaplin, who wrote, directed, produced, and scored the film, in addition to starring in it, was deliberately resisting Hollywood's shift into the future.
The Story of Cà Mên, Vietnam’s Living Fossil From the Wartime and Subsidy Eras
During lunchtime at work, I spot a few aluminum cà mên that my coworkers bring from home to keep their lunch warm. Cà mên was once an indispensable item in my family too, but now it’s rarely used; it's limited to the few occasions when my grandparents or parents pack lunch for the kids.
In 1992 Vietnam, the Streets Were Brimming With Love and Life
How has your life been transformed in the past 30 years? Changes might materialize overnight, but some tend to creep up on you at a glacial pace. Through this collection of images from 1992, mull over how Vietnam as a country has grown with every 12-month cycle.
Tim Doling in Saigon
A Brief History of Saigon's Art Deco Eye Hospital, Formerly the Clinique Saint-Paul
For those condemned to a long daily commute along that busiest of city arteries, Điện Biên Phủ Street, the clean, elegant lines of the Hồ Chí Minh City Eye Hospital offer a refreshing contrast to the surrounding urban clutter. The compound was formerly known as Clinique Saint-Paul, so many older Saigoneers still refer to it by the name Bệnh viện Xanh-Pôn.
Tuyết Nhi in Saigon
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.
[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 ...
[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.
[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.
[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...
[Photos] A Study of Saigon's 1970 Street Style
You might never be as cool as the ladies on Saigon's streets in 1970.
[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.
[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.
[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?
[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.
[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...
[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.
