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, as Seen via Black-and-White Film Photos
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streets of Hanoi and took many photographs of everyday life in the city, and until now, these photographs have remained unpublished.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.
The Ongoing Evolution of Quach Thi Trang Square
Over the weekend, Saigon’s iconic Quach Thi Trang Square disappeared behind a wall of blue fencing in preparation for further metro construction.
[Video] A Tour of Saigon in the 1900s
Saigon has always been a source of inspiration for shutterbugs and artists to craft some of their most captivating work. However, while it’s easy to come across photographs of the city's past, video c...
[Photos] 1960s Saigon: Fruit Vendors, Honda Cubs and Bò Bía Galore
It's as true today as it was in the 1960s: to experience Saigon life, head to the streets.
Dana Filek-Gibson in Saigon
Street Cred: Nguyen Du, Father of Vietnamese Literature
Even if you’re in need of a refresher on Vietnamese history, chances are you know the name Nguyen Du. The 19th-century statesman and poet is often known as the father of Vietnamese literature, and his...
[Photos] Serviceman’s Photos Offer a Glimpse of Sleepy 1967 Phan Thiet
As we’ve seen before, photos taken by American military personnel during the war often help to paint a picture of mid-1960s to early 1970s Vietnam. Such is the case with Bob Kelly’s album of 1967 Phan...
[Photos] Saigon Xua: A Touch of Hat Tuong in the Land of Cinemas
There’s no doubt that Vietnamese in the past were avid patrons of the arts.
[Photos] From Fishing Village to Metropolis: Tracking the Evolution of Tokyo
The following images – dating from 12th century to the 1950s – show the evolution of Tokyo, which means Eastern Capital, from a provincial center to major city, particularly following Emperor Meiji’s ...
Hanoi Considers Getting Rid of Wartime Loudspeakers
Hanoi residents might have to say goodbye to the city’s wartime loudspeakers, or loa phường.
[Photos] A Glimpse Into 1950s Cambodia and Laos
Over the past month or so, we’ve come to love the stunning 1950s photography of Frenchman Raymond Cauchetier.
[Photos] Take a Tour of Da Nang in 1954
A collection of pictures compiled on Flickr shows what life in Da Nang looked like way back in 1954.
[Photos] Saigon's Charm Through the Lens of an American Air Force Officer
Saigon has always been a muse for artists, musicians, poets and writers, inspiring some of their greatest works of art. However, the southern metropolis seems to be especially lively when seen through...
Khoi Pham in Vietnam
Street Cred: Phan Boi Chau and Phan Chu Trinh, the Yin and Yang of Vietnam's Insurgency in the 1900s
In today’s Saigon, Ben Thanh Market’s eastern and western entrances are joined by Phan Chu Trinh and Phan Boi Chau Streets, respectively. While the two short, cozy roads never intersect, the fate of t...
[Photos] 1950s Ha Long Bay in Black and White
It will come as a surprise to no one that Ha Long Bay was much quieter in the 1950s than it is today.
[Photos] The Many Faces of 1950s Vietnam
In this collection of black-and-white snapshots, a famed French photographer finds beauty in tumultuous 1950s Vietnam.
[Photos] A Guide to Traveling 1910 French Indochina
In the days before every backpacker wandered the streets of Saigon with a guidebook in hand, one turn-of-the-century French travel firm advertised Indochina as an adventure destination for European tr...
[Photos] How Saigoneers Enjoyed Christmas in the 60s and 70s
With Christmas just around the corner, Saigoneer takes a look at how past city dwellers enjoyed the holiday season.
[Photos] Early 1980s Hanoi on the Brink of Doi Moi
The early 1980s were a complicated time for Vietnam. Still reeling from the end of a war within the country – not to mention border conflicts with Cambodia and China in the later 1970s – Vietnam was j...
[Photos] On the 1990s Tourist Trail in Hanoi
Packed with traffic, skyscrapers and a growing number of four-wheeled vehicles, today's Hanoi is a world apart from its 1990s incarnation.
Notre Dame Cathedral to Undergo Major Roof Renovation
With the recent approval of the municipal government, Saigon’s Notre Dame Cathedral will begin a major roof renovation project as early as next year.
[Photos] Saigon's 1955 Cityscapes From Above
Even without photographic evidence, it’s a safe bet that 1955 Saigon was a world apart from the frantic energy of today’s mammoth metropolis.
