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.
Buôn Ma Thuột's Thriving Elephant Culture in 1957
In the not-too-distant past, elephants were an important part of highland lifestyles, including use in cultural activities, agriculture.
A Collection of Scenes in 1964 Saigon, Bến Tre, Biên Hòa on Film
In 1964, Saigon’s Phù Đổng Roundabout didn’t feature the towering bronze statue of folk hero Thánh Gióng. Instead of the congestion hot spot the intersection is known as today, it was actually spacious and airy, with nary a shop or bubble tea parlor in sight.
Vauban Architecture: The Foundation of Central and Northern Vietnam's Citadels
In our previous article on Vietnam’s southern citadels , we covered a mix of ancient structures and those constructe...
Unearthed: Tracing the Past Citadels of Southern Vietnam
Although the forces of modernization encourage constant progress and leaving behind the pre-modern past, the trails of yesterday never fail to leave our presence.
10 Rare Illustrations Offer Glimpses Into Life in Tonkin in 1923
What’s your typical Sunday routine? If your answer includes grabbing some noodles on the street, getting your earwax removed and mustache shaved, and maybe smoking some opium to take the edge off, congratulations, you might be living in 1923 Tonkin.
[Photos] Nostalgic Images of Daily Life in Old Saigon
During the first half of the 20th century, Saigon earned a reputation as the Paris of the East. With its wide, tree-lined boulevards and grand colonial buildings – not to mention a significantly small...
Tim Doling in Heritage
Pierre Coupeaud and the Great Cyclo Trial of February 1936
Banned from an ever-increasing number of city streets, the cyclo is rapidly becoming an endangered species. But spare a moment to appreciate this much-maligned form of transport, invented by Phnom Pen...
[Video] How 1949 Saigon Rang in the Lunar New Year
It's no secret that the Saigon of today is a world apart from the Saigon of old.
[Photos] 1960s Nha Trang Was the Essence of Cool
While there's a lot of talk about Saigon in the old days, Nha Trang also held its own as an ultra-cool beachside city. The coastal town was home to flashy cars and trendy cafes, hand-painted signs and...
[Photos] Kickin' It at the Country Club in Old Saigon
Plenty of people complain about how hard it is to get a good workout in today's Saigon, but a century ago it was equally challenging to get in a few good laps or work on your tennis game. Colonial Sai...
Tim Doling in Saigon
Icons of Old Saigon: The First Governor's Palace
It’s often assumed that the Norodom Palace (1873) was the first colonial governor's palace to be built in Saigon, but it was in fact preceded by a much humbler structure, the Hôtel des Amiraux-Gouvern...
[Photos] British Photographer Captures Life in Early 1900s Vietnam
At the turn of the 20th century, Englishwoman Gabrielle Maud Vassal lived in Vietnam with her husband, French military doctor Joseph Jean Vassal. During her three-year stay in the country, Mrs. Vassal...
Street Cred: Phu Dong Roundabout
According to legend, the reign of the sixth Hung Vuong king was an era of fear for Van Lang, the country then occupying northern Vietnam. Dogged by its enemies, the kingdom was often under threat...
Tim Doling in Saigon
Icons of Old Saigon: The Belt Canal (Canal de Ceinture)
Commissioned in 1862 to facilitate French gunboat access around north and west Saigon, the Belt Canal was never completely navigable.
The Story Behind Hai Phong's Opera House
During the early 20th century, the French were really into building opera houses in Vietnam. Any city with a sizable European population was all but guaranteed to have a theater in its town center, al...
Tax Center Developer Says Facade, Unique Interior to Be Preserved
Last year, Saigon said goodbye to its beloved Tax Center, as the shopping complex closed its doors to prepare for construction of the new 40-story tower to be built in its place.
Travel Through Time With Saigon's Street Names
Before 1975, Saigon took its street-naming pretty seriously. The city went through a French phase, of course, during the early 20th century, when most of its roadways were dedicated to European histor...
Tim Doling in Saigon
Icons of Old Saigon: The Pont Tournant (Swing Bridge)
Many people are familiar with Eiffel's Pont des Messageries Maritimes (Cầu Mống), yet few remember its neighbor, the Pont Tournant (Swing Bridge), which was built by Eiffel's successor company Levallo...
The Lowdown on Chi Hoa, Saigon's Maximum-Security Prison
Chi Hoa Prison, located in the northern half of District 10, is one of Vietnam's most famous high-security facilities. Though it was built over a half-century ago, the seven-hectare prison remains in ...
Tim Doling in Saigon
Saigon’s Famous Streets and Squares: Ham Nghi Boulevard, Part 2
Home to a tramway terminus, a grand hotel and the first United States Embassy in Saigon, Hàm Nghi's 20th-century story mirrors Vietnam's tumultuous journey. This is the second installment of a two-par...
Tim Doling in Saigon
Saigon’s Famous Streets and Squares: Ham Nghi Boulevard, Part 1
Once a downtown canal, a breeding ground for crocodiles and the heart of Saigon’s own Chinatown, Hàm Nghi is one of the city’s three widest boulevards.
20 Images of Hanoi's Old Quarter in 1896
Even as Hanoi charges into the future with flashy new skyscrapers and brand-new metro lines, the capital manages to hang on to its traditions. Particularly in busy downtown neighborhoods like the Old ...
Tim Doling in Saigon
Icons of Old Saigon: The Artists’ Pagoda and Cemetery in Gò Vấp
The Artists' Pagoda (Chùa Nghệ Sĩ, also known as Nhựt Quang Tự or Phật Quang Tự) and Cemetery in Gò Vấp is the last resting place for practitioners of cải lương ("Reformed Opera"), a popular form of t...
18 Old Postcards That Capture Da Lat’s Fading Charm
These 18 old postcards of Da Lat provide a flashback to the early twentieth century, a time when healthy pine trees shaded the town’s valleys and streets, while magnificent villas graced its hills.
[Photos] Northern Vietnam at the Turn of the 20th Century
Northern Vietnam has arguably the most charm of any region in a country graced with an abundance of natural beauty.
