in Vietnam

A Visual Timeline of Hội An's Historic Chùa Cầu Through the Eras

With the recent makeover of Hội An's Chùa Cầu sparking divisive chatter , it's a great time to gaze at the iconi...

in Vietnam

There's a Dark Context Behind These Seemingly Random 1930 French Sketches

Can visual representations of colonial activities produced with immoral intent become works of art?

in Vietnam

Chùa Cầu's Makeover Draws Ire of Netizens for Looking 'Too New'

Hội An's 400-year-old bridge, best known as Chùa Cầu, was finally uncovered recently after more than a year and a half of renovations, leaving many unimpressed.

in Vietnam

Journeying Through Đà Lạt and the Central Highlands in 1992

Đà Lạt has always been a highly sought-after traveling destination, like how it was originally designed as a resort town for French officials. These days, however, the hilly Lâm Đồng town has urbanized so quickly that at times it’s hard to believe that here once lived a tree-carpeted enclave.

in Saigon

Rare Film Shots Depict a Fast-Growing Saigon in 1996

Change was in the air in 1996, and the streets purred with development.

Paul Christiansen

in Vietnam

Revisiting the Coats of Arms of Vietnam's Major Cities Under French Rule

Did you know that several Vietnamese cities have coats of arms?

in Vietnam

How the 1st Quốc Ngữ Newspaper Shaped the Foundation of Vietnam's Modern Journalism

Stopping at the intersection of Saigon’s Trần Hưng Đạo and Trần Bình Trọng streets, the tranquil mausoleum of scholar Trương Vĩnh Ký remains hidden amid the daily commotion. Few realize that the visionary resting here, along with his associates and their contributions, laid the foundation for Vietnam's modern journalism with the launch of Gia Định Báo (Gia Định Newspaper).

Back Heritage

in Saigon

Old Saigon Building Of The Week: 39 Trần Quốc Thảo

One of District 3’s grandest old colonial mansions, the Quận ủy (District council) building at 39 Trần Quốc Thảo (the former rue Eyriaud-des-Vergnes) was once the plush managerial residence of the Lyo...

in Vietnam

[Photos] The People of 1880 Indochina

When French photographers Hippolyte Arnoux and Emile Gssel (who would eventually become the first commercial photographer in Saigon) traveled to Indochina in 1880, they visually documented not only it...

in Vietnam

Hue Citadel’s 'Colosseum': Where Tigers and Elephants Battled to the Death

A unique, yet rarely visited monument in Huế’s ancient citadel is Hổ Quyền Arena, a stadium where tigers and elephants once fought till their last breath for the royal family’s entertainment.

in Vietnam

38 Beautiful Illustrations Of Hanoi Street Vendors And Their Melodic Cries

These days, the melodic cries of Hanoi’s street vendors are drowned out by the city’s constant buzz of activity. But 85 years ago, these songs, which announced a seller’s goods or services, made up th...

in Saigon

[Video] A Walk Through The Streets Of 1975 Saigon

Earlier this week, we posted a video of 1975 Saigon filmed from a low-flying helicopter. This piece, made in the same year, takes you from the city’s skies to its streets.

in Vietnam

[Photos] This Is What Vietnam Looked Like In 1880

By 1880, when photographers Hippolyte Arnoux and Emile Gsell traveled across Vietnam, the French had just begun to solidify control over their new colony.

in Saigon

[Video] Take A Helicopter Ride Through 1975 Saigon

In 1975, an American news crew boarded what was presumably a military chopper as part of their report on Saigon.

in Saigon

Old Saigon Building of the Week: St. Paul’s Convent

Occupying a large, leafy compound on Tôn Đức Thắng street in District 1, the Convent of Saint-Paul de Chartres is another rarely-visited haven of peace in busy Hồ Chí Minh City.

in Heritage

[Photos] Inside A 1960s Saigon TV Station

In the mid-1960s, Saigon was one of the most modern cities in Asia and part of this technological prowess was manifested in its telecommunications and TV equipment.

in Saigon

17 Old Photos Of Women In Saigon

Happy Vietnamese Women's Day! Chúc các bạn nữ một ngày 20/10 thật vui!

Brian Letwin

in Vietnam

A Look at Vietnamese Currency Through History

Like Vietnamese history, the country's currency has undergone significant changes over the past century. 

in Vietnam

These 17 Old Photos Show Life in Vietnam 100 Years Ago With Vivid Color

The last century has been one of immense change for Vietnam. It has been one full of occupation, liberation, war and peace. This set of vivid color photos taken between 1914 and 1917 by Leon Busy is t...

in Saigon

Tạ Dương Minh – Thủ Đức’s Founding Father

Built in 1879-1880 by the French, the historic Thủ Đức Market has in recent years become an increasingly popular destination for Hồ Chí Minh City residents wishing to stock up with the delicious local...

in Vietnam

[Photos] The Children Of 1990 Hanoi

Last month we posted a set of old pictures from 1990 Hanoi taken by Hans-Peter Grumpe. While that set focused on the city’s streets, the German photographer also snapped a number of photos showing the...

in Saigon

The Lost Inner-City Waterways of Saigon and Cho Lon: Part 2

When the French arrived in 1859, both Saigon and Chợ Lớn were criss-crossed by networks of canals and creeks, making it possible for boatmen to travel right through both city centres without stepping ...

in Vietnam

20 Photos Of 1990 Hội An

Ancient houses, beautiful beaches, great restaurants and plenty of places to take long strolls have given Hội An a reputation for being one of Vietnam’s most charming destinations. But when these pict...

in Heritage

29 Photos of 1989 Vietnam by Magnum Photographer David Alan Harvey

Peaceful 1989 Vietnam is chronicled in the stunning photos of Magnum photographer David Alan Harvey. His images were some of the first to emerge from the country following the 1986 Đổi Mới&n...

in Saigon

[Photos] The Amazing Evolution Of Phan Xích Long Street

When we think about the words “new urban area” applied to Ho Chi Minh City, we usually think about Phu My Hung at Saigon South in District 7. Many people do not realize that one of the most successful...

in Saigon

The Lost Inner-City Waterways of Saigon and Cho Lon: Part 1

When the French arrived in 1859, both Saigon and Chợ Lớn were criss-crossed by networks of canals and creeks, making it possible for boatmen to travel right through both city centres without stepping ...

in Vietnam

The Story Of A Famous Photograph

At the end of the American War, two photographs became icons of the Fall Of Saigon. One was the photo of the North Vietnamese tank crashing through the gates of the Presidential Palace (now Independen...