in Saigon

Relive Your Memories of Saigon Water Park via These Photos by One of Its Makers

Although water parks involve a combination of two of the most tedious human experiences, standing in lines and prolonged direct sun exposure, the now-demolished Saigon Water Park was an icon of 2000s Saigon that remains a crucial cornerstone of many city dwellers' memories.

in Vietnam

The Vintage Charm of 1995 Vietnam on Kodachrome Film Slides

While editing a retrospective of my recent work from Vietnam in the summer of 2019, I discovered 50 yellow boxes of Kodachrome slides in my basement that were shot in 1995. The images were from my first trip to Vietnam.

in Saigon

The Tumultuous Tale of Three Ga Sài Gòn Locations, From 1885 Until Now

Travelers arriving by train in Hồ Chí Minh City sometimes express surprise that the main Saigon Railway Station is located in Hòa Hưng, some distance from the central business district. In fact, this is the third railway terminus in a city where each successive station has been built further away from the river.

in Saigon

A Brief History of the Vietnam Railways Building Before Its 110th Birthday

The iconic Bến Thành Market is not the only Saigon landmark that has endured for more than a century. The Vietnam Railways building at 138 Hàm Nghi, given its inauguration in 1914, is pushing the 110-year milestone in less than six months.

in Vietnam

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.

in Vietnam

From Saigon to Đà Lạt: A Tourist's Journey Through Vietnam in 1963

Old archives of images from 1960s Saigon are easy to come by, but how often does one get to have a peek into the past version of Đà Lạt.

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.

in Hanoi

Street Photos in 1973 Capture a Rebuilding Hanoi After Linebacker II

In this collection of black-and-white photos taken by German photographer Horst Faas, Hanoi's streets seem bursting with life, but lurking behind innocent smiling children and packed tram rides are the undeniable remnants of an ongoing war.

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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...

in Heritage

Saigon’s Tour de l’Inspection - Part II

An essential feature of life in early colonial Saigon, the Tour de l'Inspection was not so much a sunset promenade as an event designed to showcase wealth and power.

in Saigon

Saigon’s Tour de l’Inspection - Part 1

An essential feature of life in early colonial Saigon, the Tour de l'Inspection was not so much a sunset promenade as an event designed to showcase wealth and power.

in Vietnam

22 Photos Of 1994 Cần Thơ

The rustic beauty of Cần Thơ was captured through the lens of a Belgian photographer, Harry Gruyaert, on his visit to Vietnam in 1994.

in Heritage

New Book Highlights HCMC’s History And Architecture Through Walking Tours

Resident Saigoneer historian and the brains behind Historic Vietnam, Tim Doling, has just released a new book, "Exploring Hồ Chí Minh City" featuring a great set of walking tours around our fair city....

in Vietnam

13 Rare Photos Of Old Huế (1919)

While most of the old photos we show here are from Saigon and Hanoi, we wanted to give a shout-out to the Hue, Vietnam’s capital until 1945.

in Saigon

[Video] 1993 Saigon From The Back Of A Honda Cub

Mark Bowyer, who runs the great travel blog, Rusty Compass, has been living and traveling in Vietnam for over 2 decades. Early into his Saigon tenure, he hopped on the back of a Honda Cub with a video...

in Vietnam

16 Beautiful Photos of Old Hanoi

They may not be quite as old as the set of 19th century photos of Saigon that we posted earlier this week, but these images of old Hanoi from Flickr user, Manhhai, are plenty nostalgic in their o...

in Saigon

34 Of The Oldest Known Photos Of Saigon

Hanoi architect, Đoàn Bắc, and his father, Đoàn Thịnh, are known for their collections of old Vietnam photos. Among them is a set taken in Saigon, some of which date back to 1860 (the newest are from ...

in Saigon

Lê Văn Tám Park – The Former Massiges Cemetery - Part II

Cleared in 1983 to create the Lê Văn Tám Park, the former Massiges or European Cemetery (Cimetière Européen) was the most famous French cemetery in Saigon. To coincide with the release of hitherto uns...

in Saigon

Lê Văn Tám Park - The Former Massiges Cemetery - Part I

Cleared in 1983 to create the Lê Văn Tám Park, the former Massiges or European Cemetery (Cimetière Européen) was the most famous French cemetery in Saigon. To coincide with the release of hitherto uns...

in Vietnam

23 Rare Photos of 1990 Hanoi

Between 1990 and 1993, German photographer Hans-Peter Grumpe traveled across Vietnam, taking about 1,600 photos in 20 provinces around the country. One of his stops was in a developing Hanoi where he ...

in Saigon

[Photos] An Inside Look At 3 Of Saigon’s Most Intriguing Tombs

Saigon is home to plenty of old structures, some which house the living, and others the dead. Many of the former are tombs of important scholars who profoundly shaped the country’s culture, language a...

in Saigon

Old Saigon Building of the Week: Ho Chi Minh City General Sciences Library

Housed in one of the city’s most outstanding modernist buildings, the former South Vietnamese National Library was the culmination of over 100 years of library development in the southern metropolis.