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.

in Vietnam

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.

in Vietnam

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.

in Vietnam

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...

in Vietnam

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.

in Vietnam

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.

Tim Doling

in Vietnam

Revisit 1990s Saigon in 'L’Amant,' the Film Adaptation of Marguerite Duras' Famous Novel

When filming the movie adaptation of Marguerite Duras’ 1984 autobiographical novel The Lover, French director Jean-Jacques Annaud made extensive use of Saigon locations. Here’s a run-down of the local landmarks to watch out for when you view the movie.

in Vietnam

Vibrant Watercolor Paintings Take Us Back to Northern Vietnam in 1890

Way before colored photography appeared, generations of our ancestors had to rely on the finesse of painters to create visuals records of their everyday routines. This collection of watercolor paintings from the 1890s is a particularly vivid example of that, depicting lively scenes of Vietnam two centuries ago that are full of humor and personality.

Back Heritage

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 ...

Tim Doling

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...

Tim Doling

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...

Tim Doling

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.

in Saigon

The Cinemas Of Old Saigon

Formerly known as “Pearl of the Orient,” Saigon once shone with elegance and prosperity, reflected in sun-soaked cafes, shiny cars parked on clean streets and crowded entertainment spots like discos a...

Tim Doling

in Saigon

Old Saigon Building of the Week: The Former Lycée Chasseloup-Laubat

The Lê Quý Đôn Secondary School (Trường Trung học Phổ thông Lê Quý Đôn, www.lequydon.edu.vn) at 110 Nguyễn Thị Minh Khai street is the city’s oldest surviving educational establishment.

in Saigon

12 Old Photos Of Saigon Street Vendors

No matter if you’re a local or a foreigner, one image from Saigon will always stay with you - street vendors - an integral weave in the city’s urban fabric, both culturally and economically.

in Vietnam

[Photos] The Hiệp Hoà Sugar Refinery (1927)

Covering 200 hectares of land, the Hiệp Hoà Sugar Refinery was one of the first of its kind in Vietnam when it was constructed.

Brian Letwin

in Vietnam

14 Beautiful Old Photos (And A Short History) Of Da Nang

Da Nang’s history can be traced back to 192AD when it was part of the Champa Kingdom, only becoming part of Vietnam after the culmination of Đại Việt Southern expansion in the 15th century.  ...

in Saigon

The Story Of Saigon’s "Graveyard Of Traitors"

Under a windy dusk towards Mả Ngụy. Clouds and clouds of souls reign on. These words are from an old poem that depicts the ghostly atmosphere of a graveyard which was located in the area of present ...

Tim Doling

in Saigon

Old Saigon Building Of The Week: St Joseph’s Seminary - Part 2

This is Part 2 of Old Saigon Building Of The Week: St Joseph’s Seminary. For Part 1, click here.

Tim Doling

in Saigon

Old Saigon Building Of The Week: St Joseph’s Seminary - Part 1

One of the first Roman Catholic institutions founded by Bishop Dominique Lefèbvre following the French conquest of 1859, the rarely-visited St Joseph’s Seminary offers a unique oasis of calm in a busy...

in Vietnam

[Video] Vintage Home Movie Takes You Through The Streets Of 1950s Hanoi

This delightfully grainy home movie was filmed during Tết in the early 1950s. In contrast to many of the other old films from this period, it has a very personal feel to it, letting the viewer feel as...

Brian Letwin

in Heritage

[Photos] Saigon And Cho Lon Then And Now

Saigoneer has teamed up with Historic Vietnam to explore changes to Saigon and Cho Lon over time.

in Saigon

45 Photos Of 1961 Saigon From LIFE Magazine

Over the past 53 years, Saigon has undergone tremendous growth. With the addition of gleaming skyscrapers and dense packs of residential buildings, the city has lost much of its colonial luster and is...

Tim Doling

in Saigon

Old Saigon Building Of The Week: Former Foyer du Soldat et du Marin

Originally founded in the 1890s by General Théophile Pennequin (1849-1916), Commandant supérieur des troupes de l'Indo-Chine, the Foyer du Soldat et du Marin (Soldiers and Sailors Club) was initially ...