Vietnam's 1969 Street Fashion Story as Told Through Honda Cubs
The very definition of cool was established decades ago in Vietnam, and it was badass women in áo dài dashing on the street in slick sunglasses.
From D4's Village Past to Now, History Keeps Wanting to Widen Nguyễn Tất Thành Street
A century before today's bulldozers, colonial planners were already wrestling with the same congested waterfront corridor — and the same promises of transformation.
Paul Christiansen in Vietnam
Vietnam Sound Library Races to Capture Saigon's Sounds Before They Disappear
Thwunk! Thwunk! Thwunk! Thwunk! The vendor’s cleaver struck the heavy wooden chopping board again and again after slicing through duck meat. Centimeters away, a microphone hovered, capturing each strike.
Vua Versus Volcano: How the 1883 Eruption of Krakatoa Upset the Nguyễn Dynasty
On September 9, 1883, ominous smoke hung over Huế. The sun was blue-green, and throughout the day, people on the streets had no shadows. As their legitimacy relied on maintaining the Mandate of Heaven, the Nguyễn royal court was alarmed. Three high-ranking mandarins rushed to advise the Emperor to change his ways to regain Heaven’s favor. While this strange incident can be easily dismissed as another case of outdated superstitions, a closer look reveals it as a rare conjunction of astrology, power, and — given the source of the smoke — volcanism, all set against the backdrop of France’s rapid incursion into Vietnam.
1992 Vietnam Through the Lens of French Photographer Raymond Depardon
After his Saigon trip in 1972 , famed French photographer Raymond Depardon returned in 1992 to traverse the length of Viet...
Tim Doling in Saigon
How Nhà Thờ Đức Bà Narrowly Escaped Being the 'Leaning Cathedral of Saigon'
Soon after its completion, Saigon’s iconic Notre Dame Cathedral developed an embarrassing tilt.
Family-Friendly Summer Vacations Made Easy at Crowne Plaza Phu Quoc Starbay
The ripening of sweet jackfruit, mangosteen and mangos; hammocks swinging gently in patches of cool shade; and evenings that stretch on with the comfort of knowing there is no alarm clock waiting the next morning: summer arrives as opportunity. When school holidays begin, families scramble to adjust schedules and secure care and activities, creating the potential to carve out some time for a vacation to savor fresh air, explore thrills, and simply bond as a family in a beautiful destination.
Tim Doling in Vietnam
The History of Hanoi's Lost Tramway Network
When they first drew up plans for a citywide tramway network in 1894, it seemed as though the Hanoi authorities would follow Saigon’s example by opting for steam traction. Yet, by the time government approval was forthcoming in 1899, advances in technology made it possible to construct the entire system as a state-of-the-art, one-meter gauge electric tramway.
Brian Letwin in Saigon
20 Pictures of Cho Lon From Before You Were Born
Cho Lon is one of Saigon’s oldest and most interesting neighborhoods. Spanning much of Districts 5 and 6, this predominantly Chinese area has been an integral part of Saigon’s economy since its establ...
Brian Letwin in Saigon
16 Old Pictures Of The Saigon Zoo (Thảo Cầm Viên)
Established in 1869, the Saigon Zoo (Thảo Cầm Viên) is the 8th oldest in the world.
Tim Doling in Saigon
Palais Norodom: A Palace Without Purpose
Though now nearly half a century old, the current Reunification Palace was conceived as a modern replacement for the Norodom Palace, a much grander French building which had stood on the same site bef...
Brian Letwin in Saigon
These 11 Wonderful Old Maps Show The Evolution Of Saigon And Cho Lon
Saigon has seen tremendous growth since its humble beginnings as a small Khmer seaport. Vietnamese settlers arrived in the 17th century, eventually solidifying their control over the area with th...
Brian Letwin in Saigon
16 Rare Photos Of Saigon And Cho Lon From 1866
After capturing Saigon in 1859, the French quickly got to work on building structures and infrastructure in the city, especially along the banks of the Saigon River.
Brian Letwin in Vietnam
[Video] Hanoi In April 1975
Shot the same month North Vietnamese troops captured Saigon, this video captures life in Hanoi not long before reunification and years after the last American bombs fell on the city.
18 Stunning Photos Of Vietnam In 1989
Vietnam’s economy began to open up in 1986 with the adoption of Đổi Mới, starting a meteoric rise in quality of life compared to the preceding years of rationing and an inefficient planning. While the...
Tim Doling in Saigon
Old Saigon Building Of The Week: The Second Chambre de Commerce Building
Originally founded on 3 November 1867 in temporary accommodation in the compound of the Direction de l’Intérieur, the Chambre de commerce de Saïgon (Saigon Chamber of Commerce) moved into 11 place Rig...
Lệ Hải: Saigon’s Gangster Queen
Before 1975, Saigon’s underground was controlled by gangs and mob bosses. Yet all those criminal minds were vulnerable to the intoxicating smile of one woman, Lệ Hải, whose name fittingly translates t...
17 Photos Of Royal Life During The Nguyễn Dynasty
It’s been more than two centuries since Gia Long unified Vietnam and became the first emperor of the Nguyễn Dynasty. Lasting 143 years, Vietnam’s last dynasty ended in 1945 when Bảo Đại abdicated the ...
The Story Of Saigon’s Soap Millionaire
80 years ago, if you asked a Saigon resident to name a soap brand, you would get only one response - Cô Ba. The brand’s popularity extended throughout Indochina and its success made its owner, Trương ...
5 of Saigon’s Oldest Buildings
As the French began to heavily influence Vietnam, first indirectly with missionaries and later with full-scale colonization, large public buildings began to pop up in the country’s cities, no more so ...
Brian Letwin in Vietnam
15 Old Photos Of Hanoi's Streetcars
While the last streetcar disappeared from Saigon’s streets in 1959, Hanoi held on to theirs until 1989. By the time service ended, the city’s light rail system was completely dilapidated after years o...
Tim Doling in Saigon
Saint-Saëns In Saigon
One of the great figures of western classical music, French composer, conductor, organist and pianist Camille Saint-Saëns is remembered for a range of works, including The Carnival of the Animals, Dan...
Street Cred: Nguyen Van Linh
Driving around Saigon, it’s easy to lose sight of the city as it appeared 25 years ago. So many buildings have been leveled into dust and in their place, stand shiny new high-rises shimmering of glass...
12 Pictures Of 1962 Saigon
The 60s always seem to conjure up nostalgia in the minds of those who lived through the dramatic changes to Saigon over the past 50 years.
10 Old Photos Of Carriages In Saigon
Before motorized transportation was the norm in Saigon, horse-drawn carts were used to move both goods and people.
New Facebook Group Compares Past And Present Saigon
Saigoneer and Historic Vietnam are excited to announce the launch of our new Facebook group: Saigon & Cho Lon, Then and Now.
Brian Letwin in Saigon
[Photos] Old Time Saigon Street Eats
Part of what makes up Saigon’s special and gritty character is the amount of activity on its streets and sidewalks which are full of vendors who sell everything from soup to fruit. Not only are these ...
Tim Doling in Saigon
A Date With the Wrecking Ball: The Catinat Building
According to a recent article in Dân Trí newspaper, the Catinat building at the corner of Đồng Khởi and Lý Tự Trọng Streets sits on a so-called “gold land” block which has been earmarked for rede...
