It's (Almost) Always Sunny in Saigon: A Glimpse Into Street Fashion in the Early 1970s
You can deduce a lot from a photo.
Once Home to Hanoi's Greatest Tailors, Làng Cựu Is Fading Into History
Làng Cựu, a village about 40 kilometers south of Hanoi, houses nearly 50 mansions that showcase the best of French and S...
From North to South, Glimpses of Street Life in Vietnam in the Early 1990s
If there’s a thing this writer remembers distinctly about the early 1990s, it would be nothing, because I was barely a person that could eat and survive by myself.
Portrait of a Jubilant Saigon on the Precipice of Tết in 1992
Tết in 1992 was an especially fortuitous time to be a foreign arrival to Saigon.
Hidden in the Heart of D5, an Architectural Vestige of 1970s Vietnam-Korea History
For years now, the verdant pine green pavilion in the heart of Hòa Bình Park in District 5 has been a familiar landmark for denizens of Chợ Lớn.
On the Tourist Trail Across Vietnam in 1996
In 1996, it had been one year since Vietnam officially joined ASEAN, the first legitimate volume of Doraemon was released, and some of us at Saigoneer were actually alive.
The Legends of Thăng Long Tứ Trấn, the 4 Guardian Temples Protecting Hanoi
In the edict to move Vietnam’s capital to Hanoi, Emperor Lý Thái Tổ described this land as the middle of heaven and earth, the center of the four directions. Such a place would bring peace and prosperity, he believed, and deserved sacred protection.
Slices of Life in Saigon, Huế, Hanoi in 1989 on Film
What is it about coming across old photos that tugs on our heartstrings so much, even when they depict a time when some of us weren’t alive yet?
Brian Letwin in Saigon
7 Old Pictures of Saigon Street Vendors
The buildings and streets of Saigon can change in the blink of an eye. Gone are the streetcars, French street names and ox-drawn carts. As the economy continues to develop, the old Saigon is being rep...
Brian Letwin in Saigon
Can Saigon Preserve its Historical Architecture?
The Ho Chi Minh City’s People’s Committee has launched a program aimed at preserving the city's architectural gems. Unfortunately, the focus is on the city's famous buildings rather than sites that ar...
Saigon’s Citadel - Part 1
Hue was neither the first nor only Vietnamese city to house a citadel. Built in the late 18th century, a few years before its counterpart in Hue, the citadel in Saigon proved to be the key to Vietname...
Brian Letwin in Saigon
The Remarkable Tale of Ben Thanh Market
Large markets have been the cornerstone of many Vietnamese neighborhoods for over a century. When Saigon was still a collection of small towns, central markets acted as vital commerce centers where lo...
Brian Letwin in Saigon
Nifty Old Map of Saigon
For history nerds like us, there's little better than an old map of Saigon. So here's an old map of Saigon, French street names and all. We're guessing it's from the late 1940s. View the fu...
Brian Letwin in Saigon
A Look Back at Saigon's Streetcars
As Saigon eagerly awaits its first metro line, we look back at the city's original rail-based transportation - streetcars.
Brian Letwin in Vietnam
Gangsters of Old Saigon: Binh Xuyen
In the final days of French occupation, the struggle for power in Vietnam, and Saigon in particular, was a free-for-all. As French control waned and the influence of Communism was identified as the “s...
Brian Letwin in Saigon
Old Vietnamese Sports Center in District 5
Here’s another gem from the Tumblr blog, Old Saigon: "This house is located on Hai Thuong Lan Ong Street, District 5. It is used as a sports and gymnastics center in District 5 for all kinds of popul...
Brian Letwin in Saigon
District 8: Architectural Treasure Chest
Stumbling upon old buildings is one of the best things about living in Saigon. While many are in a state of disrepair, some have retained their original character. Photo blog, Old Saigon, highlights s...
Brian Letwin in Saigon
Saigon's Airports in Transition
Rendering of Long Thanh Airport. It’s no secret that Saigon aspires to be the commercial and tourist hub of Southeast Asia. Even as the economy has slowed, tourism in Vietnam is growing at a pace of ...
Brian Letwin in Vietnam
Street Figures: Nguyen Thi Minh Khai
Nguyen Thi Minh Khai. We’re kicking off our Street Figures series with one of the city’s busiest streets which spans Districts 1 and 3 – Nguyen Thi Minh Khai.
Brian Letwin in Vietnam
Vietnam’s Long Road to High-Speed Rail: Past & Present
While we dream about subway systems in Saigon and Hanoi, another major project is on the minds of engineers and urban planners – high speed rail. Already the standard in Japan, China and Europe, there...
Brian Letwin in Saigon
Old Saigon: Pictures from Life Magazine
When looking at old pictures of big cities, what usually strikes us is how different yet similar things are today. Back in the 50s, Time Magazine ran some great pictures of Saigon, capturing its initi...
Brian Letwin in Saigon
Abandoned Temple in District 2
Abandoned Temple. Parts of central District 2 are currently a mish-mash of leveled neighborhoods where all that remain are the skeletons of old buildings.
Brian Letwin in Vietnam
Contrasting Past & Present
Old bridge. Photo by Khánh Hmoong If you love old Vietnam photos as much as we do, you’ll get a kick out of these which contrast the present and past of some of Vietnam’s most famous sites.
