A Rare Album by Photographer Bruno Barbey Brings Us Back to Tết in 1994 Hanoi
What do you remember most about the 1990s? Do you remember the fashion, the old-timey technology, or the lack of traffic? And if you were just a wee child, do these memories stay with you?
Khôi Phạm in Vietnam
The First Asian in Space Was Vietnamese. He’s Still Alive Today.
Most Vietnamese schoolkids grew up learning about Phạm Tuân as the first Vietnamese in space, but few know that he was also the first Asian person to clinch the honor.
The Year of the Horse Gallops into The Grand Ho Tram
Inspired by the spirit of the horse, The Grand Ho Tram encourages you to have a year of success, confidence, and new horizons. Traditional Tết performances and activities alongside special feasts and opportunities for revelry will usher in a year of remarkable achievements and memorable moments.
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.
Paul Christiansen in Vietnam
An Indie Archival Project Dreams of Time Travel. How? Lots and Lots of Vietnam Maps.
Its entrances flanked by ATMs and adverts for international airlines, the Sun Wah Tower on Nguyễn Huệ today appears to be another nondescript testament to the global economy and Vietnam’s enthusiastic place within it. However, on those same grounds only 150 years ago, a guillotine was set up to decapitate people on order of the colonial authorities at the Justice de paix.
Marc Dinh 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.
Xuân Phương in Vietnam
A British Photographer's 30 Years of Forming a Kindred Connection With Vietnam
When he boarded a flight from Bangkok to Hanoi in 1992, Andy Soloman thought he would stay in Vietnam for just one month. Little did he know that what seemed like a brief trip would stretch into seven years — the beginning of a bond that has tied him to Vietnam for three decades and beyond.
Rare Film Photos by Andrew Holbrooke Showcase an Industrious Vietnam in 1991
Money cannot buy happiness, but it makes happiness easier to attain.
Brian Letwin in Saigon
Old Saigon Picture of the Day: Gánh Tàu Hủ (1926)
While I'm not the biggest fan of chè (Vietnamese sweet soup) in general, gánh tàu hủ (tofu with ginger, caramel and optional coconut milk) has a special place in my heart (even if it's not technically...
Brian Letwin in Saigon
The Story of Tan Son Nhat Airport
As the plan for Saigon's massive Long Thanh Airport moves forward (despite some objections), we thought we'd take a minute to look back at the long history of old standby, Tan Son Nhat.
Brian Letwin in Saigon
Old Saigon Picture of the Day: The Original Sửa Xe (1890s?)
Before the age of motorbikes, Saigon's streets were characterized by ox-drawn carts and horse-drawn carriages. And, just like motorbikes, everyday wear and tear would take their toll, requiering smal...
Brian Letwin in Saigon
The Story of Saigon’s Opium Refinery
Many of you have probably enjoyed a meal in the courtyard at 74 Hai Ba Trung, which currently houses a number of high-end restaurants such as Vasco’s, Hanayuki, Annz and The Refinery; the latter being...
12 Color Pictures of Saigon from Before WWII
With each passing day, Saigon's future becomes a bit more clear, and its past a bit more distant. But fear not, for we've assembled a slideshow of colorized images from Saigon's colonial past.
Saigon’s Citadel - Part 2
This is part 2 of our series on Saigon's citadel. You can read part 1 here. Nguyen Anh (AKA Gia Long) would never use his citadel for military action as hostilities only resumed after his death in 18...
Brian Letwin in Saigon
Old Saigon Picture of the Day: Check Out This Badass
In the time before Ducatis and Yamaha FZ16s were the hottest things on two wheels in Saigon, the Honda Cub 67 reigned supreme with local cool kids. Even though many of the old 67's are still around, ...
Brian Letwin in Saigon
Old Saigon Picture of the Day: Saigon Railroad Building
Not too long ago, the park across from Ben Thanh Market was the location of the city's main train station. Even though the station moved to District 3 following the American War, remnants of the old ...
Brian Letwin in Saigon
Old Saigon Picture of the Day: Nước Mía
This old school nước mía cart looks pretty sleek...
Brian Letwin in Saigon
Old Saigon Picture of the Day: Majestic Hotel (1920s)
The Majestic Hotel has occupied its current location along the Saigon river since 1925. Commissioned by Chinese businessman Hui Bon Hoa, the hotel has undergone a number of major renovations over the...
Brian Letwin in Saigon
Street Signs: Trần Hưng Đạo, Warrior Poet (Part 1)
Trần Hưng Đạo Street is a major thoroughfare, stretching from District 1 to District 5. Let’s take a closer look at the street’s namesake and see why he is one of Vietnam’s most famous historical...
Brian Letwin in Saigon
Old Saigon Picture of the Day: 33 Export
Brian Letwin in Saigon
Old Saigon Picture of the Day: Go Vap (1930)
There's little to be found in English about the development of Saigon's outer districts. Like much of the city's colonial urban history, if records do exist, they're likely buried in some Parisian arc...
Brian Letwin in Saigon
Old Saigon Picture of the Day: Standard Radio (1970)
Brian Letwin in Saigon
Old Saigon Picture of the Day: Crossroads
Brian Letwin in Saigon
Old Saigon Picture of the Day: Art Deco
When the French occupied Vietnam, they brought many elements of their home country with them. Even today, from architecture to food, the colonial footprint can still be seen. At the height of French ...
Brian Letwin in Saigon
Old Saigon Picture of the Day
When Saigon was the city of bikes.
Brian Letwin in Saigon
12 Old Pictures of Saigon Canals
Canals used to serve as the Saigon's main commercial highway, connecting the city to the Saigon river and in turn the web of rivers that traverse Vietnam. Before the construction of large urban marke...
Brian Letwin in Saigon
Slideshow: Saigon Past and Present in a Single Image
As we've seen in our slideshows of old pictures, while Saigon is rapidly changing, some things and places stay the same. And what better way to illustrate this change than by overlaying the old with t...
Brian Letwin in Saigon
Slideshow: 12 Old Pictures of Advertisements in Saigon
Before 1975, large advertisements were commonplace in Saigon. But after the American War and the fall of capitalism in the South, ads were considered a vestige of the old order and were heavily regula...
