'Đời Gió Bụi,' Vietnamese Version of Nguyễn Phan Quế Mai's Novel 'Dust Child,' Released This Week
Originally written in English and already translated into more than 15 languages, Đời gió bụi (Dust Child) was released in Quế Mai's mother tongue on December 8.
Just 50km From Hanoi, Đường Lâm Village Is a Charming Historical Relic
If one were to strike out west from Hanoi and follow the Red River for some 50 kilometers, there they will find Đường Lâm Village — a quintessence of rural Vietnam.
Khôi Phạm in Film & TV
Review: Quán Kỳ Nam Is an Instant Classic of Contemporary Vietnamese Cinema
Quán Kỳ Nam is a cozy, languorous film that might elude some viewers who don’t have the patience to sit around sipping on tea while waiting for hoa quỳnh to blossom. Still, just like waiting for those petals to unfurl, if you manage to sit still until the end, the result is a tender beauty whose scent will linger on even after the flower is gone.
Paul Christiansen in Literature
Meet Dạ Ngân, the Author of the Most Important Vietnamese Novel You've Never Read
When the wind strafes Dạ Ngân’s window, seedpods shake and rattle like spent bullet casings in the tamarind tree that Americans planted decades ago. They also built the large apartment complex where she now lives. It’s an ironic place to call home, considering Dạ Ngân was a resistance fighter in the south during the American War.
Khôi Phạm in Culture
What Can Vietnamese License Plates Tell You About the Vehicles and Who Drives Them?
There was a game I used to play with my dad whenever we would stop at a traffic light. He would point to a random license plate in front of us and quiz me on where it came from.
Mũi Né Among Top 10 Trending Travel Destinations Globally in 2026, Booking Says
Travel site Booking.com dubbed Mũi Né “one of 2026’s trending travel spots,” reflective of the international attention and domestic emphasis the beach city is currently receiving.
Euphoria, Ruin, Nostalgia: Tracing Hanoi's Changing Skyline by Its Soundtrack
From loudspeakers broadcasting construction anthems during wartime to melancholic ballads mourning vanished street corners, Hanoi's soundtrack reveals a city that has never quite learned to live in its present tense.
Paul Christiansen in Rewind
In 'Cú Và Chim Se Sẻ,' a Director's Radical Empathy for Saigon's Less Fortunate
“They can do what they want. The city owns the zoo. They could sell all the animals here. They could turn it into a golf course. We’re just little people — you and me.”
Brian Letwin in Music & Arts
Digital Media/Art Project Launching This Month
If you’re a creative, digital-minded person who is passionate about Indochina, here’s a great project for you. Riverorchid Digital, an agency specializing in branding, PR and media, is embarking on a ...
Brian Letwin in Culture
Forget the Fockers, Meet the Nguyễns
Meeting the girlfriend’s parents is an intimidating experience in any culture. So what’s the best way to add even more awkwardness to an already awkward situation? Meeting the parents of a girl from a...
Home Has Shifted
For just over a year now, I have been living on the edge of district one, on a street named Tran Khac Chan. It is an unremarkable street on the face of it, a typical bustling hive of activity, of whic...
Brian Letwin in Music & Arts
Incredible Thai Version of the Iron Man 3 Trailer
Iron Man 3 hit theaters last week grossing a whopping $195.3 million internationally. With numbers like that, there’s no doubt that the film will be one of the most illegally copied of all time. But p...
Another Step Forward for Gay Marriage in Vietnam
Vietnam is on the path to becoming the first Asian nation to legalize same-sex marriage. This week, in Hanoi, Deputy Health Minister, Nguyen Viet Tien, told the press: “[A]s human beings, homosexuals...
Brian Letwin in Culture
H&P Unveils Low-Cost Bamboo Home Design
When it comes to construction in Vietnam - from one-story shops to luxury office towers - one will find bricks on every site. For more than a century, these unassuming orange squares have literally la...
Brian Letwin in Film & TV
Sex Scenes Becoming More Frequent in Vietnamese Films
In a recent VietnamNet op-ed, Lao Dong takes a deeper look into the increasing eroticism of Vietnamese cinema.
Brian Letwin in Film & TV
History of Vietnamese Cinema: 1898 - 1995
Long Van Cinema. Vietnam is producing high-quality films faster than ever before. While the country is not known for its cinematic pedigree, the film industry in Vietnam has been active for over 100 ...
Brian Letwin in Music & Arts
Video: Đi uống - Always
Đi uống - Always. Check out this track from some of our brothers and sisters up north: Đi uống - Always. Frankly, we're always down to watch a video where the band performs on a motorcyle and sideca...
Brian Letwin in Music & Arts
Video: Classic Vietnamese Rock
Hoang Oanh. We're not huge fans of Americanization but there are some rare exceptions. Concidering the current state of Vietnamese pop music, it's hard to believe there was a time when it was, to pu...
