The Childhood of Côn Đảo's Baby Turtles Caught on Film
In July, I visited Côn Đảo National Park as part of a group of International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) sea turtle volunteers to see first-hand conservation efforts aimed at the local sea turtle population.
Ward off Your Monday Blues by Joining Me on Beginners' Skateboard Night
Usually in life, niche topics are commonly associated with unpleasant stigmas and misunderstandings — skateboarding in Vietnam is no exception. Once, I admittedly was influenced by such one-sided assumptions.
Pure Passion Turns Dark: The Unexpected Dangers of the Wild Turtle Trade
Seeking a companion during quarantine, Khánh*, a 25-year-old Hanoian, bought a baby turtle through a Facebook group.
Khôi Phạm in Natural Selection
A Case for the Sweet-and-Sour Tamarind as Saigon's Official Municipal Tree
What is the municipal tree of Saigon? In popular culture, Hanoi is perhaps intricately linked with the paralyzing but often romanticized aroma of hoa sữa, while just over a hundred kilometers to the east, Hải Phòng proudly brandishes the name “the city of red phượng flowers.” Đà Lạt has too many flower varieties to choose just one, and settles for “the city of a thousand flowers.” Down south, Bến Tre’s abundance of coconut trees is famous nationwide. Ask any Saigoneer this question, and you’re likely to get one of two answers: chò nâu (dipterocarp) or me (tamarind).
Requiem for a Bàng Tree That Was Cut Down in Front of My Home
Curiosity drove me downstairs into the downpour. Out of the corner of my eye, I spotted the municipal workers — clad in orange-and-green uniforms, their clothes soaked — gathering around a crane. Their attention was focused upward. Following their gaze, I looked up, and froze.
How the Ghosts of iPhones Past Haunt Vietnam's Low-Income Communities
The current e-waste crisis in Vietnam is one example of global environmental apartheid.
Keeping Cool in Thủ Đức With This Humble Abode’s Well-Ventilated Design
Thick multi-layer brick walls, shaded areas, water features, and natural ventilation allow this private home to stay cool amidst the city's stifling heat.
Saigon's VOH Radio Building, a Marvel of Architect Lê Văn Lắm's Modernist Intuition
In the middle of the 20th century, Vietnam grew to become one of the world’s prominent centers of modernist architecture. Saigon at the time was an economic and cultural heart of the region, with many official government structures constructed and designed in the style of modernist architecture. They were created with aesthetics and form in mind, laying the groundwork to usher in a new period of growth for Vietnamese creative independence.
[Photos] A Bird's-Eye View of Saigon's Remaining Green Spaces
As Saigon’s downtown area is slowly being filled with construction projects, a crucial part of its charm and scenery is also being compromised: green spaces.
[Photos] Backyard Atrium Brings Radiance Into This Saigon Tube House
A back-of-house atrium and a well-designed staircase help to optimize natural lighting and ventilation in this Phu Nhuan tube house.
Vietnam’s First Professional MMA Fighter to Make Professional Debut in August
This August, Vietnam’s first professional mixed martial arts (MMA) fighter will make his debut.
Vietnam's Gender Imbalance to Have Major Consequences by 2050: Report
As the United Nation’s World Population Day approaches on July 11, Vietnam must face its ongoing struggle with gender imbalance throughout its population.
[Photos] Thuan Kieu Plaza Receives Makeover, May Open Again This September
One of Saigon’s most iconic landmarks of the early 2000s – Thuan Kieu Plaza – is receiving a makeover.
Hanoi's Traditional Chicken Feather Duster Vendors Feel Pain of Mass-Produced Competition
Cheap, mass-produced dusters are putting Hanoi's traditional chicken feather duster vendors under financial pressure.
Vietnamese Architects Clinch Awards for 'Most Friendly and Inclusive Designs'
The International Union of Architects (UIA) announced the winners of the 2017 edition of the “Friendly and Inclusive Spaces Awards,” with Vietnamese firms Vo Trong Nghia Architects and H&P Architects ...
Cyber Security Breach Exposes 66,000 Vietnamese Personal Accounts
Approximately 66,000 Vietnamese Facebook, Gmail and Yahoo accounts have been stolen in a newly discovered cyber heist, experts recently revealed.
Brian Letwin in Development
[Photos] The Last Vestiges of Saigon's Natural Landscape in District 2
On the eastern edge of District 2’s An Phu lies one of the last vestiges of Saigon's wilderness, a shrinking area that is slowly being chipped away for new infrastructure projects and dense developmen...
Saigon Welcomes New LGBT-Friendly Health Care Service
Vietnam is inching toward a more gender-inclusive society with a new LGBT-friendly health center.
Binh Thanh Debuts New App to Help Residents Report Legal Violations
An app which lets residents of Binh Thanh District submit legal violations to local authorities has been successful in a pilot run.
The Battle Is on to Save Cambodia's 'New Khmer Architecture' Legacy
Much of Cambodia’s most impressive and culturally rich architecture is under threat of demolition or ruin as Cambodia’s upcoming generation faces a new kind of war: the battle to preserve Cambodia’s c...
Work Set to Resume on Saigon's Largest 'Ghost Tower'
Saigon's most prominent unfinished skyscraper is finally set for completion thanks to a new investor.
Child Labor to Surge in Vietnam Due to Climate Change: Experts
As climate change wreaks havoc on Vietnam, more children will be forced to work from an early age, experts say.
Out and About in Binh Thanh's Budding Japan Town
Only a ten-minute ride away from Saigon's established Little Tokyo, another Japanese neighborhood is in the making in Binh Thanh District — and it's a whole world apart.
[Photos] Saigon Architects Create Zen In a Tube House
This tube house in suburban Saigon looks ike a residential structure, a spa and a Buddhist retreat rolled into one.
Hanoi Runner Becomes 1st Vietnamese to Complete Everest Marathon
A Hanoi native recently became the first Vietnamese national to complete the Everest Marathon in Nepal.
Inside Tan Son Nhat's Massive Golf Course
Tan Son Nhat Golf Course, located on the grounds of Saigon's international airport, has come under increased scrutiny recently as airlines have run out of space to park their planes.
[Video] A Virtual Tour of Saigon's Ben Thanh, Opera House and Ba Son Metro Stations
Ever wonder what Saigon’s future underground metro stations will look like?
Brian Letwin in Society
[Photos] This Binh Duong Warehouse Is a Treasure Trove of Vietnam's Automotive Heritage
In a dusty Binh Duong warehouse lies one of the world’s largest collections of Citroën Traction Avants, a car commonly associated with Vietnam’s late colonial era. One might hazard a guess that the co...
