As Infrastructure Lags Behind, Saigon's Poorest Hardest Hit by Worsening Flooding
In April 2023, in the first downpour of southern Vietnam’s rainy season, the narrow rented room where Mã Thị Diệp and her children were staying in Hồ Chí Minh City was inundated by knee-high water.
Khôi Phạm in Environment
What I Talk About When I Talk About Vietnam's Penguin Trashcans
Compared to the average Vietnamese, I might be thinking about trashcans a smidgen too much — not just any trashcan, but the infamous penguin-shaped trashcans that are ubiquitous at every corner of our public spaces.
Linh Phạm in Parks & Rec
House Dance Hanoi Teaches You How to Free the Body
I stood on the top floor of a building on Khâm Thiên Street, feeling grateful for the cold air. I came out here to take a break from the other side of the floor, which was divided into three rooms — three dance studios.
Inside Saigon's Grassroots Carton and Aluminum Recycling Plants
With plastics claiming many of the headlines worldwide and constituting a major issue in Vietnam, scant attention is being paid to other recyclable materials, namely cardboard and aluminum.
How Táo Xanh Forum Created a Safe Space for Gay Vietnamese Before Social Media
Before Vietnamese could hop on social media sites such as Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter to share our hot takes of the week, there was an era of past cybersphere when online forums were the crucial online space to connect local netizens.
Paul Christiansen in Environment
As Climate Change Threatens, Flood Waters Usher In Sustainable Opportunities for Communities in the Mekong Delta
The Mekong Delta is developing faster than Google Maps can keep up with. A stretch of road that was too narrow to accommodate cars and required a transition to motorbikes just six months ago was under construction during our August visit. Gargantuan machines for laying pulverized gravel inched aside to let our 7-seater pass so we could reach the home of Nguyễn Thị Thu Thủy to check in on her small fish drying home business.
Khôi Phạm in Natural Selection
10 Species of Lesser-Known Fruits to Get to Know Vietnam's Biodiversity
In the Vietnamese language, the word “cỏ” — meaning “grass” in the literal sense — is often used to signify that something is locally grown, no frills, and charmingly rustic; grassroots, if you will. Chó cỏ is the general term for the adorable mutts, usually mixes between Vietnam’s native dog species, born without the prestige of named breeds, while gym cỏ and net cỏ denote the casual gyms and internet cafes in one’s neighborhood. In the same vein of logic, may I put forth a new name for a special genre of Vietnamese fruits: trái cỏ?
How Vietnamese Architecture Adopted Modernism and Made It Our Own
Ask a person on the street what Vietnam’s distinctive style of architecture is, and the answer you get might be traditional architecture, like the historic curves of northern Vietnam’s village temples or the ornate regality of Nguyễn-Dynasty palaces. This time-honored style is widely accepted as the hallmark of Vietnam’s cultural wealth. What’s more fascinating but lesser-known is how this cultural vestige — which distinguished our architecture from that of China and Japan — has also managed to evolve in the new age, finding ways to exist right in the middle of our modern lifetime.
[Photos] Wander Through Ton That Dam's Chợ Cũ at Twilight
Downtown Saigon is in flux these days, as old buildings come down and new structures rise from the rubble. While the past few years have brought major changes to District 1, this year has been particu...
Hanoi's Skinny-Dipping Club Bares All for Fitness, Fun and Friendship
Vietnam’s capital city has a reputation for being a pretty conservative place. So it might come as a surprise for some to know that there is an entire community of adult men who like to skinny-dip nea...
Vietnam Struggles to Contain Nationwide Dengue Fever Outbreak
An ongoing nationwide dengue fever outbreak has health officials scrambling to halt its spread.
Vietnam Ranks 101st Out of 195 Countries on Cybersecurity: UN Report
Vietnam has a lot of work to do to make sure its cybersecurity infrastructure keeps up with its economic growth.
[Photos] A Day in the Life of Ninh Thuan's Shepherds
In Ninh Thuan province, local shepherds lead a nomadic life, traversing the region's barren land to look after some of the country’s largest sheep herds. ...
Korean Giant Lotte Breaks Ground on $885m Eco Smart City in Thu Thiem
Lotte, the giant South Korean conglomerate, has agreed to develop a US$885 million complex in District 2's Thu Thiem New Urban Area.
Noise Pollution Throughout Vietnam Negatively Impacts Quality of Life: Study
About 20% of Vietnam’s population is subject to the effects of noise pollution.
Amazon Eyes Southeast Asia Expansion Through Singapore
It looks like residents of Southeast Asia will soon be able to enjoy American online retailer Amazon’s services.
[Renderings] Da Nang May Get a Flashy Public Space Along the Han River
As urban centers across Vietnam compete to become the most modern versions of themselves by 2030, Da Nang is getting a fancy new public space.
[Photos] D7 Industrial House Opens to Natural Light, Ventilation
While some Saigon abodes may opt for an elaborate chandelier or painting as their interior centerpiece, the owner of this house in District 7 decided to make its door the most unique part of the struc...
Vietnam’s Video Game Market Ranks 28th Globally in Total Revenue: Report
With spending on video games in Vietnam expected to hit US$365 million in 2017, the country is quickly becoming a lucrative market for game makers.
Hanoi’s 'Ex-Market' Provides Post-Breakup Solace for Local Youths
This isn't your usual flea market: here, one man's, or woman's, unwanted mementos and emotional baggage from previous love affairs may just be another man's treasure.
In 10 Years, Da Lat Might Run out of Clean Water Due to Pollution
The popular Central Highlands city of Da Lat may run out of clean water in the next 10 years, according to a local official.
Dana Filek-Gibson in Society
At Hanoi’s Fury Room, Young Vietnamese Relieve Stress Through Destruction
Next time you’re in the capital and looking to unwind, you could opt for the standard walk around Hoan Kiem Lake and an ice-cold bia hơi. Or you could break something.
Vo Trong Nghia Brings Low-Cost Prefabricated S Houses to Northern Vietnam
Could Vo Trong Nghia's low-cost prefabricated S House provide a sustainable solution for Vietnam’s architectural needs?
[Renderings] What the Nhon-Hanoi Metro Line Will Look Like in the Future
As the capital's Cat Linh - Ha Dong urban railway inches closer to the finish line, construction on the Nhon - Hanoi Station route has once again been prolonged to 2021.
[Photos] Quang Binh's Light, Airy Abode: When an Architect Experiments on His Own House
A local architect in Dong Hoi has created a distinct, airy house that stands apart from more traditional houses in the city.
Saigon's Tattoo Culture Flourishes Thanks to Changing Attitudes
Danis Nguyen remembers the first time he saw a tattoo. It was on TV, in a world far away from his childhood home in Nha Trang: a world of rebellion, electric guitars and round sunglasses. At 18, ...
Dana Filek-Gibson in Health
In Vietnam, Taboo and Tradition Hinder Contraception Awareness
With many urban Vietnamese waiting longer to get married, the country’s younger generations are recognizing the need to open up about sex education in the conservative country.
[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.
