Lúa Ma, the Mekong's Ancient Wild Rice Varieties Holding Secrets to Climate Resilience
“It’s been so long I can barely remember. It’s delicious, fragrant, soft but not sticky,” says Trần Văn Lựa, 53, a farmer from Đồng Tháp Province, south-west Vietnam, recalling the taste of wild rice. As a child, he would harvest the grain during flood season, when wild rice flowers. Today, however, it is a rare sight.
Paul Christiansen in Natural Selection
Cầy Mực, the Fluffy Bearcat Whose Pee Really Smells Like Popcorn
Vietnam is home to a diverse range of species, from the elusive sao la to Hanoi's pungently fragrant hoa sữa. As an ode to the wondrous nature of the country, we're introducing a new article series, Natural Selection. Each article will feature a species of plant or animal native to Vietnam — starting with the laidback cầy mực (binturong).
As Saltwater Intrudes More of Mekong Delta, Durian Farmers Struggle to Stay Afloat
Nguyễn Văn Quại, 63, walked slowly on the muddy dirt path in his yard, his hands clasped behind his back. He stopped beside a tree split in half, its branches dipping into the stagnant water of a narrow moat, and gestured towards the rest of his leafless crop — their trunks yellow, their bark cracked and brittle.
Khôi Phạm in Tech
On Vietnam's Internet, You're a Mom, I'm a Mom, Everyone Is a Mom
I am a mom. Well, not in the most conventional meaning of the word — I am childless, and it’s still biologically impossible for men to give birth the last time I checked, but for most of my existence on the Vietnamese cybersphere, I have been using the designation “mẹ” amongst my closest friends.
Khôi Phạm in Architecture
On Phú Quý Island, a Curious Collection of Modernist Houses From Central Vietnam
From the 1960s towards the end of the 1970s, urban centers in southern Vietnam saw robust and widespread growth of modernist influences in architecture. Still, outside the usual foci of the movement like Saigon, Cần Thơ or Mỹ Tho, how has this unique form of vernacular architectural expression been transformed?
Văn Tân in Architecture
An Homage to Courtyards, the Heart of Traditional Vietnamese Homes
This time of the year, the giáng hương tree in my grandma’s courtyard is probably blooming with clusters of golden blossoms, enticing the kids in the neighborhood to gather around it and carefully pick off the prettiest petals to create makeshift jewelry.
Mầm in Parks & Rec
The Young Vietnamese Artisans Breathing New Life Into Animals Carcasses
Skeletons and carcasses are often reminiscent of eerie, spine-chilling scenes in horror movies. But in the taxidermy community, animal corpses are of great value for artisans to create unique works that blur the line between life and death.
Ride-Hailing Changed How We Commute. Can Ve Chai-Hailing Change How We Recycle?
Mentions of ve chai might evoke images of uncles and aunties pushing around their cart or perched on bicycles, ferrying a host of plastic bags and scrap metal, and occasionally calling out: “Đồng nát sắt vụn bán nào…” This familiar scene, no matter how nostalgic, might change soon.
Brian Letwin in Development
[Photos] District 2 Just Got a Fresh New Park
Green space has long come at a premium in Saigon, especially as some public areas – see District 1’s Chi Lang Park – have lost out to the city’s breakneck development.
Chinese Government Bans 'Weird' Architecture
Modern-day China's epidemic of creative buildings has come to an end, as the government recently placed a ban on “weird architecture”.
Apple to Invest $1bn in Hanoi Data Center
Global tech giant Apple is planning to invest US$1 billion in a Hanoi-based data center.
Vietnam's Elderly Population Increases by 500,000 a Year
With its elderly population increasing by a half-million people each year, Vietnam is on the fast track to becoming an aged nation.
Vinhomes to Transform Ba Son Shipyard Into Mega Development
The first few renderings of Vinhomes' Ba Son complex construction have recently surfaced online, stirring hope for proponents of the mega development and sorrow for those who fear the loss of an ...
Viettel Is Now Offering 4G...in Africa
If you're a Viettel user, we've got some good news: the military-run telecommunications provider is now offering 4G. The catch? It's in Burundi.
Vietnamese-Made App Wins Top Prize at SXSW
The Vietnamese creators of English-language pronunciation app ELSA took home the top prize at SXSWedu's 2016 Launch Startup competition last week.
[Renderings] The Hamptons Are Coming to Ho Tram
Saigon city dwellers can soon look forward to a Hamptons-style holiday, as a Vietnamese rendition of the famed American destination is set to reach completion in 2018.
500 Startups Launches $10m Microfund in Vietnam
As of last week, 500 Startups is open for business in Vietnam.
Studio8 Architects Win Contract to Design Khai Tower in PMH
After beating out 15 other competitors, local architecture firm Studio8 has won the contract to design District 7's newest ultra-modern office building.
Urban Vietnam Reckons With Its Air Quality Dilemma
There's a lot going on in the world of Vietnamese air quality these days. From Hanoi reaching Beijing-level pollution earlier this month to Saigon getting its first publicly accessible real-time air q...
Saigon Planning Underground City Beneath Ben Thanh Market
Ben Thanh Market, tourist shopping hub and icon of old Saigon, may one day have some competition beneath its feet.
A Vietnam-Laos Railway Could Be on the Horizon
Late last month, Deputy Minister of Transport Nguyen Ngoc Dong announced the launch of a feasibility study which will explore the possibility of a railway connecting Vientiane with coastal Vung Ang in...
[Video] Shanghai Tower Timelapse Packs 4 Years of Work Into 3 Minutes
When construction of China's Shanghai Tower began in 2009, filmmaker Joe Nafis made it his mission to capture the structure's rise above the rest of the city skyline.
Saigon Children's Shelter Struggles to Stay Open
Everyday is a new challenge for the Green Bamboo Warm Shelter, a non-governmental organization which assists former street boys aged eight to 16.
[Photos] Vietnam's Folded Roof House: The Epitome of Cool
Thirty kilometers northwest of Hanoi lies TOOB STUDIO's Folded Roof House, a two-story structure whose location away from the downtown urban center allows for a little more breathing room than th...
[Photos] Join Vietnam's Fanciest Gym for Just $24,000 a Year
Though it takes some willpower to get there, nothing beats a trip to the gym. You work out, you unwind in the sauna, you take advantage of the free shampoo, and by the time it's all over, you leave fe...
Thailand Is Closing Its Controversial Tiger Temple
Thailand's controversial Tiger Temple is set to close down as a tourist attraction, as local authorities are now removing animals from the facility.
Vietnam Is Getting a Pro Basketball League
For Vietnamese hoopsters, “a league of their own” will soon be more than just a movie starring Tom Hanks and Madonna.
Construction Begins on Hanoi-Sapa Highway Upgrade
On February 27, work began on an infrastructure project which will upgrade the existing roadway between Hanoi and Sapa.
