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.
Saigon's Hotel Majestic to Get High-Rise Addition
Since last June, Saigontourist Holding Company has resumed expansion of The Majestic, its five-star luxury hotel overlooking the riverfront.
Instant Noodles Linked to Heart Disease, Stroke: Study
As the world's second largest consumer of instant noodles – Vietnam chows down on 5.2 billion packs of the pre-cooked blocks every year – this may be hard news to swallow, but studies show t...
[Photos] Saigon's Studio8 Gets Creative With Q10 Row House
Saigon's buildings come in every configuration imaginable. Whether squeezed into impossibly small spaces or built on misshapen plots of land, the city's tube houses present a unique and interesti...
Ready to Trade in Your iPhone for a Bphone?
In what some believe is a last-ditch attempt to offload its remaining stock, Vietnamese tech outfit Bkav is offering local smartphone users the opportunity to trade in their old Apple, Samsung and HTC...
Bill Gates, British Finance Minister Pledge $4.28bn to Fight Malaria
In an effort to quash the potentially fatal illness for good, billionaire Bill Gates and British finance minister George Osborne are pledging £3 billion (US$4.28 billion) to fight malaria around the w...
Dong Nai Proposes Extension of Metro Line 1
As downtown progress on the Saigon Metro inches along, Dong Nai officials are hoping to extend Line 1 beyond the city limits.
[Photos] Check out Vo Trong Nghia's Spectacular D2 Bamboo Pavilions
Vietnam's internationally renowned, bamboo-loving architectural mastermind Vo Trong Nghia has done it again.
[Photos] Future Hanoi: Vietinbank Tower
Though its construction has slowed recently, Hanoi is expecting a pair of fancy new V-shaped skyscrapers in future.
Saigon Begins Testing 4G Service
On the heels of rival company Viettel's trial run in Vung Tau, Vinaphone has begun testing its 4G service in Saigon and Phu Quoc.
Mekong Delta Farmers Are Using Cement to Fertilize Their Fields
Much to the alarm of local scientists and officials, rice farmers in the Mekong Delta have discovered a nifty new fertilizer: cement.
Nha Trang Is Selling Its Old Downtown Airport for $540m
The massive former US airbase located in downtown Nha Trang is set to become a mixed-used shopping development, Khanh Hoa authorities announced on Monday.
Flappy Bird Earns Guinness World Record
Flappy Bird's Nguyen Ha Dong, the guy who created a viral mobile game, earned US$50,000 a day in advertising and later received death threats for removing his highly addictive game from Appl...
Tan Son Nhat Gets Updated Int'l Terminal, Long Thanh Gets Delayed
In an effort to catch up with other major national airports, Tan Son Nhat's international terminal is getting a new addition.
[Photos] Inside District 1's Coolest Kindergarten
Hidden down a quiet street in District 1's Tan Dinh Ward, Chuon Chuon Kim is one cool kindergarten.
Unchecked Pollution is Threatening Southeast Asia's Environment, Economies
Like much of Southeast Asia, Vietnam is a very different place today than it was in 1990. New economic policies, increased development and modernization have transformed the country in many ways, but&...
Vietnam's Abortion Dilemma
While a new draft population law could update Vietnam's regulations on family planning and population control, the country's true challenge lies in addressing the root causes of its sky-high abortion ...
The Lowdown on Vietnam's Uber-Confusing Car Taxes
To put it mildly, Saigon has a complicated relationship with cars. For two-wheeled drivers, the gas-guzzling road beasts are at best an inconvenience, while their fellow four-wheeled friends are more ...
Vietnam, Asian Nations to Launch Satellite Network to Track Natural Disasters
Over the last year, Southeast Asia's weather patterns have been fickle to say the least. One minute, the streets of Saigon are disappearing under water, the next we're facing a months-long drought. In...
Nha Trang Is Getting an Oddly Shaped New High-Rise
Next time you're in Nha Trang, keep your eyes peeled for a new addition to the city skyline.
40 Years Later, Vietnam Begins Identifying Its War Dead
Martyr cemeteries are a common occurrence across Vietnam. In countless communes in every province, modest gravestones mark the resting places of Vietnam's fallen soldiers in neat, orderly rows. T...
