Paul Christiansen in Environment
Saigon's Weather Dude Is Dedicated to Keeping Saigoneers Dry This Rainy Season
Why is it raining in Saigon? Because it’s the rainy season. Sure, but if you want to be more specific, you can cite conditions in the Bay of Bengal, more than 2,500 kilometers away. It’s there that the wind conditions form that flow across the Gulf of Thailand, sucking up the moisture that drenches Vietnam’s southern metropolis.
In the Era of Constant Rebuilding, We Turn to Vietnamese Modernism for Nostalgic Comfort
For two years now, I've checked the Vietnamese Modernist Architecture Facebook group almost every day. Here, members post ...
How Laos's Dams Are Powering Vietnam, Other ASEAN Nations Despite Mekong Concerns
Following a spate of foreign investment in the 1990s, Laos began producing surplus electricity and looked to export it. Today, around 80% of its energy, largely from hydropower, is sold to neighbors. Electricity exports from Laos generate around US$2.6 billion for what is one of the poorest nations in mainland Southeast Asia. Across the region, neighbors including Thailand, Cambodia, Vietnam, Singapore and Malaysia have become reliant on hydropower from Laos. Slowly but surely, however, this is changing.
A Pop-up Night Park Brings the Joy of Playing in the Rain to Phú Mỹ Hưng
A lack of public spaces and activities has been a chronic problem plaguing Saigon’s urban planning since the city experienced its first population boom a few decades ago. If you happen to be near District 7 in the next two months, a pop-up park could be a new option for children, and perhaps some particularly exuberant adults, to frolic in the rain and the evening.
Elise Luong in Environment
Living, Learning, Loving From the Earth at Ninh Bình's Lá Library
A stone's throw away from Cúc Phương National Park in Ninh Bình Province sits Lá Library, an education center promoting sustainable living through sustainable agriculture farming, earthen building techniques and the art of chilling out.
The Saigon House That Swapped Its Front Door for a Moat
Does a house need walls?
Paul Christiansen in Natural Selection
Is the Yeti Vietnamese? This Ancient Ape Might Hold the Answer.
Can you name a Vietnamese animal that hasn’t been hunted to the precipice of extinction or become a commodified item whose flesh, fur, or feathers are only deemed significant in relation to their practical use by humans?
This Suburban Hanoi House Answers 'Yes' to 'How Many Windows Do You Want?'
Do you love the tropical summer? Does bathing in the warmth of the sun spark joy in you? How many windows are enough to solar-power your everyday life? If you, too, are toiling with these existential concerns on a daily basis, perhaps this recent residential project might provide some inspiration.
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...
Dengue Vaccine Gets Green Light As Cases Soar in Central Vietnam
In the midst of a dangerous dengue epidemic in south-central Vietnam, medical professionals are giving the go-ahead to a preventive vaccine for the deadly virus.
New 30km Overpass to Link Saigon With Mekong Delta
In the midst of its usual traffic woes, Saigon may be getting glimmer of hope in a 30-kilometer flyover project, which will help to alleviate traffic on the notoriously busy Highway 1A.
Vietnam Hopes to Send 15 Athletes to Rio Olympics in 2016
As the 2016 Summer Olympics approach, Vietnam has high hopes for its athletes.
[Photos] Vo Trong Nghia Adds Bamboo Buildings to Five-Star Da Nang Resort
As if its stunning day spa – modeled after the hanging gardens of Babylon – wasn't enough, Da Nang's five-star Naman Retreat just got an impressive upgrade.
The Demise of the Mekong Delta
When it comes to climate change, there's no shortage of bad news these days. On the one hand, Saigon is facing its longest drought in 60 years; on the other, several Vietnamese cities may be unde...
Homegrown Ride-Sharing App Launches in Vietnam
As traffic in Vietnamese cities continues to get worse, one group of local graduates is using the power of technology to help alleviate the influx of motorbikes on Saigon's streets.
Da Nang Theme Park Unveils Flashy New Monorail
Between the Disneyland-esque entertainment complex planned for Ha Long Bay and Phu Quoc's ever-increasing number of larger-than-life attractions, Vietnam seems to have a thing for amusement parks...
[Photos] Majestic Banyan Tree Spared in Hanoi Road Project
It's safe to say Hanoi doesn't have a great relationship with trees.
[Photos] Dong Nai Students Invent Vehicle That Runs on Alcohol
Eight students from Dong Nai province's Lac Hong University recently created a car that is able to join in one of Vietnam's favorite pastimes: getting drunk.
Bkav Doubles Down: Will Launch Bpad, Bwatch in 2016
When Bkav, a local network security company, unveiled its Bphone earlier this year, company CEO Nguyen Tu Quang called it "the best smartphone in the world". The device, however, ultimately proved to ...
Hanoi Official Pushes for Plan to Reduce Private Vehicle Use
During a meeting between the central and local governments on Monday, Hanoi People's Committee Chairman Nguyen Duc Chung urged the capital to craft a plan to reduce the number of private vehicles on i...
