From the Ground up Into the Air: The Evolution of Bitexco in 25 Photos
Between Thủ Thiêm's ambitious new skyscrapers, the planned transformation of Thanh Đa Peninsula and a LEED-standard apart...
The Global Waste Trade Fuels the Rise of Waste Colonialism in Southeast Asia
In August 2025, Malaysian campaigner Wong Pui Yi stood outside the UN headquarters in Geneva and made an appeal to Global North nations: “Stop treating the Global South as the rubbish bin for plastic waste you cannot handle.”
Pedaling for a Purpose: The Coastal Cycling Challenge Bringing Homes to Quảng Ngãi
During February and March, a group of volunteers from Saigon spent five days cycling up the coast, starting in Thảo Điền and ending up in the mountainous district of Trà Bông, nestled deep in Quảng Ngãi Province.
Michael Tatarski in Natural Selection
Voọc Cát Bà: The Endangered Primate of Karst Land
Imagine being born one color, and growing up into a very differently hued adult.
Vietnamese Indie Studio Skrollcat Announces 'Hoa 2,' Sequel of 2021 Award-Winning Game
In 2021, the first Hoa title came out just in time to soothe our pandemic anxiety. Five years later, will Hoa 2 be up for the job in this new era of fuel crisis and global instability?
The Aesthetic Yet Functional Role of Shade in the Genome of Modernist Architecture
Since the mid-20th century, Vietnamese architecture has started to be made from industrial materials such as concrete, steel, glass, etc. This resulted in Vietnamese modernism, a branch of global modernism.
Vietnam's Woolly Bat Is Being Hunted to Extinction to Be Halloween Decorations
With hues of orange and black on its wings and a furry, fluffy face, the painted woolly bat is a stunner. But its beauty has become a deadly liability. People want to hang the bats — dead and stuffed — on their walls, display them as collectibles and even set them in jewelry.
In Search of Ba Khía, the Mangrove Crab That Captures the Soul of Cà Mau
The tide is low tonight. The mud flats, enveloped in the mangrove forest’s darkness, are dotted with the sporadic flares of headlamps. On bundles of exposed mangrove roots, shadows cast by black crabs crowd out one another. In my hometown, we call them “ba khía.”
[Photos] Inside the Metro Station Beneath Saigon's Opera House
The further the Saigon Metro progresses – or doesn't progress – the more we hear about escalating costs, construction hiccups and the project's Japanese contractors seeking compensation...
Construction Begins on New Downtown Saigon Skyscraper
Earlier this month, developers broke ground on the Saigon Me Linh Tower, adding yet another skyscraper to District 1's riverside Me Linh roundabout.
Flappy Bird Creator Releases Infuriating New Mobile Game
Mobile gamers had good reason to rejoice last week, as Flappy Bird creator Nguyen Ha Dong and his company DotGears Studio debuted a flashier second version of the original Swing Copters game.
Dubai Developer Signs on to $1.34bln Thanh Da New Urban Area
The urban wasteland planned for Binh Thanh District's Thanh Da peninsula has a new developer.
Saigon Is Building One of the World's Most Expensive Metros
With construction of the Saigon Metro system well under way, the Ministry of Planning and Investment (MPS) recently touched upon an unsettling truth about the cost of its forthcoming six-line network:...
Vietnam's Internet Speed Is 102nd in the World
Assuming you got this page to load on your computer, I'm afraid we've got some bad news: Vietnam's internet is pretty terrible.
What the COP21 Climate Change Deal Will Mean in Vietnam
As news outlets around the world pick apart the pros and cons of last week's landmark climate change deal, Vietnam seems to have a few reasons to celebrate.
Southeast Asia Is Responsible for Over Half the Ocean's Plastic Pollution
As much as 60% of plastic pollution in the ocean comes from only five countries. Unfortunately, Vietnam is among them.
Viettel's 4G Trial Service Starts Today in Vung Tau
Just as Japan wraps up testing on its brand-new 5G network, the 4G service Vietnam has been talking about since 2013 is finally here.
Vietnam Delays First Nuclear Plant Until 2020
Vietnam's much-discussed nuclear power plant will be delayed yet again, as officials announced last week that the construction of Ninh Thuan 1, the first of two nuclear power facilities planned for th...
Saigon's Rifle-Wielding Urban Hunters Are Killing Off the City's Wildlife
The Ho Chi Minh City Forest Ranging Department is struggling with an unusual issue these days. According to the exasperated forestry arm of Saigon's municipal government, local residents are visiting ...
[Images] Construction Starts on Thu Thiem's Fancy New Exhibition Center
If you've taken a drive along the Saigon River lately, you may have noticed some construction on the other side of the water in District 2's Thu Thiem.
Future Saigon: Binh Thanh May Get Another Massive Skyscaper With Sky Tower
Feast your eyes upon this massive skyscraper, dubbed Tan Tao Sky Tower (or not...more on that later), that may soon go up near the intersection of Nguyen Huu Canh and Dien Bien Phu Streets in Binh Tha...
Food Panda is Closing its Vietnam Operations: Report
Food Panda, one of the major players in Vietnam's online ordering space, has announced that it is shutting its doors this month due to a “financial situation” and “many difficulties.”
Japanese Firm Successfully Tests 5G Network
Japan always seems to get the best stuff first – the cure for Agent Orange, rice paddy art, train cars where you can sleep off a night of sake (or cat wine) drinking and now, 5G internet.
Saigon Needs Another $50m+ to Revive Historic Canal
Saigon has been working hard to revive the Hang Bang Canal with the project currently entering its third and final phase. But, like many other large-scale public infrastructure projects in the city, a...
Vietnam’s Air Quality Among the Worst in the World
We’ve known for a while that air quality in Vietnam is less than stellar. Based on recent readings, we know for sure that breathing in Saigon is a risky proposition, but new statistics released by Yal...
Rent in Saigon More Expensive Than Dubai, Bangkok
Hanoi may be the most expensive place to live in Vietnam, but commercial rent in downtown Saigon ranks amongst the most expensive in the world, according to recent statistics compiled by commercial pr...
Mel Schenck in Architecture
New Facebook Group Highlights Vietnamese Modernist Architecture
Facebook has proven to be a capable tool for those looking to raise awareness for the preservation of Saigon's historic buildings.
Vietnam Car Imports Nearly Double in 2015
Last month, we all groaned in collective agony when we discovered that nearly 900 new vehicles are registered in Saigon everyday.
