Paul Christiansen in Sports
Thống Nhất Stadium Offers Unexpected Opportunities to Reflect Upon the Soul
Where do you find revelation?
Forum Theater Brings Real-Life Situations to the Stage, and You Are the Actors
In Vietnam, a novel form of theater is quietly making an impact, not just on stage, but in classrooms, communities, and people's lives. Known as Forum Theater, this interactive art form transforms audience members from passive viewers into active participants. Developed by Brazilian threater practitioner Augusto Boal, Forum Theater was created as a space to “rehearse for real life,” allowing theatergoers to step into the shoes of others, explore difficult situations, and test out new possibilities.
Paul Christiansen in Environment
The Overwhelming Presence of Nature's Most Inspiring Sound: Cát Tiên's Gibbon Call
What is your favorite sound?
Văn Tân in Natural Selection
Hoa Bưởi's Fleeting but Fragrant Season Teaches Us to Find Beauty in Impermanence
Every year during this time, I can’t help but hanker for a taste of sugarcane infused with hoa bưởi, or pomelo blossom. Only hoa bưởi’s tender aroma can accentuate the flavor of this humble snack several folds.
A Botanical Illustrator Captures Vietnam's Flora on Paper, One Species at a Time
When science and art commingle in a botanical illustration, it’s as if a magical world appears, where colors, brushstrokes, and lighting work together to not only replicate but also breathe life into nature’s best creations.
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.
The Most Badass Motorcycle Helmet Ever Made Includes Rear Camera, Bluetooth
Pretend for a moment that money is no object. What would you include in your dream motorcycle helmet? Whatever you have in mind, it’s probably included in the Skully, a futuristic helmet that incorpor...
Tap Water in HCMC Tainted With Antibiotics, Toxins
We knew HCMC tap water had its issues, but we had no idea it was this bad.
Officials Call For Preservation Of Tax Center Interior
While there’s no saving the Tax Center which will soon be demolished to make way for a new 40-story tower, there are those that are calling for elements of the 90-year-old building to be preserved.
2 Vietnamese Designs Take Home Top Awards at International Architecture Festival
A21 Studio’s “The Chapel” and Vo Trong Nghia Architect’s “House For Trees” both took home top awards at last week’s World Architecture Festival (WAF) in Singapore.
Saigon’s Metro Line 2 $784 Million More Than Expected And Delayed 2 Years
Due to inflation and an improved design which calls for the use of more expensive materials, HCMC’s metro line 2 (that will run from Bến Thành to Tham Lương) may be $784 million more than expected, ra...
Brian Letwin in Health
You Won’t Believe How Many Packs Of Instant Noodles Vietnamese Consume Each Year
Given that Vietnamese munch on 2 billon Choco Pies each year, it may come as no surprise that another mass-produced “food,” instant noodles, are also consumed at an astronomical rate.
Trees On Tôn Đức Thắng Street To Be Cut Down For Bridge To Thủ Thiêm
There’s a price for progress and in Saigon it seems to be trees that are called upon to make the ultimate sacrifice in the name of infrastructure development.
3 Reasons Why Wind Power Has A Strong Future In Vietnam
Not long ago, I traveled to Vietnam’s countryside, mainly in the Mekong Delta provinces. Along the way, I stumbled upon a number of churning wind turbines, showing that the Vietnamese people are becom...
Prime Minister Signs Off On Phan Thiet Airport
Saigon might not be the only one who’s getting a shiny new airport.
Young H’mong Boy Steals The Show At Sapa Mountain Marathon
The second Vietnam Mountain Marathon took place over the weekend of 20-21 September, with almost 400 runners from 40 nations descending on the mountains of Sapa to take on trails of 10, 21, 42 and a m...
Tân Bình Market Set To Be Demolished, Rebuilt
Despite protests from traders, The administration of Ho Chi Minh City’s Tân Bình District plans to move forward with a plan to replace the 50-year-old Tân Bình Market with “a six-story traditional, ci...
Traffic Jams Cost HCMC $1.2bn Each Year: Expert
We knew traffic was getting worse in HCMC, but we had no idea it was this expensive.
Vietnam Pushes Back Construction Of First Nuclear Power Plant
At a meeting of the Science, Technology, and Environmental Committee of the National Assembly last Thursday, Deputy Trade Minister Cao Quoc Hung said that the construction of Vietnam’s first nuclear p...
iPhone 6 Arrives In Hanoi With VND40 Million Price Tag
The new iPhones have arrived in Vietnam, Apple’s hottest market, with some pretty hefty price tags.
Detailed Map Of The Entire HCMC Metro System
Saigon’s Bến Thành–Suối Tiên metro line is something of a teaser, the first of 6 that will serve the sprawling metropolis. While it's hard to say how accurate it is given a lack of official infor...
HCMC Moves To Cut Plastic Bag Use
Following in the footsteps of other large cities around the world, the Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment is pushing HCMC to reduce its reliance on plastic bags, reports Vietnam News.
Future Saigon: Thủ Thiêm’s Đại Quang Minh Project
The Đại Quang Minh Real Estate Corporation’s project in Thủ Thiêm is a mixed development of high-rise apartment buildings and villas that will include schools, shopping centers, cinemas, sports center...
[Video] Take A Virtual Ride On Saigon’s First Metro
Saigon’s metro system won’t be inaugurated for another 4 years or so, but while you wait, take a virtual ride on the Bến Thành–Suối Tiên line.
Brian Letwin in Architecture
[Photos] A Look At The Bygone Era Of “New” Cambodian Architecture
In the 1950s and 60s, Cambodia was developing a unique architectural style, one which blended aspects of the Modern Movement with traditional features found at Angkor. This movement, known as “New Khm...
Nguyen Hue Street To Add Massive Pedestrian-Only Promenade
It may be hard to believe given the current state of the area, but Nguyen Hue Street’s future is paved with granite sidewalks, 3D art and electric trams.
