Chris Humphrey in Society
The Rustic Beauty of Hanoi's Red River Brick Factories
Living in a city as culturally rich and absorbing as Hanoi, it’s not unusual to discover new secrets in a place you thought you knew completely. The depth of the capital really is astounding. And yet, I wasn’t quite prepared for the striking, rustic beauty of the brick factories on the Red River’s north shore.
Paul Christiansen in Natural Selection
The Ugly Truth of the Life and Impending Demise of the Hoàn Kiếm Turtle
Everyone knows the mythological story of the Hoàn Kiếm turtle.
I Went Cloud-Hunting and Found Peace Atop Đà Lạt's Tea Hill
Northern California is blessed with serene nature. Growing up there, pathless trails and cloudy mountain peaks were my safe havens, and when returning home on break from college, it was a tradition to visit my favorite hideout place: a curvy hill near my old high school. Sitting atop the hill and looking down at the city offer a peaceful means to recharge and quiet my mind. The appearance of clouds adds more to the valley’s awe-inspiring nature.
I Saw the World's Most Handsome Bird Right in Vietnam's Hidden Backyard
Everywhere I go in Vietnam, I keep my eyes peeled for the incredible birds that call this country home. Sometimes I don’t even realize that I’m doing it. I scan the horizon above low hills for migratory hawks. I stare into breaks in the foliage for passing buttonquail. I peer into rice paddies, fingers crossed for a cryptic snipe. And, of course, there’s Facebook. I refresh Facebook over and over again, waiting for the arrival of the mandarin duck. Its scientific name is Aix galericulata, which one assumes means “prettiest goddamn duck in the world.”
Amid Bảo Lộc Hills, a Wooden Cafe Floats Amongst the Clouds
In the middle of nowhere Bảo Lộc, perched on the side of an alternative national road is the wooden carapace of Nguyen Coffee, a veritable “Noah’s ark” welcoming travelers in for a short break to enjoy its drinks and spectacular view of the Đá Bàn Stream below.
Amid a Resort, This Thatched Hut Houses a Zero-Waste Water-Bottling Plant
A humble production hut built with recycled bottles, local timber, thatched roof and simple granito concrete floors is used as a bottling facility for drinking water.
Paul Christiansen in Natural Selection
Thanh Long: How Dragon Fruit Proves Beauty Is Only Skin-Deep
Of all my accomplishments in life, my greatest may be the creation of The Banana Line. This is a ranking tool, based on the belief that if all fruits were lined up from worst to best, taking into account taste, availability, price, consistency, portability, ease of consumption, versatility, etc., the banana would represent the exact middle; the precise median. The dragon fruit (thanh long) falls well, well below the banana line.
[Photos] Katinat Cafe's Gò Vấp Location Is an Industrial Glass Fortress
Cement, air, water, sand, and gravel: concrete is a simple material. Same for glass, that spread of super-heated quartz sand.
2 Vietnamese Projects Win Jury Prize at Architecture Awards by Architizer
A number of architecture projects in Vietnam have made the list of finalists or even won prizes at the A+Awards organized by Architizer.
As Covid-19 Batters Region, Vietnam-Hosted SEA Games Postponed to July 2022
Despite early containment success, Southeast Asian countries facing the Delta variant are channeling resources to healthcare instead of sports.
Paul Christiansen in Natural Selection
Trái Vải: The Intoxicating Harbinger of Summer
Is scarcity a source of beauty?
Street Art: Hanoi Runner Creates Drawings From Routes on Strava
Who said excercise can't be fun or artsy?
Linh Pham in Tech
Wonder How Much Air-Con Costs You This Summer? A Homegrown App Can Help.
Vietnam is facing a serious electricity shortage, yet we have no idea how much energy we use everyday.
[Photos] A 'Tropical Chalet' in Da Nang for Post-Pandemic Travel Dreams
What comes to mind when you see the word "chalet"?
Saigon Releases Update of Map Portal With Local Covid-19 Cases, Vaccination Points
If you still find it difficult to fully grasp the scale and spread of Saigon’s current COVID-19 outbreak, look no further than this new map portal.
HCMC Proposes Rail Link Between Tan Son Nhat, Long Thanh Airports
This is part of the city's suggestions for the Vietnam Railway Authority's railway development plan for 2021-2030.
Vietnamese Architects Are Leaders in the Architecture of the Information Age
Over the past few years, Vietnamese architects have been developing a new architecture beyond modernism for small projects such as houses and schools. Architects around the world are taking notice and...
Paul Christiansen in Natural Selection
Mèo: A Complicated Love Affair
Of all the Asian and Southeast Asian countries that use the animal zodiac, only Vietnam has a cat in place of the rabbit. One theory for why is that while Chinese has a word for rabbit, it also has a ...
Nguyễn Văn Thái Becomes Vietnam's 2nd Goldman Environmental Prize Winner
He has dedicated his life to fighting wildlife poaching in Vietnam.
In the Pandemic, Hanoi's Newfound Cycling Love Sends Bike Sales Zooming
Thanks to COVID-19, gyms, yoga studios, and parks have closed, but the need for physical exercise remains.
Hanoi Engineers Create Air-Conditioned Booth to Help Doctors Combat Summer Heat
As the weather becomes hotter in Vietnam, the jobs of pandemic medical staff have also become more difficult.
Vietnam's Childhood Obesity Rate Doubles Over 10 Years, Data Shows
Are Vietnamese children spending less time on active recreations and more at home?
Learning From Stories of Made-in-Vietnam Social Innovation, as Told by 4 Experts
In Vietnam, the term “innovation” is mostly associated with technological and economic development, but what about “social innovation”?
[Photos] A Phu Tho Home Embraces Traditions and Contemporary Design
Oh, to live amongst exposed brick and polished wood.
[Photos] Hanoi Architects Grow Creative Ecosystem Inside Slender Tube House
Completed last year, the VUUV building takes the tube house structure and turns it into a multi-purpose complex filled with dynamic hangouts and creative platforms.
Saigon's Only Bonsai School Grooms Budding Artisans on a Century-Old Craft
Bonsai has often been regarded as an activity for the elderly, but the local bonsai community is experiencing an unprecedented renewal thanks to the participation of an unexpected demographic: young p...
Paul Christiansen in Natural Selection
Cây Đa: A Tree That Contains Multitudes
A book, a beer and some shade, what else does one need?
Two Illustrated Books by Vietnamese Conservationist to Have Global Release
They tell the story of a Vietnamese woman working to rescue a bear and an elephant.
