Khôi Phạm

in Natural Selection

The Rise and Fall of Phượng Vĩ, the Summer Icon of Our Teenage Dreams

I was a teenage cliché. No matter how much I try to rack my brain to find any other personal connection to the incandescently red tree that is phượng vĩ, I keep going back to my middle school crush and that one tree in the front yard of our school.

in Environment

Another Hoàn Kiếm Turtle Dies in Hanoi, Setting Back Conservation Efforts

It’s reported that a “Hoàn Kiếm turtle” living in Hanoi has died, further impeding efforts by conservationists to keep the species from extinction.

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.

in Parks & Rec

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.

in Environment

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.”

in Architecture

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. 

in Architecture

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.

Back Society

Brian Letwin

in Tech

Going Abroad Soon? You Might Want to Pick up a Couple iPhones.

It looks like Vietnam’s rich may be using some of their rhino horn money to obtain the world’s newest status symbol, the iPhone 5s. Prices of the phones are skyrocketing in Vietnam with the coveted go...

Brian Letwin

in Development

Saigon to Implement $155 Million Bus Rapid Transit System

The HCMC Traffic Works Management and Construction Board has just announced plans for six Bus Rapid Transit Systems (BRT) to meet growing demand. The first line, which will run from District 6 to Dist...

Brian Letwin

in Development

Vietnam’s Rich are Getting Richer

Vietnam’s economy may be slowly recovering but for the country’s rich, things are better than ever. 

in Tech

Vietnam as Seen From Space

If it were up to us, the majority of America's $700 billion annual military budget would be funneled to NASA (Neil Degrasse Tyson would likely agree). While this may be a pipe dream due to America's s...

Brian Letwin

in Tech

Facebook Enjoying Massive Growth in Vietnam

A few years ago, it was not always an easy task to log into Facebook in Vietnam. Changing DNS settings, installing HotSpotShield or using a VPN were your best bet to log onto the site. My, how times h...

Brian Letwin

in Development

Is Saigon Losing its Soul?

In a recent article for Metropolis Magazine, Carl Robinson reflects on the massive changes to Saigon’s urban character over the last 15 years. He found that the city’s colonial buildings, designed wit...

Brian Letwin

in Society

Street Signs: Xô Viết Nghệ-Tĩnh

In this edition of Street Signs, we’ll tackle Xô Viết Nghệ-Tĩnh, which, in our humble opinion, is one of Saigon’s coolest streets, at least in name. And if you think Xô Viết is the Vietnamese version ...

Brian Letwin

in Health

Lead Dust Choking Vietnam's Cities

Break out the facemasks. A new report has found that lead dust pollution is on the rise in Vietnam’s cities and is currently 2 – 4 times higher than accepted levels.

Brian Letwin

in Environment

Rhino Horn: Instant Status Maker

Even as the illicit rhino horn market gets more and more negative press, it’s not stopping status-seeking Vietnamese from consuming the horn’s powder. In a recent piece in Times Live, a New Zealand-ba...

in Health

The Toxic Legacy of Agent Orange

As the US government claims to be worried about the use of chemical weapons all over the world, one question is still waiting for an answer in this country. Although the major issues causing tension b...

Brian Letwin

in Tech

Crowdsourcing Startup, Flitto Seeks to Make Google Translate Obsolete

Whether you’re a native English or Vietnamese speaker, chances are, you’ve used Google Translate at least once. The tech behemoth’s translation service, which relies on an algorithm, is notorious for ...

Brian Letwin

in Development

First Phase of Metro Line No. 5 Fully Funded

With construction is already in full swing on Saigon’s first metro line, the city is close to reaching its funding goal for the first phase of line No. 5. Most of the funding will come from the Asia D...

Brian Letwin

in Development

A Day in the Life of a Saigon Drainage Worker

As much of Saigon was built on swampland, drainage is vital to the city’s development and progress. Yet with each heavy rain, large swaths of the city become inundated and streets come to resemble sma...

Brian Letwin

in Environment

Environmentalism and Sustainability Gaining Steam in Vietnam

Vietnam is slowly but surely understanding the need for sustainable development and a clean environment. We’ve recently seen the erection of green homes, establishment of green-focused youth clubs and...

Brian Letwin

in Tech

Vietnamese Tech Startup of the Month – September Edition: Digi-Gps

Digi-GPS, a local Vietnamese startup, seeks to apply high-technology to our decidedly analog motorbikes. The company has launched two security-minded products to help bike owners feel secure - SmartBi...

Brian Letwin

in Development

Minimalist Nest House in Binh Duong

The Nest house was designed for a middle-aged architecture writer. The house, located on the outskirts of the new city in Thuận An, Binh Duong Province, seeks to blend urbanism with a variety of archi...

Brian Letwin

in Development

Vietnam Set to Become World’s Largest Motorbike Producer

Slowly but surely, Vietnam is becoming the favored location for large scale motorbike manufacturing. If the trend continues, analysts predict that within 10 years, Vietnam will become the global leade...

Brian Letwin

in Development

Why Sustainable Development is Vital For Vietnam's Future

Green building is starting to take off in Vietnam. Over the past few months, we’ve seen a number of ‘green’ homes sprout up across Saigon, using open floor plans, sustainable materials and plants that...

Brian Letwin

in Development

World Startup Report @ Saigon Hub

From the organizer: The World Startup Report is a social project to help understand and connect the different startup ecosystems in the world.

Brian Letwin

in Tech

Free WIFI Coming to Saigon Buses

In a bid to increase the ridership on Saigon’s 270 bus routes, the city will implement free WIFI for passengers.