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.”
Hanoi Breaks Ground on Sports Complex With World's 2nd-Largest Stadium
Hanoi is currently building the country’s largest sports complex that’s hoped to become Vietnam’s go-to location to host international events and tournaments.
Saigon Approves Plan to Extend Metro Line 1 to Long Thành International Airport
Plans for eventual metro access to the Long Thành International Airport are taking shape.
Paul Christiansen in Natural Selection
A Brief History of Ngựa, a Non-Native Animal Vietnam Has Made Its Own
Are horses a Vietnamese animal?
In Đồng Nai, a Rustic Abode Emerges Under the Canopies of Cashew Trees
A clear directive was issued before construction of the home: all 26 cashew trees occupying the 100-square-meter plot must be preserved.
Big Changes for Online Advertising in Vietnam
For Google staff, today should prove to be slightly more relaxing following a week of big announcements. For many of them, the week started with a cup of coffee at the annual I/O developer conference ...
Brian Letwin in Development
City Center Overhaul to be "Harmonious"
For those skeptical about the recently announced changes to the city center, Nguyen Trong Hoa - Director of the Ho Chi Minh City Institute of Development Studies and one of the plan’s authors – explai...
Brian Letwin in Development
Airport for Mui Ne in the Works
Saigon might not be the only one who’s getting a shiny new airport - developers have submitted plans to the Phan Thiet central government to construct a $270 million regional airport. Russians, rejoic...
Brian Letwin in Development
How Saigon Plans to Avoid the 'Car Age'
“A developed city is not one in which the poor get around by car but one in which the rich get around by public transit” - Enrique Peñalosa, former mayor of Bogotá. It seems like every time I’m stall...
Brian Letwin in Tech
Vietnam Delays Introduction of 4G Service
Even as Vietnam becomes increasing connected by mobile devices, don’t expect 4G service any time soon. According to Vietnam News, the government wants to maximize the existing investments made by...
Asia's Social Media Boom
A macro-economic expert could view social media as a good economic development indicator. Social media fever is fading a bit in the US after the mini-bubble, encouraged by the highly criticized purcha...
Brian Letwin in Development
Massive Changes Approved for Saigon's City Center
Sometimes wishes do come true. The city government has approved a plan that will completely redefine the layout and borders of Saigon's city center. The highlight of the plan will see the conversion o...
Brian Letwin in Development
As Thu Thiem Stalls, City Rushes to Lure Investors
Development of Thu Thiem was supposed to be the crown jewel of Saigon’s urban expansion. Since 1996, plans have been in place to turn this green swath of land, directly across from District 1, into th...
Brian Letwin in Tech
"Fucking Ugly" Websites Plague Vietnam
Design is subjective; ‘good’ design changes by region, city and individual. Design elements that may seem antiquated to one, may be fresh or reinvented by another so we try not to judge - except when ...
Brian Letwin in Health
Forget Motorbikes. Smoking is Vietnam's #1 Killer
No matter where you’re from, smoking cigarettes is a killer. While Vietnam has started to feel the effects of this long-ignored but serious public health issue, perhaps a recent report from the Ho Chi...
Brian Letwin in Tech
Could This Vietnamese Startup Overtake Dropbox?
Dropbox has long been the biggest player in the cloud storage game, but this may soon change. Local startup, Kleii, has just secured its first round of seed funding and has its eyes on the internation...
Brian Letwin in Tech
Apple Returns Millions of Substandard iPhones to Foxconn
According to sources in a China Business report, Apple has returned up to 8 million iPhones to manufacturer, Foxconn, on the grounds that they were not fit or sale. The gaffe could not only result in ...
Brian Letwin in Development
The Ghost Town of Thu Thiem
As we’ve written about before, there are big plans to re-develop Thu Thiem into Saigon’s new business and finance center. For the last few years, the city has demolished entire neighborhoods to clear ...
Brian Letwin in Tech
With $100 Million in the Bank, CocCoc Looks to Unseat Google in Vietnam
There’s no doubt that Google is the global leader in search engines, owning a 67.5% global market share. But if the tech behemoth has one 'chink in the armor', it’s the inability to effectively h...
Brian Letwin in Development
Massive Transportation Plan for Saigon Revealed
We’ve heard a lot over the last few years about proposed improvements to Saigon’s transportation infrastructure. These include the new Long Thanh International Airport and expanding the city center in...
Brian Letwin in Development
Pullman Saigon Center Tops Out
The concrete skeleton at the corner of Tran Hung Dao and Nguyen Cu Trinh topped out just before Tet and is set to open later this year.
Brian Letwin in Health
Organic Vietnam: A Step in the Right Direction
Organic produce has gained massive popularity in the West over the last few decades. Given the importance of agriculture in Vietnam – both from economic and health standpoints – there are those who ar...
Brian Letwin in Development
Skyline Update: Eximbank Tower
Rendering of Eximbank Tower. Get ready for a major addition to the Saigon skyline – the Eximbank Tower. On December 17th, Eximbank announced the 40 story project, led by Turner and Nikken Sekkei desi...
Brian Letwin in Development
Skyline Update: Eximbank Tower
Rendering of Eximbank Tower. Get ready for a major addition to the Saigon skyline – the Eximbank Tower. On December 17th, Eximbank announced the 40 story project, led by Turner and Nikken Sekkei desi...
Brian Letwin in Development
As the City Stretches – Part 1 - The Pursuit of Sustainable Development
Over the past decade, Saigon has outgrown its traditional boundaries, forcing development not only vertically but horizontally. As the sky above District 1 becomes increasingly crowded and land scarce...
