As Infrastructure Lags Behind, Saigon's Poorest Hardest Hit by Worsening Flooding
In April 2023, in the first downpour of southern Vietnam’s rainy season, the narrow rented room where Mã Thị Diệp and her children were staying in Hồ Chí Minh City was inundated by knee-high water.
Khôi Phạm in Environment
What I Talk About When I Talk About Vietnam's Penguin Trashcans
Compared to the average Vietnamese, I might be thinking about trashcans a smidgen too much — not just any trashcan, but the infamous penguin-shaped trashcans that are ubiquitous at every corner of our public spaces.
Linh Phạm in Parks & Rec
House Dance Hanoi Teaches You How to Free the Body
I stood on the top floor of a building on Khâm Thiên Street, feeling grateful for the cold air. I came out here to take a break from the other side of the floor, which was divided into three rooms — three dance studios.
Inside Saigon's Grassroots Carton and Aluminum Recycling Plants
With plastics claiming many of the headlines worldwide and constituting a major issue in Vietnam, scant attention is being paid to other recyclable materials, namely cardboard and aluminum.
How Táo Xanh Forum Created a Safe Space for Gay Vietnamese Before Social Media
Before Vietnamese could hop on social media sites such as Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter to share our hot takes of the week, there was an era of past cybersphere when online forums were the crucial online space to connect local netizens.
Paul Christiansen in Environment
As Climate Change Threatens, Flood Waters Usher In Sustainable Opportunities for Communities in the Mekong Delta
The Mekong Delta is developing faster than Google Maps can keep up with. A stretch of road that was too narrow to accommodate cars and required a transition to motorbikes just six months ago was under construction during our August visit. Gargantuan machines for laying pulverized gravel inched aside to let our 7-seater pass so we could reach the home of Nguyễn Thị Thu Thủy to check in on her small fish drying home business.
Khôi Phạm in Natural Selection
10 Species of Lesser-Known Fruits to Get to Know Vietnam's Biodiversity
In the Vietnamese language, the word “cỏ” — meaning “grass” in the literal sense — is often used to signify that something is locally grown, no frills, and charmingly rustic; grassroots, if you will. Chó cỏ is the general term for the adorable mutts, usually mixes between Vietnam’s native dog species, born without the prestige of named breeds, while gym cỏ and net cỏ denote the casual gyms and internet cafes in one’s neighborhood. In the same vein of logic, may I put forth a new name for a special genre of Vietnamese fruits: trái cỏ?
How Vietnamese Architecture Adopted Modernism and Made It Our Own
Ask a person on the street what Vietnam’s distinctive style of architecture is, and the answer you get might be traditional architecture, like the historic curves of northern Vietnam’s village temples or the ornate regality of Nguyễn-Dynasty palaces. This time-honored style is widely accepted as the hallmark of Vietnam’s cultural wealth. What’s more fascinating but lesser-known is how this cultural vestige — which distinguished our architecture from that of China and Japan — has also managed to evolve in the new age, finding ways to exist right in the middle of our modern lifetime.
Vingroup Announces Electric Bus Service 'VinBus' With 2020 Launch Date
The non-profit enterprise aims to help develop urban public transport systems and reduce pollution in major cities across Vietnam.
Michael Tatarski in Society
On Its 10th Anniversary, a Look Back at H2H Charity Ride's Hanoi-Saigon Journey
On April 26, the H2H charity bicycle ride completed its 10th edition. Short for Hanoi to Ho Chi Minh City, the endeavor has evolved from a ragtag group of friends to a much more organized operation ov...
Why Vietnamese Demand for Rhino Horn Is Unlikely to Decrease Anytime Soon
Vietnam is one of the world’s largest consumers of rhino horn, contributing to the continued poaching of rhinos in the wild. Last year in Africa 1,100 rhinos were killed by poacher...
Moderate Rice Consumption Might Help Reduce Obesity Rates, New Study Shows
The secret behind Vietnamese and other Asians’ slender figure might lie in the region's rice consumption, a recent study shows.
Meet 16-Year-Old Nguyen Thi Diep, the Only Female at Hanoi's Basketball Tryout
As the Vietnam Basketball Association (VBA) professional male basketball league enters its new season, teams are hosting tryouts to look for young talent.
Mental Health Problems on the Rise for Vietnamese Youth
A recently released report highlighted a rise in mental health issues among Vietnamese youths, with a particular focus on anxiety.
[Photos] Saigon Architects Make the Best of D10's Cramped Hẻm Enclave
Only by staying in one neighborhood for an extended period of time could someone fully grasp how rapidly Saigon has been changing in recent years. Madame Nga, the matriarch of this new hẻm house in Di...
Japan to Help Clean Hanoi's Polluted To Lich River
Hanoi’s To Lich River is known for its heady fragrance and death-black palette, but that could all be about to change.
Female Garment Factory Workers in Vietnam Face Widespread Physical, Sexual Abuse, Study Shows
A new study interviewed 736 female Vietnamese garment workers to gain insights into the extent of abuse these women are facing.
New Strain of Antibiotic-Resistant E. Coli Discovered in Vietnam
Medical researchers have discovered in Vietnam a strain of Escherichia coli (E. coli) that's resistant to carbapenem, a class of highly effective antibiotics used to treat bacterial infections an...
77 Architects Cosign Request to Da Lat to Reconsider Development Plan
A new development plan, announced not long ago, will bring about major changes to Da Lat's central area.
In Nghe An, Untreated Waste From Artisan Villages Worsens Local Pollution
Artisan villages that make noodles, cakes and seafood in Nghe An Province are creating damaging pollution.
‘Who Made My Clothes’, an Exhibition Exploring the Human Cost of Fashion, to Launch in Hanoi Next Week
‘Who Made My Clothes?’ is a free exhibition as part of the global Fashion Revolution Week (22-28 April). The exhibition aims to raise awareness of the human cost and impact of the fashion industry and...
At BIS Hanoi's First-Ever Performing Arts Festival, Diversity and Talent Take Center Stage
Great collaborative school events create memories, foster a sense of achievement and enrich learning. Yet, as always, there are questions we ask ourselves before the show. Will everything go as planne...
[Photos] Saigon's Latest 'House for Trees' Is an Urban Garden on a Budget
The latest in the "House for Trees" project, Vo Trong Nghia Architects' new structure fills a tight space with greenery on a budget.
Saving Reefs and Servicing Communities at British International School
A whale with trash spilling out its busted belly, a seagull with feathers soaked in sticky oil, horses galloping in terror: a group of students circled around a computer peer over images of sculptures...
Only 39% of Pet Dogs in Vietnam Are Vaccinated: Animal Health Department
There are 5.4 million dogs registered as pets in 3.5 million households in Vietnam.
Quang Binh Says No to Controversial Son Doong Cable Car Project
Phong Nha-Ke Bang National Park might be safe from invasive development projects, at least for the time being.
A Japanese Electric Car That Can Float on Water Is Coming to Vietnam
Can the vehicle combat Saigon's water accumulation problem?
[Photos] Vo Trong Nghia's Latest 'House for Trees' Is an Urban Garden on a Budget
The latest in the "House for Trees" project, Vo Trong Nghia Architects' new structure fills a tight space with greenery on a budget.
