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.
Vinh University Opens Vietnam's First Postgraduate Course in Wildlife Trafficking
The short course, titled "Combating Illegal Wildlife Trade," is a collaboration between the School of Biochemical Technology and the Environment of the University of Vinh and the wildlife conversation...
Vietnam Aims to Have 2 Universities in Asia's Top 100
Under the latest educational proposal, the Vietnamese government aims to bring at least two local universities into the list of Top 100 universities in Asia.
Vietnamese Ride-Hailing App FastGo Plans Expansion to US, Brazil
FastGo, a Vietnamese tech company, plans to enter the ride-share markets in Brazil and the US this year thanks to investors hailing from those countries.
Vietnam’s Magical Football Journey Culminates in a Battle Against Japan
After getting out of their group by virtue of a superior disciplinary record, Vietnam’s progress to the quarterfinals of Asian football’s showpiece event in the UAE has been achieved by some familiar ...
Tieu Chinh Nguyen, the 'Godfather' of Saigon Street Basketball, Passes Away at 74
Tieu Chinh Nguyen, 74, was a familiar face at Phu Tho stadium, a popular playground for Saigon's basketball enthusiasts.
[Photos] New Hanoi Library Allows Kids to Read, Climb and Learn about Aquaponics
Many libraries around the world are becoming dusty, outdated institutions, with some struggling to retain members. Others are considering digitization to attract new members. This new, open-air librar...
FLC Proposes 100,000-Seat Stadium, F1 Track, Zoo, Theme Park, Golf Course in Hanoi Complex
Last November it was officially confirmed that Hanoi will host Vietnam’s first-ever Formula One race. With their latest proposal, FLC Group is taking development plans in the capital to a whole new le...
Climate Change Is Forcing People Out of the Mekong Delta
The Vietnamese Mekong Delta is one of Earth’s most agriculturally productive regions and is of global importance for its exports of rice, shrimp, and fruit. The 18m inhabitants of this low-lying river...
One-Third of Students in Saigon Face Stress, Cyberbullying: Survey
A new survey conducted by Saigon's Department of Education and Training reveals unsettling realities regarding student well-being.
[Photos] This House in Ninh Binh Is the Antithesis of Gaudy Mansions
Completed in 2018, this dour, utilitarian house in Ninh Binh is a direct rebellion against the province’s growing population of gaudy mansions.
[Photos] This Spacious Garden Home is an Antidote to Hanoi's Cluttered Suburbs
ODDO architects have combined red bricks and rooftop garden spaces to create a spacious family home in an otherwise claustrophobic suburb.
[Video] The Remarkable Rise of Landmark 81 in a 30-Second Timelapse
There's nothing bold in saying that Saigon is changing right before our eyes, but it's rare that you get to see every step of a building going up.
People With Disabilities Make up Over 7% of Vietnam's Population: UNICEF
According to a recent UNICEF study, there are 6.2 million people with disabilities in Vietnam, accounting for 7% of the country’s population.
Vietnamese Bile Farms Are Collapsing, Yet Bears Continue to Face Neglect
Consumer interest in farmed bear bile seems to be declining in Vietnam, according to a new study. But this isn’t necessarily good news, researchers say, because it raises concerns for both captive and...
Quang Tri Hospital Saves Man From Methanol Poisoning by Feeding Him 15 Cans of Beer
Alcohol poisoning is a common problem in Vietnam, but this is among the handful of times when beer acted as an antidote, instead of the poison.
Vietnamese Lifestyle Startup WeFit Secures $1m in Funding
The startup was launched in late 2016.
To Improve Its Reading Culture, Vietnam Needs to Teach Children to Love Books: Expert
During a meeting reflecting on Vietnam's Book Day which was founded five years ago, Vice Director of Vietnam Publishing Group Le Hoang laid out four proposals for cultivating a stronger reading c...
Vietnam Approves Additional Funding for Saigon's Metro Line 1, 2
Hopefully, the increased funding can help alleviate the crises surrounding the construction of the first metro line and kick start the second line's construction.
[Photos] Local Architects Create Modular Rest Stop Amid Nghe An's Tea Oasis
Instead of making over an old apartment or creating towering domes out of bamboo to exercise their creative muscles, a local architecture firm decided to create an abstract “gazebo” out of modula...
Across All Vietnam, Hanoians Expected to Live the Longest
According to the latest official statistics, Hanoi currently boasts the nation's longest life expectancy.
