The Childhood of Côn Đảo's Baby Turtles Caught on Film
In July, I visited Côn Đảo National Park as part of a group of International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) sea turtle volunteers to see first-hand conservation efforts aimed at the local sea turtle population.
Ward off Your Monday Blues by Joining Me on Beginners' Skateboard Night
Usually in life, niche topics are commonly associated with unpleasant stigmas and misunderstandings — skateboarding in Vietnam is no exception. Once, I admittedly was influenced by such one-sided assumptions.
Pure Passion Turns Dark: The Unexpected Dangers of the Wild Turtle Trade
Seeking a companion during quarantine, Khánh*, a 25-year-old Hanoian, bought a baby turtle through a Facebook group.
Khôi Phạm in Natural Selection
A Case for the Sweet-and-Sour Tamarind as Saigon's Official Municipal Tree
What is the municipal tree of Saigon? In popular culture, Hanoi is perhaps intricately linked with the paralyzing but often romanticized aroma of hoa sữa, while just over a hundred kilometers to the east, Hải Phòng proudly brandishes the name “the city of red phượng flowers.” Đà Lạt has too many flower varieties to choose just one, and settles for “the city of a thousand flowers.” Down south, Bến Tre’s abundance of coconut trees is famous nationwide. Ask any Saigoneer this question, and you’re likely to get one of two answers: chò nâu (dipterocarp) or me (tamarind).
Requiem for a Bàng Tree That Was Cut Down in Front of My Home
Curiosity drove me downstairs into the downpour. Out of the corner of my eye, I spotted the municipal workers — clad in orange-and-green uniforms, their clothes soaked — gathering around a crane. Their attention was focused upward. Following their gaze, I looked up, and froze.
How the Ghosts of iPhones Past Haunt Vietnam's Low-Income Communities
The current e-waste crisis in Vietnam is one example of global environmental apartheid.
Keeping Cool in Thủ Đức With This Humble Abode’s Well-Ventilated Design
Thick multi-layer brick walls, shaded areas, water features, and natural ventilation allow this private home to stay cool amidst the city's stifling heat.
Saigon's VOH Radio Building, a Marvel of Architect Lê Văn Lắm's Modernist Intuition
In the middle of the 20th century, Vietnam grew to become one of the world’s prominent centers of modernist architecture. Saigon at the time was an economic and cultural heart of the region, with many official government structures constructed and designed in the style of modernist architecture. They were created with aesthetics and form in mind, laying the groundwork to usher in a new period of growth for Vietnamese creative independence.
[Photos] Inside Binh Thanh's Xóm Nước Đen by the Cau Bong Canal
In recent years, development in Saigon has exploded, giving rise to towering skyscrapers, office towers and residential complexes throughout the southern hub. But even as the city’s modernization hits...
[Photos] Chau Doc's 'Corrugated Metal' Home by the River
After a makeover, a once-precarious home in Chau Doc has been transformed into a contemporary home without looking out of place in a traditional riverside neighborhood.
A Cafe in Hanoi Is Replacing Its Waitstaff With a Robot
Are you sick of human interaction? This café in Hanoi might have just the solution to your blight.
[Video] Take a Ride on the Saigon Waterbus
Now that the Saigon Waterbus has been open for a few weeks, the service is starting to settle into a rhythm, with six daily trips from each terminus.
Vietnam's Generation Z Earns Little, but Loves Eating Out: Report
Despite having little money, many members of Vietnam’s Generation Z spend a large percentage of their budget on eating out.
Michael Tatarski in Development
On Preserving Laos' Botanical Diversity in the Garden of Luang Prabang
In a region where rapid urbanization, hydropower development and resource demand is devastating natural ecosystems, a dedicated team is working hard to preserve Laos’ unique plant species.
Almost 2m Vietnamese Children Under 5 Suffer From Malnutrition: Nutrition Institute
Despite considerable national health progress in the recent decade, nearly a quarter of Vietnamese children under the age of five currently still suffer from malnutrition.
On the Vietnamese Language’s ‘Cuk Cak’ Conundrum
Is there room for improvement in the way we write Vietnamese? According to a project by a local academic, the Vietnamese language might be due for a major overhaul.
Pasteur Institute Tests Find E. Coli in 100% of Meat Samples Taken From Saigon, Dong Nai
According to a recent test, a worrying amount of meat samples from provinces in Vietnam's southeast contained traces of E. coli.
The Story of Giang Nguyen, Grab's First Blind Coder
Saigon native Giang Nguyen was born completely blind, but that hasn’t stopped him from succeeding as a coder for Singapore-based ride-share app Grab.
Thi Nguyen in Society
Saigon's Coworking Movement and the Rise of the City's Creative Class
I like working in cafes: every visit, I find myself a comfy seat, plug in my laptop, get the WiFi password and camp out for the whole day. But while this sounds nice, it’s only the sugar-coated versio...
[Photos] In D3, an Owner Transforms Her Childhood Home Into an Colorful Tube House
After a recent major renovation, this tube house in District 3 is now a spacious living quarter for a multi-generational family.
Vietnamese Men Are Most Likely to Favor Good Looks Over Personality: 20-Country Survey
A new survey of people from 20 countries found that Vietnamese men were the only respondent group that's more likely to value their partner's appearance over their personality.
Hanoi Starts Cleaning Hoan Kiem Lake 2 Years After Beloved Turtle Died From Pollution
Hanoi’s Hoan Kiem Lake will be cleaned up two years after its famous reptile resident died in its polluted waters.
Vietnamese From Rural Regions Are Using Smartphones and Facebook More Than Ever
Thanks to reductions in smartphone prices, these devices are now increasingly popular among Vietnamese all over the country.
Sharks, Anchors & Red Tape: Why It Takes Forever to Fix Vietnam's Broken Internet Cables
Are the sharks all to blame, or should other aquatic creatures also be held responsible for Vietnam’s sluggish internet?
Vingroup Hires Ryan Giggs, Paul Scholes for Football Academy in Hung Yen
Two well-known former soccer players from Great Britain have been hired by a new soccer academy in northern Vietnam in an attempt to create the country's first batch of World Cup-caliber footballers.
[Photos] This Abode in D3 Is a Green Oasis Amid Saigon's Concrete Jungle
A building in District 3 designed by architectural firm KIENTRUC O is using space and openness in a daring new way. The result is a structure that connects the lives of its occupants with the surround...
Most Foreign Brides in South Korea in 2016 Were Vietnamese Women
A new study by South Korea's national statistics organization has shown that Vietnamese women are now the largest group of foreign brides in the East Asian nation.
[Photos] Conquering Saigon's Concrete Jungle
The concept of urban exploration certainly isn’t in its infancy anymore: across Instagram and other social media feeds, photographs of masked lunatics dangling from skyscrapers abound. While many peop...
