Paul Christiansen in Travel
Art, Flowers Bloom at Huế’s Hidden Museum, Lebadang Memory Space
People often think that art is distant and difficult to appreciate, but a garden is different; everyone knows how to admire a flower.
This Trung Thu, Learn How to Make Lion Heads From Huế's Lân Artisans
Often seen as the heart of Central Vietnam, Huế is the birthing ground for many traditional crafts. Artisan products from the ancient city often exude its inhabitants' elegance and rustic quality. Amo...
Huế Becomes 1st City With Dedicated Lanes on Pavements for Bicycles
The growing popularity of biking as a recreational activity in Vietnam has been acknowledged officially by urban planners in Huế.
Khôi Phạm in Saigon Hẻm Gems
Hẻm Gems: The Best Cao Lầu Outside of Hội An Is in Tân Bình
Years ago, the first time I ate cao lầu, I committed a cardinal sin. As I gazed upon my freshly assembled bowl of noodles, without much thought, I asked the waitress for more sauce.
Just 12km From Huế, a Hidden Lake Welcomes You to a Night of Stargazing
If you’ve been meaning to embark on a trip to escape from the chaos of daily life but aren’t quite keen to plunge straight into the wilderness, Huế might be the perfect next destination. The city...
Paul Christiansen in Music & Arts
In Huế, an Interdisciplinary Exhibition Opens Literal and Metaphorical Doors
“I cannot stop opening doors,” Phan Lê Hà said in regard to the physical objects that reappear throughout her creative works.
Paul Christiansen in Environment
Vignette: Local Ox Rampages Airport, Stops Flights, Gets Put in Museum in Huế
Name a famous buffalo.
Paul Christiansen in Environment
Vignette: Behold Vietnam's Oldest Rock, a Memento Mori of Human Insignificance
While lamenting how long it had been since I’d last sent a postcard, a coworker at Saigoneer revealed that she is too young to have ever seen a stamp in person, let alone affixed one to a letter. The ...
'Engaging With Vietnam' Conference Ruminates on Heritage in Huế
“Living with Heritage, (Re)Creating Heritage: Vietnam and the World” is the title of the 14th Engaging with Vietnam conference, a series of activities including academic panel discussions, keynote tal...
Paul Christiansen in Vietnam
In Bình Định, a Museum Retells Nguyễn Huệ's Glorious Life via Vivid Murals
About 45 kilometers from downtown Quy Nhơn stands the Quang Trung Museum (Bảo tàng Quang Trung), one of Vietnam’s finest museums.
Khôi Phạm in Saigon Hẻm Gems
Hẻm Gems: We Found Huế's Roast Pork Chè in Saigon, but It's Complicated.
When the parent ingredients are such top-tier performers in their respective categories, it’s natural to feel disappointed that the resulting combination is so subpar.
On a Hill in Huế, a Glass-Filled Home Welcomes Natural Light With Open Arms
Are hills simply mountains that lack ambition?
Huế Announces Plan to Transform Hồ Thủy Tiên Waterpark Into Public Space
Authorities are planning to turn the long-abandoned Hồ Thủy Tiên Waterpark into a public space with the construction of a walking path, lighting, drainage system and water supply.
Great Vietnam Resurrects Nguyễn-Era Fashion, One Traditional Costume at a Time
In the last four to five years, ancient Vietnamese costumes have gained more visibility, becoming a welcome sight among young locals thanks to the efforts to reproduce and promote historic fashion fro...
Slices of Life in Saigon, Huế, Hanoi in 1989 on Film
What is it about coming across old photos that tugs on our heartstrings so much, even when they depict a time when some of us weren’t alive yet?
In Huế, a Glass Cottage to Spend the Rest of Your Life With Your Beloved
If somehow your relationship manages to survive illnesses, conflicts, and external temptations to endure until both of you are in your sunset years, how would you spend the rest of your life?
Huế Launches Public Bicycle Trial Program With 7 Stations, 250 Bikes
This Monday, Huế launched the pilot phase of its public bike rental system.
Controversy Brews Over 'Minh Mạng' Herbal Tea Brand's Song Joong-Ki Packaging
A tea product featuring the face of a South Korean celebrity has turned into a royal pain for its manufacturer.
Saijo, Huế's Sister City in Japan, Adds Bún Bò to School Lunch Program
Another step toward bún bò domination has been taken.
Vọng Cảnh, the Picturesque Hill in Huế That Even Emperors Cherished
The poetic Hương River flows calmly, the fresh air and breeze whisper through the lush pine forest, a coming sunset colors the peaceful natural spectacle. All of this can be experienced during a late-...
New Proposal to Move Tôn Đức Thắng Underground to Make Room for Walking Plaza
It's ambitious, to say the least.
Huế Plans to Relocate 100-Year-Old French Mansion to Make Room for Hotel
To make room for new developments, Huế authorities are mulling options to uproot and relocate a century-old villa.
Michael Tatarski in Environment
Huế's Fantastic Herbs and Where to Find Them, Now in Book Form
Have you ever walked past a plant and wondered "Hey, I wonder what that could do?"
[Photos] On the Road in 1970s Vietnam
Old photos, like memories, fade over time — corners darken, horizons blur, and colors lose their saturation.
[Photos] Old Film Photos Capture a Serene Huế in 1961
These colorful photos of Huế in the early 1960s provide outsiders an important view of the country at a pivotal time.
Hẻm Gems: In Saigon, Go Mô Rứa for a Well-Crafted Huế Culinary Feast?
In the Huế dialect, mô rứa is a phrase one might encounter often in daily conversation. When a Huế resident asks “Mi đi mô rứa?” they might be wondering where you’re heading.
Nguyễn-Era Fighting Arena in Hue to be Restored
Are you not entertained???
[Photos] Landmarks of 1966-1967 Saigon in Black and White
Sometimes the backstory behind a photograph is key, while other times simply observing an image is better.
After Each Flood, Hoi An Picks Itself up, Just Like It Has Always Done
Every year, Vietnam braces for dozens of tropical storms coming from the East Sea. Localities along the coast in central Vietnam have to bear devastating destruction caused by Mother Earth whenever se...
[Photos] VTN's Stunning Bamboo Restaurant on the Edge of Cúc Phương National Park
Floating on emerald water amid lush foliage-covered hilltops, the structure could pass for the setting of a fantasy novel.
Nguyen-Era Mandarin Cap Purchased at Auction in Spain for EUR600,000
You could buy approximately 35,000 modern baseball caps for the same price.
Hue to Spend $20m to Restore 5 Historical Sites From Nguyen Dynasty
Five sites in the ancient capital will be restored at a total cost of over VND460 billion (nearly US$20.2 million) over the next five years.
[Photos] Memories of Hue, Quang Tri in 1967 Through the Lens of Edward Palm
Empty streets, lines for food, shuttered shops: the last few weeks have certainly provided some strange scenes for Saigon residents.
With Summer Comes a Glorious Lotus Harvest Season in Hoi An
The farmers we met in these fields near Hoi An have been working their lotus farms since the end of the 1970s. The area has been a hub of lotus production in the decades since.
[Photos] An Enchanting Hue and Da Nang in 1967 Captured by Winfield Parks
Travel back to a time when drones were just airplanes.
Inside the Extravaganza Using Literature to Highlight Hoi An History
Directed by writer Nguyễn Quang Vinh, “Hội An Show – Gratitude” was launched last month in the central Vietnam town. It featured 150 artists portraying the history of the ancient town via stories of H...
[Photos] A Rustic Hue House as Charming as Grandma's Cottage
Who doesn't want a getaway home nestled in a garden?
Hue to Pilot Reintroducing Home Economics Into High School Curriculum
Starting from the next school year, some highschoolers in Hue might have an opportunity to learn how to cook Hue cuisine and other essential life skills.
Last Surviving Imperial Maid of Nguyen Dynasty Passes Away at 102
An important historical figure of the Nguyen Dynasty has left us this week.
[Photos] A Royal Tea Set, as Envisioned by a Vietnamese Graphic Designer
Poets ponder flowers, aristocrats paint ceremonial masks, and courtesans gather lotus flowers in wooden boats, all while fragile threads of steam uncoil from ceramic pots of tea.
Vietnam PM Approves Disaster Aid of $4.3m, 1,000 Tons of Rice for Worst-Hit Provinces
After days of being battered by adverse weather conditions, provinces in central Vietnam need all the help they can get, financial and otherwise.
As Downpours Continue in Central Vietnam, Landslides Emerge as Deadliest Threat
Communities across the central coast of Vietnam are going through one of the most challenging, widespread natural disasters in recent history.
Saigoneer Podcast: Our Dream Pedestrian Areas; Chilling Stories for Halloween
We're back!
[Photos] From the National Geographic Archive, Slices of Life in 1952 Vietnam
Mostly taken by National Geographic photojournalist Joseph Baylor Roberts, these excellent shots are among the best images of 1952 Vietnam that one can encounter.
Saigon Wants to Expand Pedestrian-Only Zone to 5 More Streets in D1
Saigon might create more pedestrian zones in the city in the future.
After Storm Noul, Hue Mourns Its Unnamed Victims: 10,000 Trees
Last weekend saw the arrival of Storm Noul, which wreaked havoc on the central coast of Vietnam, causing massive destruction and displacing many families.
Storm Noul Kills 6, Causes Destruction in Central Vietnam Over Weekend
The powerful storm made landfall in Thua Thien-Hue Province last Friday.
Vietnam May Evacuate 0.5m People Before Powerful Typhoon Noul Hits Tomorrow
Typhoon Noul, the fifth to hit Vietnam this year, is expected to make landfall between Quang Ngai and Quang Binh tomorrow.
Thua Thien-Hue Culture Department Officials Start Wearing Áo Dài to Work
Áo dài has become synonymous with the image of the Vietnamese woman, but what about its male version?
[Photos] Rare Photos of Hue From a Vintage French Publication in 1919
Hue is a city of empires, dynasties, armies, conquest and rule.
[Photos] Hue's 'Lotus House' Makes Wheelchair-Friendly Design Its Focal Point
Apart from its lotus-inspired motifs and clean contemporary elements, Lotus House in Hue is also special as a rare example of Vietnamese architectural design that takes into consideration the needs of...
Saigon Begins Redesigning Park Project in Front of Opera House
When complete, the 1,300-square-meter area will feature trees, vegetation, grass and pathways for communal use.
Hue's Infamous Abandoned Water Park Might Get a Makeover Soon
After years in limbo, Hue is making plans to transform the derelict Ho Thuy Tien Amusement Park into a more useful site.
Thua Thien-Hue Plans to Build 157-Hectare Bird Sanctuary
The 157-hectare bird sanctuary 15 kilometers outside of Hue aims to attract wild birds back to their natural habitat.
Saigon Tet Book Festival Rakes in VND3.6bn, 28.5% More Than Last Year
The Book Street Festival was open for Tet from January 22 to 28.
Saigoneer Podcast: Our Nguyen Hue Upgrades; We're Loud Fest Organizer Peter Menchetti
A new Saigoneer Podcast episode is out now!
[Photos] Saigon Unveils Design of Nguyen Hue Flower Street for Year of the Mouse
Lo and behold.
Saigon to Hold Nightly Music, Light Shows on Nguyen Hue Walking Street
To add to the hustle and bustle of downtown Saigon, a new water spectacle was recently announced.
Saigoneer Podcast: The Lure of the 'Promised Land' and the Collapse of Mon Hue
We're back after a little break!
In Its 2nd Edition, Coupe de Hue Features Bach Ma Mountain Trail, World-Famous Cyclist
Vietnam is opening itself up as a destination for international-standard competitive cycling events. But can the momentum last?
[Photos] Inside Hue's Award-Winning Dormitory for Students in Need
A quiet courtyard, accentuated by a lone plumeria tree; rows of rooms in wood texture; walls of lattice that dot the interior with mesmerizing patterns every time the sun comes up: welcome to Betania....
Michael Tatarski in Music & Arts
[Video] Saigon-Based Directors Feature Abandoned Hue Waterpark in New Music Video
A small boat reaches shore and an adventure begins at the wild, abandoned Ho Thuy Tien Waterpark outside of Hue.
Michael Tatarski in Travel
[Photos] Hue's Abandoned Waterpark Is a Post-Apocalyptic Beauty
Just south of Hue sits the Ho Thuy Tien Waterpark. Once a sign of aspirational middle-class family entertainment, it now sits abandoned, creating an eerie, graffiti-splashed destination in its own rig...
Hue Citadel’s 'Colosseum': Where Tigers and Elephants Battled to the Death
A unique, yet rarely visited monument in Huế’s ancient citadel is Hổ Quyền Arena, a stadium where tigers and elephants once fought till their last breath for the royal family’s entertainment.
Brian Letwin in Vietnam
Contrasting Past & Present
Old bridge. Photo by Khánh Hmoong If you love old Vietnam photos as much as we do, you’ll get a kick out of these which contrast the present and past of some of Vietnam’s most famous sites.
