An Ode to Vũng Tàu, Saigon's Unwavering Summer Crush
I recently took a trip to Vũng Tàu after a long summer of cultural research, which had me traveling up and down Vietnam. It had been seven years since I’d been back to the homeland, and 19 since I’d last seen the beaches of Vũng Tàu, when I was only 16. It felt like returning to a high school crush, and it made me think of the words of Trần Thiện Thanh, who once wrote, “Nhớ lúc xa xưa mười sáu trăng tròn…” I won’t say I wasn’t looking for something familiar, poetic, and possibly even as sappy.
Paul Christiansen in Travel
In Hội An’s Pottery Museum, Mini Clay Landmarks Hold Unexpected Memories
When preparing to visit Hội An’s Thanh Hà Pottery Museum, I didn’t anticipate an opportunity to reminisce. I hadn’t been to the museum dedicated to the region’s pottery traditions before, so how could it illicit fond memories?
Kit Humphrey in Travel
The Poetry of Everyday Life in Central Vietnam's Coastal Towns
Traveling south through central Vietnam by train can bring you to the familiar or the obscure: the Disney-fication of Hội An, the peaceful bays of Quy Nhơn, or the thrill of derelict spaces in Huế.
A Tribute to the Incredibly Eye-Catching, Organic Signage of Sa Đéc
Signs are like voices.
Linh Phạm in Travel
On a Walking Tour, Mulling Over the Glorious Past and Odious Present of Tô Lịch River
We began our journey in front of a bank where the street Trần Nhật Duật turned into Chợ Gạo.
Tuyết Nhi in Travel
Visit a 160-Year-Old Chapel Inside Saigon's Historic St. Joseph's Seminary
Hidden within the compound of the Saigon St. Joseph’s Seminary is a historic chapel that has withstood the test of time.
Tà Năng, One of Vietnam’s Most Beautiful Trails and Best-Kept Secrets
Whether we choose to participate or not, most of us are fascinated by Vietnam’s motorbike culture.
Khôi Phạm in Travel
Bask in the Morning Sun in the Green Heart of Huế Along the Hương River
As tourists, it's in our built-in compass to seek out novelties and excitements, if anything, to remind us that our daily humdrum is not everything, and there exists a world out there with multitudes to explore.
44 New Caves Discovered Near Phong Nha-Ke Bang National Park
On August 6, Phong Nha-Ke Bang National Park authorities announced the discovery of 44 new caves, bringing the total number of known caves in the area to 405.
[Video] Sauntering Down Hoi An's Color-Doused, Sun-Soaked Hẻms
Hoi An is something of a paradox. Frequently, people seem to decry its changes from a small, halcyon town into a major tourist destination. But bemoaning its current influx of foreign visitors not onl...
Anatomy of a Teen Magnet: Da Nang's Golden Bridge and the Giant Hands
In the midst of the forest high above Ba Na Hills outside of Da Nang, the Golden Bridge has grabbed visitors’ attention thanks to its striking appearance.
[Photos] In Saigon's Buu Long Pagoda, a Meditative Escape and Pan-Southeast Asian Architecture
It all started with a sparkle on the horizon, a beam of solar brilliance bouncing off a garish metallic surface.
[Photos] A Visit to Binh Thuan's 'Forgotten Land' Where Sand Comes to Life
Forgotten Land, a new sculptured sand park in Binh Thuan Province, may be perfect for tourists who like sand, but aren't a fan of the ocean.
[Photos] The Japanese Village That Replaces the Departed With Creepy Dolls
More than 10,000 towns are facing depopulation in Japan, but in Nagora — a village hidden away in Shikoku Valley — locals are returning in bizarre fashion: as dolls that replace the dead.
Urbanist Travel Getaways: Discovering Serenity in Bhutan – The Other Hermit Kingdom
Only a handful of pilots can manage the treacherous flight into Bhutan’s tiny international airport. As the plane tilts for the final descent, passengers gather by the windows — smartphones recor...
Hoi An Puts Immediate Stop to Proposed Cable Car Project Near Ancient Town
Vietnam’s unhealthy obsession with cable cars needs to stop.
Lee Starnes in Travel
Urbanist Travel Getaways: Exploring the Izakayas of Japan
“I always liked side-paths, little dark back-alleys behind the main road,” Dostoyevsky writes in his 1879 novel, The Brothers Karamazov. “There one finds adventures and surprises, and precious metal i...
Total Wellness as Explained by a Reiki Expert from Amanoi Resort and Spa
When Shyam Goyal was in his thirties working as a mechanical engineer, he developed ulcers, arthritis, chest pain and rapidly deteriorating eyesight.
Kit Humphrey in Travel
[Photos] Exploring Dala Township on the River Yangon's South Shore
Only a 10-minute ferry ride from central Yangon, Dala is a blur of motorbike horns, trishaw drivers peddling scams and old ships rusting on the riverbank.
[Photos] The Infinite Greenness of Ca Mau Cape Biosphere Reserve From Above
Ca Mau Cape was recognized as a UNESCO World Biosphere Reserve in 2009.
[Video] An Aerial Tour of Vietnam Through the Ultra-Definition of 4K
With the rise in popularity and drop in price of drones, gorgeous aerial footage is not hard to come by in recent months.
[Photos] Naypyidaw's Ghostly Central Train Station
Naypyidaw central train station, 11am. A heavy cloud hangs over the entire place. The moment you set foot in the city, it gives you the chills.
Alberto Prieto in Travel
[Photos] Saigoneer Getaways: Ha Giang's Mighty Loop
I’ve spent seven years in Vietnam and traveled from south to north on many occasions, but I have never seen a place as charming as Ha Giang Province.
Kit Humphrey in Travel
Soviet Accommodation, Forest Cabins and a Hobbit House: The Eccentricity of Nha Ben Rung
“It is a rocket center. The Soviets, they stayed there to control the rockets…” These are not exactly the kind of words you expect to hear from a homestay owner in northern Vietnam, especially not whe...
Cham Villas Boutique Luxury Resort – An Oasis of Serenity by the Beach
Lounging on a shady veranda surrounded by birdsong, or reclining on an expanse of pristine sand that stretches into the cool ocean without another soul in sight – few daydreams are more enticing than ...
Michael Tatarski in Travel
Saigoneer Getaways: Vietnam's Best 'Secret' Beach Destination
When it comes to tourism in Vietnam, it's hard not to be depressed by the frequent news of ruinous cable cars and mega-resorts, often accompanied by bulldozed natural areas.
Nepal’s Annapurna Circuit: A Beautiful Trek Amidst Change
In through your nose, out through your mouth. You can do this. In through your nose, aaaaand out through your mouth. I keep reminding myself how to breathe.
Lee Starnes in Travel
[Photos] The Rugged Beauty of Indonesia's Komodo National Park
Most people think of dragons when they hear about Komodo. While the world's largest lizards are one reason to journey to this remote corner of the world, the rugged vistas and incredible biodiver...
