Bạch Nam Hải’s Documentary Photo Series Captures Sapa's 7 Years of Transformation
From the town to the depths of the misty mountains of Sapa, Bạch Nam Hải embarked on a documentary photographic journey, capturing the essence of local life, the intimate connections between people and nature, and the contrast between the natural landscape and rapid urban development fueled by tourism expansion.
Chris Humphrey in Travel
'Living Hanoi' Series by Joseph Gobin Delves Into the Capital's Eccentricities
Is there a photographic format more suitable for capturing Hanoi's abundantly complex and alluring culture than the crystalline clarity of medium format film?
Insights, Polished History Lessons Await in Hanoi's Massive, Brutalist Military Museum
When I pitched a review of Hanoi’s massive new Vietnam Military History Museum to the Saigoneer editorial staff, I expected to find the museum somewhat boring. After all, although I am a historian, I am not really that interested in military stuff, and I’d been to the original location on Điện Biên Phủ Street several times — how could this new museum improve on the old one? What could this new museum say that the old one didn’t? What could I learn here that I haven’t already learned at Saigon’s War Remnants Museum and Hồ Chí Minh Campaign Museum, at Điện Biên Phủ’s war museum, at Hải Phòng’s naval museum, and at the countless other shrines to Vietnamese martial prowess across the country? Quite a lot, it turns out.
Paul Christiansen in Travel
Ruminate on Our Natural Legacies While Surrounded by Cây Sao at Ao Bà Om
I never pass up an opportunity to reflect on chò nâu and its dipterocarp relative, cây sao. The massive trees that gracefu...
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.
Live Music, Sports, Art and Activities Fill District VUI with Summer Fun
Vietnam’s south-central coast is blessed with warm sunshine, cool waves, and relaxed vibes all year round, creating a perpetual vacation atmosphere. With school breaks and summer holidays, there is no better time to explore the tropical regions at the nexus of forest and sea.
Brian Letwin in Travel
The Quiet Calm of Hiding From the Heat Under Phan Rang's Grapevines
The punishing mid-day sun dictates the pace of life in the corridor between Phan Rang and Cam Ranh, where locals escape to their living rooms or hammocks, and tourists seek the cooling breeze of the beach, seafood restaurants or resort pools. Perhaps one of the most underrated ways to take refuge from the heat is to duck into one of the nearby grape vineyards where winding vines create a natural oasis.
Paul Christiansen in Travel
The Curious Case of Quy Hoà Leprosy Colony's Park of Busts
A delightfully bizarre place, Quy Nhơn’s Quy Hoà leprosy colony deserves exploration in full , but clustered in a grove of...
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 App ConstructionBnB Helps You Explore Vietnam's Beautiful Construction Sites
If you live in Vietnam, chances are you live next to a construction site: hotels, condos, shopping centers, etc. But why see the same old site every day when there are so many different ones out there...
Thanh Hóa Announces Mắm Tôm-Drinking Contest to Lure International Tourists
How much mắm tôm can you chug?
The Charm of Hòn Yến, Where Coral-Watching Doesn't Involve Diving
Every year, from May to August, when the water reaches its lowest levels at Hòn Yến, a “jungle” of vibrant coral reefs and other marine creatures rises to the surface.
Paul Christiansen in Travel
On the Hunt for Colorful Murals in Đà Lạt's Hilly Hẻms
Was color a casualty of COVID-19? Along with the freedom to gather, to attend live concerts and travel, did the pandemic rob us of opportunities to fully appreciate color?
Private Company Wants to Build $1.3bn Launchpad in Phú Quốc for Space Tourism
Conglomerate Thaigroup hopes to build the nation's first spaceship launchpad to facilitate space tourism.
Vietnam Airlines Completes First-Ever Direct Flight to United States
Welcome to the big leagues.
All Aboard the Languorous Train From Hanoi to Saigon
The train connecting Vietnam’s largest cities takes 35 hours. Yet even after the first time I finished the trip, I was already coming up with excuses for why I needed to do it again. For me, the journ...
Khanh Hoa Official Proposes Visa Exemptions for Foreign Tourists
Officials are looking for ways to boost tourism as Vietnam slowly begins to re-open.
Just 50km From Hanoi, Đường Lâm Village Is a Charming Historical Relic
If one were to strike out west from Hanoi and follow the Red River for some 50 kilometers, there they will find Đường Lâm Village — a quintessence of rural Vietnam.
5 Localities Aim to Welcome Vaccinated Foreign Tourists From Next Month
Tourism destinations in Vietnam are eager to restart their economies after it appears that the current outbreak is subsiding.
Immerse in a Serene Morning at Ngã Năm Floating Market
Floating markets haven’t completely disappeared from Vietnam’s commercial landscape.
A Lifetime Adrift: Phu Quoc Cruise Ship Crewmen Live and Work On Board
In the days before our lives were disrupted again by the pandemic, I was fortunate enough to visit the remote beauty that is Phu Quoc and its many ivory beaches. On my trip, I also had the opportunity...
A Day in the Life of Madame Xuân, Hoi An's 85-Year-Old Vegetable Vendor
She is not famous but has silently become a part of Hoi An’s cultural beauty for years.
Adrien Jean in Travel
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.
Morgan Ommer in Travel
Glimpses of a Tranquil Hanoi From Inside 21 Days of Hotel Quarantine
I landed at Noi Bai Airport on May 28, 2021.
How Quy Nhon's Old Cemetery Slowly Expands up Vung Chua Mountain
You might miss it if you were driving past, but once you walk down a small hẻm off Quy Nhon’s main Tay Son Street, the massive cemetery sprawls in all directions.
Could Phong Nha Be One of Vietnam's Top Sustainable Travel Destinations?
A recent trip to Phong Nha — before this most recent COVID-19 wave — left me wondering whether I had just visited one of Vietnam’s more sustainable travel destinations. Of all the places I have been s...
Bamboo Airways Will Start Daily Flights to the US This September
Starting in September, the upstart airline will offer non-stop services from Saigon to San Francisco and Los Angeles.
Urbanist Travel's Guide to Da Lat
What to eat, drink and discover in Da Lat
