Khôi Phạm

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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.

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Chùa Một Cột in Thailand Reminds Me of the Familiar in an Unfamiliar Land

On my last full day in Khon Kaen, Thailand, I was on a mission to catch the sunset, although the cloudy and gloomy sky didn’t give me much hope. Instead, I randomly stumbled upon a gate with signs written in Vietnamese. Out of curiosity, I decided to walk in, and the farther I walked, the more clearly I spotted a familiar image from afar: a one-pillar pagoda standing right on the edge of the reservoir.

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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

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'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?

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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

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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

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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.

Back Travel

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Vietnam to Cut Visa Fees Next Month

In the wonderful world of Vietnamese tourist visas, the rules seem to change everyday. Whether it's permitting certain passport holders to enter the country visa-free or discussing whether to wai...

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Pack Your Bags: VietJet Now Flies to Yangon

Planning a trip to Myanmar just got a little easier, thanks to VietJet. 

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Vietnam May Waive Visas For 19 More Countries But Who Knows

In this week's installment of visa-related news, the Vietnam National Administration of Tourism (VNAT) is discussing the possibility of waiving visas for 19 more countries in an end-of-year push to ra...

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[Video] Southeast Asia Travel Video Weaves Together Vignettes of Everyday

Thanks to GoPros, Vimeo and the power of the internet, we've all seen our fair share of Southeast Asia travel videos. These days, it's pretty hard to stand out amid the sea of camera-toting backpacker...

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The Guy Who Visited 198 Countries Thinks Hanoi Is Great

Everyone in Vietnam is, of course, partial to their hometown. For locals, it's the place they grew up; for foreign residents, it's where they first fell in love with Vietnam. But for one intrepid trav...

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Vietnam's Visa Waiver Fail

While Vietnamese officials are making an effort to boost the number of visitors to the country, it may not be enough to pull Vietnam out of its tourism slump.

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The Tragic Demise Of Phu Quoc's Coral Reefs

Phu Quoc, Vietnam's top island destination, has been the subject of environmental controversy for a while now. Between luxury hotels dumping wastewater into the ocean, thousands of sea cucumbers washi...

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[Video] Here's What Vietnam Looks Like From Above

It's easy to get cynical about Vietnam's tourism industry. While this is a country with plenty to offer, there are a whole host of things that can bring a traveler down. But every now and again, someo...

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Vietnam To Waive Visas For Việt Kiều, Foreign Spouses Of Vietnamese

Việt kiều and foreign spouses of Vietnamese nationals will soon be able to save a few extra pages in their passport, thanks to a new decree from the Ministry of Public Security granting visa exemption...

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[Photos] Vietnam's Rice Terraces Among the World's Most Surreal Landscapes

In mountainous northern Vietnam, farming conditions aren't exactly ideal: the terrain is uneven and the weather fickle. But with a lot of hard work and some solid planning, the country's farmers manag...

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Check Out Vietnam's Latest Tourism Promotion Video

On September 21, Vietnam's Ministry of Foreign Affairs officially released a new video aimed at promoting tourism in the country.

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Saigon Railways To Open Daily Route To Ninh Thuan Province

On October 3, Saigon Railways will begin offering a daily train service from Saigon to Phan Rang-Thap Cham in coastal Ninh Thuan province.

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[Video] Drone Video Goes Behind the Scenes of Son Doong Cave Expedition

There's a lot of hype around Son Doong these days, and when you take a look at the ever-growing collection of photos and videos from within the place, it's not difficult to see why. The world's larges...

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[Video] A Day In The Life Of A Saigon Container Ship

When we think of container ships, the first image that springs to mind is usually a gigantic man-made vessel that pollutes the water and obstructs our view of the ocean.

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Get Ready For Gondola Rides On A Saigon Canal

Gondolas will no longer be solely the symbol of Venice, reports Tuoi Tre.

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15 Photos Of Vietnam's Most Beautiful Sunrises

Whether it is a metropolitan hub, a sleepy central Vietnam highland town in mist or a tranquil remote island, these photos of sunrise capture the beautiful transition between night and day that is rar...

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Son Doong Tops Smithsonian's List Of Places To See In The 21st Century

Late last week, Smithsonian magazine announced its 21st Century Life List, giving a fancy name to what most of us call a “bucket list”. The lineup included several hair-raising experiences, from ...

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Stunning Video Captures Snapshots Of Northern Vietnam

When German photographer Stefan Siebert visited Vietnam earlier this year, he wanted to travel light but also capture images of his journey. Using a handy Blackmagic camera and monopod, the photograph...

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Military Area in Cam Ranh to Be Converted Into Tourism Beach

In a bid to boost tourism in Cam Ranh, the Vietnamese military has agreed to hand over a beach to their civilian counterparts for tourism development.

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Uber Is Giving Away Free Helicopter Rides In Da Nang This Weekend

To inaugurate the launch of UberCHOPPER, Uber’s new helicopter service in Vietnam, the company is giving away flights to a few of its Da Nang users this weekend.