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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.

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Tourists Generate Up to 3 Times More Plastic Waste Than Locals, UNDP Finds

A recent report by the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) warns that plastic waste pollution poses increasing pro...

Paul Christiansen

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'Chuyện Của Pao' Turned a Historic H'Mông Home in Hà Giang Into a Tourist Attraction

The photos don’t do it justice. That’s what you’ll often hear from people who visit Hà Giang to cruise its famed highway loop.

Paul Christiansen

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From Dark to Dawn, an Early Morning at Hội An's Duy Hải Fish Market

At 3am, Hội An’s streets resemble dog-gnawed pork bones, licked clean of all scent and viscera. No light, no noise, no movement. But that’s the time you must venture out to witness the Duy Hải Fish Market in action.

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Vietnam Welcomes 21m Tourists in 2025, Highest-Ever Figure in History

Last year marked an impressive year for tourism in Vietnam. A record number of 21.17 million international tourists visite...

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Hanoi's Proposal to Stop Train Service Might Spell the End of 'Train Street'

Hanoi’s infamous train street might be going away if a new municipal plan becomes a reality.

Pete Walls

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At Kon Tum's Đăk Đrinh Lake, Life Slows to a Therapeutic Pace

Đăk Đrinh Lake lies in the northern reaches of Kon Tum, where the hills rise in slow, deliberate waves and the pace of life is set by the land. The Ca Dong ethnic communities remain here, maintaining their language, stilt houses, and routines that have shaped this corner of the highlands for generations.

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[Photos] What It’s Like to Take a Flight on North Korea’s Air Koryo, 'World’s Worst Airline'

According to Skytrax, which ranks and reviews 681 airlines, North Korea’s Air Koryo is the least pleasant to fly. The state-owned airline is the only carrier on the site that has a 1-star ranking and ...

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[Photos] A Closer Look At Vietnam’s New 5-Star Trains

More details and photos of Vietnam’s new 5-star trains have popped up in the local press this week, providing pricing information and a deeper look at the upscale amenities which promise to provide a ...

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[Photos] 5-Star Train Makes Debut on Vietnam’s North-South Railway

After four months of upgrades, a train consisting of Vietnam Railway’s typical rolling stock has been relaunched as a 5-star train, the first of its kind in Vietnam.

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[Photos] Tà Chì Nhù: Vietnam’s "Ocean Of Clouds"

Within the rolling hills of Yen Bai Province sits Tà Chì Nhù, Vietnam's 6th tallest mountain at 2,979 meters.

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Vietnamese Airlines May Soon Offer Direct Flights to the US

For Vietnamese and expats who frequently travel between Vietnam and the U.S., you may not have to endure long stop overs much longer.

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Construction Of Phan Thiet Airport Set To Kick-Off This Month

After getting the Prime Minister’s approval last September, construction of the Phan Thiet Airport is scheduled to commence this month according to provincial People’s Committee.

Lee Starnes

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[Photos] Phú Quốc: An Idyllic Beach Getaway…For Now

A short 45-minute flight from Saigon takes you away from the city’s frenetic energy and drops you in a place where the sounds of waves hitting the sand replace the endless honking horns of busses and ...

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Jetstar Tops The List Of Most Delayed Airlines In Vietnam

According to a recent survey, Jetstar Pacific is Vietnam’s tardiest airline with 30.6% of their flights delayed.

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Da Nang Makes NY Times' '52 Places to Go in 2015' List

Over the past decade, Da Nang has boosted its profile as an international tourist destination with its beautiful beaches, fine dining and luxury hotels.

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Huffington Post: “21 Reasons To Fall In Love With Vietnam”

The Huffington Post recently released their list of “21 Reasons To Fall In Love With Vietnam,” highlighting the country’s natural beauty, food and people among other things.

Lee Starnes

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48 Hours In Tam Cốc-Bích Động

As you approach the small town of Tam Cốc-Bích Động, limestone karsts jump out of the endlessly flat terrain like monuments to the days of yesteryear.

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Condé Nast's "10 Reasons To Visit Ho Chi Minh City Now"

In a mix between a Rough Guides list and a "36 Hours" New York Times piece, Condé Nast, one of the World’s leading publishers, recently compiled “10 Reasons To Visit Ho Chi Minh City Now.”

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You Can Now Take A Seaplane From HCMC To Phan Thiet

After a seemingly successful launch of its seaplane service between Hanoi and Ha Long Bay last September, a Vietnamese aviation company kicked-off its HCMC – Phan Thiet service last Saturday.

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[Video] 1200 Hours In Vietnam Hyperlapse

Last October, Evan Corrigan used his iPhone 5 to create this nifty hyperlapse of his 1200 hours in Vietnam.

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Vietnam Resort Makes Designboom’s 2014 Top Hotel And Resort List

Designboom, the world's first and most popular digital architecture and design magazine has just released its rankings of the world’s top hotels and resorts, judged based on function, location and for...

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[Video] Dirt Bikers Slip And Slide Their Way Across The Vietnamese Countryside

Earlier this year, five Vietnamese guys took the Cuong Mud Challenge which took them off the beaten path and into the muddy waters of the Vietnamese countryside.

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Rough Guides: Mekong Delta Among Top 10 Best-Value Destinations

UK travel publication, Rough Guides has ranked the Mekong Delta as one of 2015’s “Best Value Destinations.”

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New Expressway Cuts HCMC–Vung Tau Travel Time in Half

The Ho Chi Minh City – Dong Nai expressway opened up two major sections on Saturday, 5 months ahead of schedule.

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[Video] From Saigon To The Sea

In the urban bubble that is Saigon, we sometimes forget that the city isn’t located far from the sea.

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PM Pushes Agencies To Move Ahead With Visa Waivers For More Nationalities

Prime Minister Nguyen Tan Dung is pressing relevant ministries to move ahead with visa waivers for more nationalities in order to boost tourism, reports Thanh Nien.