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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.

Paul Christiansen

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How a Film Turned a Historic H'Mông Homestead 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.

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What to See in a Landlocked Country? How a Detour to Laos Made My Heart Feel Full.

Editor's note: This essay by Alex Tran won 1st place in the Editor's Choice category of Saigoneer's first-ever essay writing competition, "2 Years of Memories," in collaboration with Urbanist Travel. We felt that the author went beyond just chronicling the play-by-play events of a trip, and gave the portrayal of Bolaven Plateau characters, genuine interactions, spirits, and most importantly, poignant human connections.

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Đà Lạt to Debut Double-Decker Bus Tours by End of 2022

Following in the wake of popular open-bus tours in some of Vietnam's other metropolises, Đà Lạt will begin the service by the end of the year as part of a pilot program. 

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All by Myself in Sapa: How I Learnt That Traveling Alone Doesn't Have to Be Lonely

One item on my “bucket list” is a journey to discover an exciting new land on a solo trip. It’s not a simple aspiration so I didn’t think that I would get a chance to accomplish it any time soon, but right on my 19th birthday, Châu, my “big boss” and mentor at Urbanist Travel, surprised me with an unforgettable vacation to Sapa.

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Brise-Soleil, Đá Rửa, and Other Modernist Curios to Befriend on a Walk Across Saigon

My non-existent architectural background leaves me unable to do anything beyond expressing a distaste for tacky constructions and a vague idea of what constitutes a well-designed building. I can speak on the tasteful placement of a brise-soleil with as much confidence as a nervous five-year-old cooking beef wellington for an unhinged Gordon Ramsay. I hadn’t even heard of Vietnam’s modernist architecture movement until a few weeks ago, but when I was given the opportunity to take part in Urbanist Travel’s modernist architecture tour, I was intrigued to learn more about the stories behind the remnants of history I drive past in Saigon on a daily basis.

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Introducing the '2 Years of Memories' Travel Writing Competition

To celebrate the 2 nd anniversary of Urbanist Travel , we are excited to invite you to participate in Saigoneer ’s first-ever ...

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Meet Urbanist Travel, Saigoneer's Sister Company Bringing the World Closer to Vietnam

Loyal readers might know Saigoneer as a home where all things fascinating, whimsical and insightful about Vietnam are celebrated, but not many are aware that for the past years, we have been a tiny bit more than just writers. Two years ago, we officially welcomed our sister company Urbanist Travel into the family.

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Con Dao to Reclaim Sea for $99m Proposed Extension of Airport Runway

Ba Ria-Vung Tau provincial authorities have identified a runway extension of Con Dao's airport as a key development project for the region's development.

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Vietnamese Influencer Sparks Outrage for Sitting on Coral Reefs in Phu Quoc

Maritime tourism in Vietnam is developing fast, but for a lot of domestic tourists, conservation education in the country is lagging behind.

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Pivoting to Domestic Tourism, Hanoi Hopes to Attract 11m Visitors This Year

With international visitors nowhere in sight, officials and tourism operators in Hanoi are fully focusing on the domestic travel market.

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Ta Nang, 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.

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Hai Phong to Open New Cable Car Route Connecting Cat Ba, Cat Hai Islands

On June 6, the northern city of Hai Phong will welcome a cable car line connecting Dong Bai Commune on Cat Hai island and Phu Long Commune on Cat Ba island.

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Japan Might Reopen for Vietnamese Visitors With Negative Covid-19 Tests

Vietnam's successful containment of the coronavirus outbreak may mean its people will be able to travel abroad sooner, rather than later.

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Vietnam Extends E-Visa Scheme to 80 Countries; Borders Remain Closed

Starting July 1, citizens from 80 countries and territories will be eligible for electronic visas for future Vietnam visits, though this does not mean that foreign visitors will be allowed into the co...

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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.

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[Photos] Urbanist Travel Getaways: The Stillness of Kyoto's Fushimi Inari Taisha at Night

If you visited Kyoto but didn’t snap a snazzy shot of the seemingly infinite row of torii gates, did you really visit Kyoto? Or at least, that’s what common travel conventions seem to suggest.

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Airlines in Vietnam Prepare to Resume Domestic Flights on Thursday

The two airlines plan to begin offering more domestic routes from April 16, following the scheduled ending of the national social distancing campaign.

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[Photos] In Yangon's Forsaken Amusement Park, Nature Finds Home in Decrepit Artifacts

Yangon Amusement Park was built in 1997 by the former military junta as a flashy distraction from their violent dictatorship.

Chris Humphrey

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[Photos] Dangerous, Adorable, Bizarre: A Look at Japan's Time-Honored Art of Making Mochi

Frenetic, dangerous, absolutely bizarre… the time-honored art of pounding mochi, a simple Japanese glutinous rice desert, is as entertaining as it is ngon vãi chưởng.

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[Photos] In a H'Mong Village, Harvest Time Is When Perseverance Pays Off

Tending to a crop takes dedication. Workers are subjected to early mornings, sore bodies and weary minds. However, after all the trials and tribulations, harvest time — the world over — is usually a t...

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[Photos] For Vietnam's H’Mong Communities, Life Tilts on a Precipice

On a small goat path beneath the high peaks of the Ma Pi Leng Pass, a group of H'Mong ladies walked uphill with more than 10 kilograms of wood and grass on their backs.

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Bamboo Airways to Launch Vietnam–Germany Flight Routes From July

The upstart airline will operate flights to Munich from Saigon twice a week and from Hanoi once a week starting July.

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[Photos] Immersing in a Lonely Japan Outside the Urban Crowds

Japan's cities are known for their dense urbanity and crowded subways, but they can also be isolating.

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Vietnam Launches Campaigns to Revitalize Tourism Industry Hit by Coronavirus

The campaigns are the effort to compensate for the losses in tourism revenue due to the Covid-19 epidemic.

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[Photos] On the North-South Railway, Open Windows Frame Portraits of Everyday Life

Traveling on the Reunification Express from Saigon to Hanoi feels like a ride through history and time.

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UN Report Names Vietnam World's 7th-Fastest Growing Destination of 2019

Will the coronavirus put a dent in that?

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Almost 2m Foreign Tourists Visited Vietnam in January, a Record Number

Vietnam's tourism industry saw unprecedented growth in international arrivals last month, though the timing of this success — right in the middle of a coronavirus outbreak — is unfortunate.

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