Escapism Awaits This Summer at The Grand Ho Tram
Vacations offer glimpses into idealized versions of your life.
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...
Exploring the Green Oases Hidden Inside D5's Old Apartment Buildings
Spare some time one slow afternoon for a stroll around District 5’s old apartments, and one might discover many interesting things — it could be a hidden residential area amidst a labyrinthine hẻm, th...
Adrien Jean in Travel
On the Gentle Train Ride in a Myanmar From Another Era
Since the shocking coup d’état in Myanmar on February 1 and the detention of Aung San Suu Kyi, the world has watched helplessly while the military junta brutally cracks down on peaceful protesters try...
[Photos] The Incredibly Eye-Catching, Organic Signage of Sa Đéc
Signs are like voices.
In Suburban Đà Lạt, With Spring Comes Mai Anh Đào's Breathtaking Pink Tapestry
Mai anh đào, or wild Himalayan cherry flower trees, blooms the brightest and most intensely in Lâm Đồng Province for a few short weeks from the end of January until mid February.
[Photos] A Stroll Through Eclectic Chợ Lớn
Until fairly recently, Chợ Lớn was its own city, long inhabited by người Hoa who carved out an economic hub along the banks of the Saigon River over 200 years ago.
Pete Walls in Travel
[Photos] Watching the Sunset From Fansipan, the Roof of Vietnam
Conquering Mount Fansipan’s 3,147 meters was once a feat reserved for those willing to take on the potential multi-day hike from Sapa to the summit and back.
Michael Tatarski in Travel
An Eye-Opening Mushroom Farm in Da Lat for Budding Mycologists
It could be argued that mushrooms are among nature's strangest creations.
Michael Tatarski in Travel
At Da Lat's Biological Museum, a Demented Homage to Vietnam's Vanishing Wildlife
Sometimes when traveling, you come across something so utterly odd that you simply don't know what to make of it.
In 2020, Vietnam Only Welcomed 21% of Last Year's Tourist Arrivals
Unsurprisingly, it's been a rough year for the international tourism industry.
Govi Snell in Travel
At the Women's Museum in Hanoi, a Celebration of Women at Home and at War
The Vietnamese Women's Museum in Hanoi is a museum with a mission.
Paul Christiansen in Travel
At Da Lat's Secluded Da Phuoc Temple, Insights Into Cao Dai Teachings
Perched on top of a hilly area, Da Lat's Cao Dai temple is a towering structure of vibrant aesthetics and intriguing mysticism.
Adrien Jean in Travel
[Photos] Fancy a Drink, Scarf or Even a New Cow? Head to Meo Vac’s Sunday Market.
Meo Vac is a small town located in the extreme north of Vietnam, close to the Chinese border that stretches out as far as the eye can see behind the massive limestone mountains surrounding the region....
Adrien Jean in Travel
[Photos] The Neon-Lit World in the Mist of Sapa
Is there a more atmospheric place in Vietnam than Sapa on a misty night?
The Small-Town Charms of Gia Nghia, Vietnam's Youngest Provincial Capital
Set amongst softly undulating hills covered in scenic farmland and coffee trees that slowly give rise to massive, densely forested mountains is a quiet city far off both the domestic and international...
Welcome to Urbanist Travel
Michael Tatarski in Travel
Saigoneer Getaways: In Pu Luong, a Verdant Dream Untouched by Development
There are many reasons to be grateful for living in Vietnam during the coronavirus pandemic.
Vietnam Resumes Limited Flights to Japan, but Not Vice Versa
After service between Hanoi and Tokyo begins on September 18, flights to and from South Korea, China, Taiwan, Laos and Cambodia are expected to follow.
[Photos] Inside the Dust-Covered World of Ninh Van's Traditional Stone Carvers
It's a rare treat to see generations of skill in person.
Adrien Jean in Travel
[Photos] A Sweltering Day on a Ninh Thuan Salt Field
Ever wonder where your salt comes from?
With No Foreign Visitors, Vietnam's Travel Sector Courts Domestic Tourists, but Is It Enough?
As the country slowly opens for tourism, are companies and people adequately prepared?
