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.

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...

in Saigoneer Getaways

On Japan’s Shonan Coastline, a Wintry Vista of Mount Fuji

It was my first trip to Zushi Beach and the sun was beginning to set. 

in Saigoneer Getaways

Finding Solace in the Placid Water of Trị An Lake as a City Dweller

I took a deep breath, realizing that I was suspended in the midpoint of everything, above the calm, glassy surface of Trị An Lake and beneath the vast, enveloping azure sky that blanketed Mã Đà forest.

in Travel

In Gò Vấp, a 'Floating Temple' Stands the Test of Time and River Currents

On an isle amid the Vàm Thuật river in Gò Vấp District, Phù Châu Temple, colloquially known among locals as the “floating temple,” has welcomed religious practitioners looking for a serene quarter in fast-paced Hồ Chí Minh City for over three centuries.

Back Travel

in Travel

[Photos] The Incredibly Eye-Catching, Organic Signage of Sa Đéc

Signs are like voices.

in Travel

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.

in Travel

[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.

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 Travel

In 2020, Vietnam Only Welcomed 21% of Last Year's Tourist Arrivals

Unsurprisingly, it's been a rough year for the international tourism industry.

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.

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....

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?

in Travel

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...

in Travel

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.

in Travel

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.

in Travel

[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.

in Travel

[Photos] A Sweltering Day on a Ninh Thuan Salt Field

Ever wonder where your salt comes from?

in Travel

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?

in Travel

[Photos] Visions of a Dynamic Vietnam Through My Deaf Eyes

Vietnam inspired me to take photographs of places, people, cultures and landscapes that I've never seen before.

in Travel

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.