Vietnam
The Streets Behind the Pink Church Just Made Time Out's Coolest List
Time Out picked the low-rise blocks behind the pink church, not the wall everyone photographs.
Culture
Vietnam
Vietnam Retain the ASEAN Cup and the Whole Country Hits the Streets: What Is Đi Bão?
Vietnam retained the ASEAN Cup on August 26 and, minutes later, the streets of Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City were a sea of red flags and motorbikes. This is đi bão.
Vietnam
The Girl Who Went Viral Speaking Seven Languages Is Now Vietnam's National MC
A selfie video in seven languages made Khánh Vy famous in 2016. A decade later, she is the youngest-ever host of Vietnam's flagship quiz show and runs a media business followed by millions.
Vietnam
Vietnam's 12th Public Holiday Is Confirmed. November 24 Is a Single Day Off
November 24 is now a paid public holiday in Vietnam, taking the annual total to 12 days. The legal basis is a National Assembly resolution, not the Labour Code — which still lists 11.
Vietnam
Why Is Saigon's Backpacker District Named After Phạm Ngũ Lão? A Mongol-Beating General and a Colonial Railway Station
Saigon's busiest tourist quarter is named after a man few visitors could identify: a basket weaver who became the general the Mongols could not beat. The street itself began as a nameless lane beside a colonial railway station.
Vietnam
The Bob Dylan of Vietnam: Both Sides Banned Trịnh Công Sơn's Songs, and Vietnam Still Sings Them 25 Years After His Death
He wrote about ordinary people in wartime and refused to take sides — so both sides banned his music. Twenty-five years after his death, tribute concerts run from Ho Chi Minh City's Book Street to Singapore, and his most famous singing partner, 81-year-old Khánh Ly, came home to visit his grave.
Vietnam
Sixty Years of the Cafe Apartment: Why Saigon's Most Photographed Building Is Still Standing
It sits on the most expensive land in Ho Chi Minh City, its cafes are technically illegal, and eviction notices went out back in 2016. Nearly a decade later, the shops are still open. What protects the building may simply be the tourists climbing its stairs every day.
Vietnam
A Tale of Two Book Streets: One Became a City Icon, One Was Built on a Mass Grave
Most visitors to Ho Chi Minh City know its book street. Fewer know Hanoi has one too — built on a former mass grave, once home to the 'Hell Market.' One turned ten as a city icon selling fewer and fewer books; the other nearly died before a revival. What should a book street sell next?
Lifestyle
Rent a Partner for Lunar New Year? Vietnam's Latest Holiday Hustle
Vietnam now offers rent-a-partner services for Tet, charging up to VND 6 million for a family visit.
Vietnam
From 'Living to Give' to 'A Vietnamese Steve Jobs': A Decade of Vietnam's Exam Essay Questions
Vietnam's 2026 graduation exam asked students how the country can produce its own Steve Jobs, and the whole country started arguing. Line up the twelve essay questions asked since 2015 and you can see exactly where this one came from.
Vietnam
Why Do Vietnamese People Put Their Gods on the Floor?
Vietnamese shops and homes keep their Earth God and God of Wealth altars on the ground floor, facing the door. The reason is both spiritual and practical.
Culture
Saigon or Ho Chi Minh City? Both Are Correct, but They're Not Quite the Same
The airport code is SGN, the official name is Ho Chi Minh City, and locals just say Sài Gòn. In 2025, this "unofficial" name finally became an administrative place name again.