Vietnam
A retired Taiwanese major with an electrical engineering degree from Columbia took KMT money to Vietnam in 1989. His three ventures — Tan Thuan EPZ, Hiep Phuoc power plant, and Phu My Hung — are all still standing. He didn't live to see it.
Culture
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.
Vietnam
Most Vietnamese do not observe the winter solstice. But step into Chợ Lớn, one of the world's largest Chinatowns, and the festive atmosphere is unmistakable — driven by tang yuan, reunion dinners, and centuries of tradition.
Vietnam
In a Binh Thanh alley, a wardrobe hides one of Saigon's best speakeasies. No menu, no signage -- just bespoke cocktails and a stuffed bear for solo drinkers.
Vietnam
Ho Chi Minh City has proposed a 99-story tower for its Thủ Thiêm district — taller than Landmark 81 and the centerpiece of Vietnam's new International Financial Center. But Thủ Thiêm's track record tells a more complicated story.
Vietnam
2026 is the Year of the Horse. Saigon's century-old Phú Thọ Racetrack — once Asia's largest — is being turned into a park. Here's the story it leaves behind.
Culture
A rare exhibition inside the State Bank of Vietnam HCMC branch traces 160 years of Vietnamese currency history.