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There’s much to love about Vietnam. Here’s our list of the 101 things that make this country really tick.
No.1 Being Positive
Read through the news and of every ten stories, eight will be negative and two will be PR. Rarely will there be a story that is genuinely positive.
In today’s world there is a belief that it’s only negative news and sensation that sells units or draws in readers. And when it’s straight PR, readers just seem to switch off.
Is the world really such a bad place, one where the only things we talk about are either negative or influenced by corporate or political interests? In our humble opinion, no. And with Vietnam often being the recipient of negative press, we decided to do the opposite this month and give you the anti-cover story, one that remembers all that’s good about this country. And believe us, from quirks to coffee, language to arts, culture and dramatic landscapes, there’s a lot. Far more than we could ever place in these fair pages.
So read on and join with us in celebrating all that is good about this country we live in — Vietnam.
No. 2 Coconuts
They drop on your head. Fortunately their contents can also drop in your mouth, although you need to open them first. In Vietnam coconuts are cheap, nutritious and very, very tasty.
No. 3 Cafés
The number of cafés in Vietnam is perhaps only exceeded by the number of motorbikes here. There are so many of them, and the style of each goes beyond diverse. From kitsch, communist-themed cafés like Hanoi’s Cong Caphe to the sleek, colonial charms of Saigon’s L’Usine, from cafés devoted to fans of Trinh Cong Son (Hanoi’s Caphe Nhac Trinh) to cafés devoted to fans of Japanese weirdness (Saigon maid cafés Viet Moe and The Other Person); there are as many places to take your coffee as there are methods of preparation. New trends are evolving all the time — from the pet cafés that are lately flooding Vietnam’s biggest cities to the evolving artisanship of Hanoi’s Oriberry and Saigon’s [a] café.
And of course, we can’t forget the typical street café — their low wooden or plastic tables make it easy to get a ca phe sua da wherever you go. Just get lost in any coffee shop on Hanoi’s Trieu Viet Vuong — also known as coffee street — or in Saigon’s Phu Nhuan District. Somehow, we think you’ll find your fix.
No.4 Flower Markets
The best-smelling markets around, these pre-dawn hubs of greenery are brightened by neat lotus flowers in summer and cheerful wild roses in winter.
No.5 Long Bien Bridge
The iconic iron peaks of Hanoi’s oldest bridge have transported trains, bikes and pedestrians across the Red River for over 110 years. And no, contrary to legend it wasn’t built by Gustave Eiffel.
No.6 Pagoda Yellow
Deep, ubiquitous and full of mystique, pagoda yellow is found everywhere in Vietnam, and not just on the walls of the country’s temples.
No. 7 Century-Old Temples
The oldest temple in Vietnam was built in AD182 and finished in AD226. Chua Dau in Bac Ninh Province, 30km away from Hanoi, is the first hub of Buddhism in the country. Rebuilt in 1313 by King Tran Anh Tong, the temple has gone through many periods of renovation. But what’s made Chua Dau special is still evident today — its 101 Buddha statues or its nearly 300-year-old copper bells.
There are nearly 15,000 Buddhist temples across the country, most of which were built so long ago that they have become an essential part of life for residents in the neighbourhood. For a Khmer version of the humble pagoda, head to Soc Trang or Tra Vinh in the Mekong Delta. Here some of the temples date back 1,500 years.
No. 8 Paddy Fields
No. 9 Alleyways — Ngo, Kiet and Hem
No. 10 Countryside Churches
Take a trip to Ke Sat in the northern province of Hai Duong, and you’ll stumble across a church as large as, if not larger than, the cathedral in Hanoi. Phat Diem Church in Ninh Binh, probably the best-known church in the north, is equal in size and of even greater renown. Head out to Bac Giang and into the countryside, and suddenly you see churches soaring high above the fields. Built in the early 20th century, these houses of worship act as focal points for a once, strongly religious community. The separation of Vietnam into north and south in 1954 changed all that — most Catholics from the north moved south. But the architecture remains. It’s certainly something to behold.
No. 11 Duong Lam
Take the Lang Hoa Lac highway just 50km out of central Hanoi, and you will end up in the beautiful village of Duong Lam. It’s no surprise to find yourself lost down roads that look like they did 100 years ago. From the village gates to the lotus pond, the bamboo bush to the limestone walls, the old tiled roofs, the Han-Viet lettering above doorways — they all create a perfect picture of Vietnamese traditional villages, with beauty, charm and peace.
Duong Lam is the only village near Hanoi that still keeps a large percentage of its houses in their original shape — some are 400 years old. Take a careful look at the carvings on their wooden awnings or their curved roofs, and you will see some sophisticated works of art.
Despite an increasing number of daytrippers hopping into the village or Vietnamese couples using the place as a backdrop to their wedding photos, the ambience of the past is still there — hopefully it won’t disappear anytime soon.
No. 12 West Lake
Once connected directly to the Red River, West Lake has been a geographical feature of Hanoi for centuries and the inspiration for many folk stories. Once home to summer palaces for Vietnamese royalty, the area is a hive of activity for many Hanoi residents. On weekends the lake’s 17km shoreline is packed with people riding bikes, walking dogs, fishing and socialising. For the really keen there are also swan boats and kayaks as well as the delights of the water park. In the evening, the colourful lights of Hanoi’s skyline glisten along the shore, and on clear days you can glimpse the hills surrounding the city.
No. 13 The Wild, Wild North
Sapa, Bac Ha, Ha Giang, Cao Bang, Dien Bien Phu, Son La: the edge of the Vietnamese empire, the home to large numbers of this country’s ethnic minorities, the jewel of the north, the location of the most astounding natural beauty in Vietnam. It’s wild yet with development, much of the area has been tamed. It’s breathtaking, yet with the building of new villages and towns, it now boasts pockets of concrete in all its ugliness. It’s traditional, it’s conservative, it’s cold and rainy yet hot and humid in the blistering northern summer. And it’s the only part of Vietnam you may get snow.
No. 14 Wildlife
From remote mountainous regions and stunning limestone karst landscapes to dense forest and picturesque coastline, Vietnam is famous for her diverse ecosystems and habitats. But Vietnam is not just blessed with a high level of biodiversity — it is blessed with unique, endemic species that are still being discovered today. Over the past two decades scientists have unveiled four previously unknown mammal species. One of which is the rare saola, an almost mythical, antelope-like animal that nobody knew existed. It is undeniable that effective wildlife conservation has become an issue throughout Vietnam, but as environmental awareness grows, the next generation is set to lead Vietnam into a bright and healthy future.
No. 15 National Parks
Despite illegal exploitation, Vietnamese still nurtures an impressive variety of fauna and flora in its 30 national parks. While Phong Nha-Ke Bang in Quang Binh Province has lately gotten all the publicity — a UNESCO World Heritage site and home to the world’s largest cave, Son Doong — Ba Be National Park is the pride of the north with its beautiful giant lake. There is also Cuc Phuong National Park, home to a primate conservation centre that has rescued some of the world’s most rare and endangered langurs. And of course, Nam Cat Tien, once home to the Javanese rhino. Take a trip to any of those parks and add one more word to your Vietnamese travel journal: spectacular!
No. 16 Grandmas Wearing Pyjamas
No. 17 Hanoi Rock City
It could be local, it could be international, it could be rock or rap, dubstep or folk. Any way it comes, there is usually some type of talent on show at the largest dedicated music venue in Hanoi. With a downstairs, English-style pub garden area and an upstairs space dedicated to live music and live production, Hanoi Rock City has been making a huge impact on Hanoi’s arts scene since its opening four years ago.
No. 18 Cargo Bar
Built out of an old warehouse on the District 4 banks of the Saigon River, the opening of Cargo Bar (and its larger version, Q4), has revolutionized the music scene in this city. Where before there was nothing, suddenly there’s a venue to go to, a ready-made space to attract the audience and stage the acts.
No. 19 Saigon Outcast
Much like Hanoi’s dear departed Zone 9, Outcast is Saigon’s outlet for letting its freak flag fly. When it dropped its retrofitted shipping containers on the far side of Thao Dien in early 2012, it became a place where like minds could gather and collaborate — and now the culture they’ve helped create can be found everywhere.
No. 20 Sailing Club
Twenty years and still going strong, Nha Trang’s premier bar still attracts the crow and still takes full advantage of its beachside location. To this day, there’s yet to be another venue in Vietnam that regularly draws in 2,000 people at the weekend. Quite an achievement.
No. 21 The American Club
With a wide lawn, volleyball and basketball courts, and some of the most exciting outdoor events in the city, the American Club adds flavour to Hanoi’s cultural scene. The events here are as diverse as the organisations that host them: from the embassy to independent groups; from mud parties to music festivals, the American Club is always a great place to visit and socialise.
No. 22 CAMA ATK
For music and bar lovers in Hanoi, especially those who love that hip, speakeasy vibe, event space CAMA ATK is the place to go. Opened by CAMA, the first independent music promoter to bring international music acts to Hanoi, it’s home to original music and international, non-mainstream DJs, as well as an eclectic mix of music, film and comedy. For cocktail aficionados, ATK serves some of the best mixed drinks in the city, too.
No. 23 Rag and Bone Ladies
No. 24 Vietnamese Women
Get fooled by the slight frame and well made-up facade at your peril. Vietnam’s female population are a force to be recognised with. So proud is Vietnam of its Asian tigresses, that they have a Woman’s Museum in Hanoi dedicated to their prowess as well as institutes all over the country devoted to the advancement of women.
No. 25 Motorbikes
No. 26 Xe Om Drivers
No. 27 Plastic Stools
No. 28 Wearing Raincoats
No. 29 Water Puppets
Dating back to the 12th century, water puppets started as a common form of outdoor entertainment for both children and adults in the countryside. The sculpted wooden puppets are fitted with floats and an ingenious system of rods and wires, and are operated by puppeteers standing in water up to their chests behind the stage. Telling stories inspired by both the daily lives of rice growers as well as mythology, dragons, serpents, silver and gold fish, peasants and their flocks of ducks, fishermen and their catches all come to life through the puppets’ exaggerated actions and humourous gestures. The show is made whole by a live band playing cheo music.
No. 30 Vietnamese Dong
Forget comparisons with the relative strength of the British Pound, The Euro or the US Dollar. Not every country can say that the majority of their population are millionaires. But Vietnam can. Even better for English speakers are the puns: “Put your dong in your pocket,” and “Keep your dong to yourself”. Just a few of the giggle-inducing wordplays out there.
No. 31 Rice Wine
Ruou de, ruou chuoi, ruou can, ruou nep, ruou thuoc, ruou mo qua, ruou go den… The list of ruou, or rice wine, peculiar to Vietnam goes on. And if you want to drink your ruou with style, the Son Tinh range out of Hanoi is the way to go — apricot, red plum, white ginseng, Minh Mang and passion fruit. They’ve even got their own selection of cocktail recipes. Devil’s fart, anyone?
No. 32 Auspicious Days
Have you ever noticed a day when it seems everywhere you go, you see a wedding? Or that certain day after the Tet holidays that the shops and stores reopen altogether? That’s because most Vietnamese people believe there are certain good days to start an important journey, such as a new married life or a business venture. They go to see a fortuneteller, who picks a date for them from the lunar calendar, with consideration for their astrological signs.
And there are days that it’s common knowledge to avoid. There is a Vietnamese saying that goes: “Cho di ngay bay, cho ve ngay ba” — which literally means “Don’t go out on the 7th and come back on the 3rd”. And people believe it’s best to avoid doing business on these unlucky days. Unlikely as it may seem, many believe that this was created from the experience of people in the past, so it won’t be wrong.
No. 33 Floating Markets
Shiny purple eggplants, squat squash and furry zucchini bob on spindly poles far above the jumble of boats and people vying for river space in the Mekong Delta’s floating markets. In the cool dawn light, sellers and patrons jump skilfully from boat to boat — buying, selling and haggling over the day’s fresh produce.
No. 34 Bum Guns
No. 35 Ballroom Dancing in the Park
Waltz, tango, rumba or quickstep. Who needs Strictly Ballroom or Come Dancing when you can do it yourself in Hanoi’s parks?
No. 36 The Smell of Bun Cha and Suon Nuong
Hanoi late morning. The aroma of pork on the barbecue drifts through the streets in preparation for that lunchtime favourite, bun cha. Saigon early morning, and sweet-grilled suon, or pork cutlets, get stoked over the outdoor coals, readied for that very Saigonese of accompaniments — bitty rice or com tam. A health hazard? Yes. The open barbecues are hardly the definition of safety. But it smells so good that who cares. It tastes even better.
No. 37 Autumn in Hanoi
For many people, autumn is the most beautiful and romantic season of the year. This is particularly true for Hanoi. Those long summer days with the humidity and intense heat are suddenly gone and replaced by pleasant days with that perfect temperature, which gets everyone into a sweeter mood. Although it normally lasts for just a couple of weeks, people seize the opportunity to get out of the house and walk through the fallen leaves on Phan Dinh Phung, or enjoy the nice breeze on the West Lake. During autumn, life in Hanoi can’t be any better.
No. 38 Lotus Ponds
No. 39 Funeral Music
The evocative sounds generated from a band playing bells, drums, a two-stringed fiddle, a pair of cymbals, a flute and sometimes a three-stringed lute is something you won’t hear anywhere else. In Saigon this has been adapted to include a brass band. The sounds are supposed to evoke a deep longing for the dead, but at the same time, to recognise the beauty of being alive. The music played in the ritual is supposed to accompany the deceased relative to the land of Buddha, and usually lasts from one to three days, depending on the family.
No. 40 Bia Hoi
No. 41 Green Tea
If you’re looking for a taste that defines Vietnam, pull up a chair at any of the simple tea stands across the country. Tea, tra or che has been in Vietnam 10,000 years, and there are still three million Vietnamese people who work in the national tea industry, which exports tea to 70 countries. It greets the first hours of the morning or a guest when they enter a home; families sip on it when they celebrate at weddings and when they grieve at funerals; teenagers drink sweetened concoctions; old men sit around quaffing bitter, golden brews, as they smoke cigarettes and play chess. Day or night, someone somewhere is sipping on tea. And what’s more? It’s believed that the elixir helps prevent potential maladies that come with time, as well as helping to reduce cholesterol and aid digestion. So much so that it’s a common question, have you taken your tea today yet?
No. 42 Temple Food
Thanks to the influence of Buddhism, vegetarian cuisine is big in Vietnam. Served up in temples and a growing amount of flash eateries around the country, the most devout Buddhists don’t let a scrap of meat or dairy enter their holy mouths. While the less devout followers of this sacred way of life go vegetarian on the 1st and 15th of the lunar month, so the rise of vegetarian cuisine has led to the creation of a non-meat, vegan diet that these days can be easily adhered to. If you don’t mind faux meat, that is.
No. 43 Da Cau (Jianzi)
Vietnam’s national sport. Who would have thought that a shuttlecock and a net could create so much excitement?
No. 44 Flower Arrangements
No. 45 Humidity
“It’s not the heat, it’s the humidity” are the words on everyone’s lips come the northern summer. But who says that’s a bad thing — plants are always green, cold beer tastes even better, and a beach is never too far away, making it easy to cool off. Besides, with constant dampness encasing the hair and skin, who needs moisturiser or a curling iron?
No. 46 Beach Weather
With year-round summer in the south and long months of warm weather in the north, the time is always right to enjoy the country’s long stretches of powdery white sand, hidden coves and tropical islands. Whether it’s Phu Quoc in January or Danang in July, you’ll always find beach weather somewhere along Vietnam’s 3,600km of coastline.
No. 47 All That Mam
Nuoc mam, mam tom, mam ruoc, mam cha, mam tet. The list of mam, or fermented sauces, goes on. Some is for dipping, some is for cooking, and some just simply smells terrible. But we love it anyway. Vietnam just wouldn’t be Vietnam without all that mam.
No. 48 Ca Phe Phin
No. 49 Japanese Cuisine
No-one knows for sure, but there’s well over 400 Japanese restaurants in Vietnam now, and most of them — at least the ones catering for Japanese customers — are excellent. So good, in fact, that with the correct imported ingredients and well-trained chefs, you can eat fare in Vietnam that’s as good as the offering you’ll get in Japan.
No. 50 Noodles
No. 51 Kim Chi
Korea is in Vietnam in a big way. Not just in terms of investment, factories, a large expat population and construction, but also with its pop culture and, of course, its cuisine. So popular is the Korean guise that for years Vietnamese food processing companies have been producing their own version of kim chi. It’s not as good as the original, but it’s not far off.
No. 52 Banh Mi
No. 53 Dyed Poultry
No. 54 Cultural Centres
Touring musicians, art exhibitions, up-and-coming DJs and foreign film festivals — these are just a few of the activities on offer at the various cultural centres around Vietnam. With a wide array of entertainment, the centres offer a place to learn about different cultures, meet people from around the world and perhaps even study a foreign language. Venues such as L’Espace, Idecaf, the Korean Cultural Centre, the Goethe Institut and the Japan Foundation are important mediums for cultural engagement, and contribute significantly towards the diversity of Vietnam’s social scene. Often attached to embassies and consulates, they fulfil one of the most fundamental forms of diplomacy — encouraging people-to-people interactions and cultural exchange to foster deeper understanding of different cultures. But above all, they are cool spaces to hang out, enjoy the interesting events and just have fun.
No. 55 The Rainy Season
No. 56 Manzi Arts Café and Gallery
Beautifully designed in a colonial-era villa with a bright white interior and decorated by a constant flow of art exhibitions, Manzi is Hanoi’s contribution to the contemporary art world. It’s the combination of a café, arts shop, gallery space, performing stage and occasional debating platform that has made Manzi a regular meeting point for many home-grown artists and art lovers. Having a chill-out morning with friends in this stunning space isn’t a bad idea, either.
No. 57 Suzanne Lecht
No. 58 Mountain Cold
Dalat at all times of the year. Tam Dao in the summer. Bach Ma and Ba Na from March to September. The northern highlands from late spring to late autumn. It’s a respite, a chance to breath, an opportunity to escape the often insatiable heat of the lowlands. Breathe that mountain cold deep into your lungs and wow, not even a whiff of the pollution of the big cities.
No. 59 San Art
Experimental and contemporary are two sides of the same coin at Saigon’s hub of the new: the artist-led gallery, reading room and arts advocacy organisation San Art. In their seven years of activity, they’ve brought artists and art theorists together to lecture, exhibit and generally serve their mission — the fostering of a Southeast Asian arts community with an unshakeable identity.
No. 60 Craig Thomas
No. 61 Quynh Pham
No. 62 The Gang of Five
At the beginning of the 1990s a group of five Hanoi-based artists exploded onto the art scene. Known as ‘The Gang of Five’, its members include Ha Tri Hieu, Tran Luan, Hong Viet Dung, Dang Xuan Hoa and Pham Quang Vinh. Graduates of the University of Fine Arts, although the work of each artist was stylistically quite unique, they had a common theme. For the first time since 1975, Vietnamese artists were producing work no longer connected to social realism and propaganda art.
With their work exhibited in Hong Kong at the Plum Blossoms gallery, the show, Uncorked Soul, was to change the way the world viewed Vietnamese contemporary art. Suddenly foreign collectors were flying into Vietnam to buy up works not just by The Gang of Five, but other Vietnamese artists, too. And with the arrival in Vietnam of art dealer and curator, Suzanne Lecht, who made it her mission to promote Vietnamese art, contemporary art in this country got its first, post-war boost.
Now art is thriving and many artists in Vietnam have received international recognition. But if it wasn’t for The Gang of Five and the championing of Vietnamese art by Suzanne Lecht, the contemporary arts scene in this country could be in a very different place.
No. 63 Hip-hop and Skating
Twenty years and counting. The hip-hop and skating scenes are continuing to rack up the followers. Fancy doing some body popping, anyone?
No. 64 Expat Bands
The Hi-Jinks, The Electric Yard Dogs, Mecha Sasquatch, The 67s, The Freckled Gypsys, UGWAE, Space Panther, James and the Van Der Beeks. There are a lot of them around at the moment. Let’s hope some of them, at least, are here to stay.
No. 65 The Business Climate
The international credit crunch in 2008 was when it all started to go wrong. Well, not quite, but the boom days of the previous five years were no longer quite so boom. Fortunately they’ve also not gone quite so bust either.
You can see the business climate in Vietnam in two ways. You can go negative and focus on the stalled construction projects, the lack of liquid assets, the supposed red tape that bars businessmen from getting things done, the lack of profitability of SEOs and the issues with bad debt. But to do that is to miss something quite vital about this country. It’s a land of opportunity.
There’s more competition these days, and you can no longer get away with doing something half-arsed. But come up with a good business concept, and the start-up costs are still relatively low. Get your model right from the offset and you’ve also got a fair chance of making it a success.
Labour remains relatively cheap, there are many niche markets yet to be tapped, and the Vietnamese population is constantly crying out for something that is bigger and better.
The business climate is still good in Vietnam. And those in the know are taking of advantage of it.
No. 66 The Metal Scene
From the dregs of the late 1990s and early 2000s, the metal scene that has developed in Vietnam is as strong as ever. Stage diving, moshing and on-stage fuelled rebellion — all are going from strength to strength.
No. 67 Cheap Cigarettes
No. 68 The BitexcoTower
No. 69 Dive Bars
No. 70 BBQ Restaurants
No. 71 Names
Do you ever wonder where all those one-syllable Vietnamese names come from? They can mostly be traced back to the old chu nom — the Chinese characters that were formerly used to communicate Chinese-Vietnamese words. Often they carry beautiful and deep meanings that younger generations may not be aware of. And don’t let the spelling trick you. Some names may look ‘funny’ in English, but older generations put a lot of thought and expectation into them. Just to give a few examples: Phuc — ‘Good Luck’; Bich — ‘Jade’; Long — ‘Dragon’; Son — ‘Mountain’; Nguyet — ‘Moon’; Duc — ‘Morality’.
No. 72 The Tones
Dau sac, dau huyen, dau nang, dau hoi, dau nga, khong dau… Master the tones, and you’re speaking what some linguists call one of the most difficult languages in the world. Fail to get your tones right and you’ll get smiles, laughter and just won’t be understood. Vietnamese is a melody, a set of melodies, and the tones are the notes. Understand that and you’ll be singing in no time.
No. 73 Dialects
Take Hanoi Vietnamese and Saigon Vietnamese, and so different are the dialects that you might as well have two languages, as similar and as distant from each other as Swedish or Norwegian, Dutch or Flemish. Yet the dialects in this country are part of its character, are what makes the various regions unique. Go to Hue and the language has a different melody. Hit Quang Ngai or Quang Nam and it’s unintelligible. Go out of Hanoi and ‘n’s get mistaken for ‘l’s and the ‘l’s mistaken for ‘n’s. And hit the Mekong Delta and all the consonants get dropped.
No. 74 Tuc Ngu
Talking with older Vietnamese men or women, and hearing them pepper their speech with traditional sayings can lighten up your day. Some are easy to translate, such as “Tot go hon tot nuoc son” — literally “Better to have a piece of wood with good quality than the one with nice varnish”, figuratively “Don’t judge a book by its cover”. Some aren’t.
For example, let’s say you’re attending an elegant concert and fall asleep. Someone might say “Dan gay tai trau” — “Cows are listening to music”. Cows are simple animals that graze muddy fields, and have neither the interest nor the ability to appreciate good music — and perhaps a certain similarity to them is why you fell asleep. In those cases, there’s no need to get angry, just laugh and say, “Nguu tam nguu, ma tam ma” — “Cows hang out with cows, horses hang out with horses” — they’re hanging out with you because they’re on your same level. They will laugh for sure!
No. 75 The Vietnamese ‘Yes’
Vang, da, co, duoc — tey all mean okay, have or maybe. But they don’t mean a definitive ‘yes’. Sure, it greys the lines of black and white, and means that life here’s a constant negotiation. But without a definitive word for ‘yes’, it also means that nothing is set in stone. And that can only be a good thing. Everything is possible in Vietnam — there’s always a way. When it comes to getting things done, what could be better?
No. 76 Beachside Resorts
It started in Mui Ne in the mid-1990s, and now they’ve spread up the length and skinny breadth of Vietnam. Some of the resorts are truly magnificent — take the InterCon in Danang, Six Senses in Ninh Van Bay and Con Dao, Amanoi in Ninh Thuan. And some are, well, something else. But with all the modern amenities that you could ever wish for, they’ve changed the way people vacation in Vietnam.
No. 77 Sapa
No. 78 Ha Giang
No. 79 Ninh Binh
No. 80 Halong Bay
No. 81 Hoi An
No. 82 Da Lat
No. 83 Con Dao
No. 84 Phu Quoc
No. 85 Buildings for Trees
Buildings with trees coming out of them? That’s exactly what the award-winning construction House of Trees managed to create. Created by architect Vo Trong Nghia in collaboration with Japanese architects Masaaki Iwamoto and Kosuke Nishijima, the Ho Chi Minh City building is being hailed as a feat of sustainable design and creativity. The only problem is that now, everyone who approaches Vo Trong Nghia to design a building for them wants trees growing out of it.
No. 86 Zone 9
It came, it saw, it almost conquered. Set in a repurposed pharmaceuticals factory in Hanoi, last year Zone 9 almost became the alternative arts space this country so badly needed. But then there was the fire. Six people were killed and suddenly the health and safety issues came to the fore. The five buildings which housed Zone 9 were crumbling and the place was quickly shut down. For better or for worse? We’ll never know.
No. 87 Art Deco
Circular port windows, glass encased staircases, streamlined design — the 1920s and 1930s were an exciting time for urban change and creativity across Vietnam. The first Vietnamese architects were graduating from the Arts School and building villas that rejected the traditional colonial styles, embracing modern international trends.
No. 88 Reasonably priced five-stars
Go to London, and a five-star hotel room is going to set you back a minimum of US$700 (VND14.7 million). Hit Singapore, and while the rates won’t be quite as steep, they’re still going to dent your wallet. But Vietnam? Oh, wonderful Vietnam. Here a five-star room starts at US$80 (VND1.7 million) a night and averages out at around US$130 (VND2.7 million). Perfect if you’re looking for that luxury break on the cheap.
No. 89 Indochinese Architecture
In an attempt to combat the climatic and cultural inaptness of early colonial architecture, many designs of the 1930s sought to fuse classical European elements with more traditional Asian decorative features in structures that were better suited to Vietnam’s hot climate. These designs, first coined by the influential architect Ernest Hébrard, came to be known as Indochinese style.
No. 90 Tube Houses
Vietnam’s iconic ‘tube house’ was created centuries ago. Due to the taxation on property frontage, façades extended only two to four metres, yet the buildings would stretch back for up to 60 metres. In the past the tube houses were usually only one storey to ensure that no-one could look down upon the Emperor. Today the style is popular for taxation reasons and its economic use of space in Vietnam’s dense urban centres.
No. 91 Free Wifi
No. 92 Very Cheap 3G
No. 93 Another Side of Vietnam
No. 94 Expats in Ho Chi Minh City
No. 95 Hanoi Grapevine
No. 96 Hanoi Massive
No. 97 Any Arena
No. 98 Historic Vietnam
No. 99 And of other things
No. 100 Tuoi Tre
No. 101 The Word
Well, we couldn’t really leave ourselves out of this one, could we?