Hidden in plain sight: the tomb of the man who unified modern-day Vietnam
It's not on everyone’s radar, but perhaps it should be. The final resting place of Lê Văn Duyệt is a great spot to soak up a bit of local history and enjoy a moment of peace amidst the chaos.
A small township packing a surprising amount of history punch
Gò Công is a small township in Tiền Giang province with a very rich history. Home to impressive old architecture and so much more, read on about a couple of places we visited recently…
A Fascinating Temple to Visit During the Year of the Dragon
Situated on its own island on a branch of the Saigon River, the Phù Châu “Floating” Temple may be just the place to welcome in the 2024 year of the dragon.
Con Kỳ Lân – a most surprising Vietnamese mythical creature
Inspired by Chinese mythology, Kỳ Lân is one of Vietnam’s four sacred creatures, which also includes the Dragon (Long), Phoenix (Phượng Hoàng), and Turtle (Quy). Say its name in English, and it may elicit squeals of excitement from children and
Decorative, durable and very dep – Encaustic tiles in Vietnam (part 2)
The rise, the fall (& the rise again) of the cement tile in Vietnam. Take a leap into the history of encaustic cement tile production, its introduction to Vietnam and its rise from the veritable ashes after a fall from
Decorative, durable and very dep – encaustic tiles in Vietnam (part 1)
A recent visit to an encaustic cement tile manufacturer in Ho Chi Minh City inspires a dive into how these highly popular, yet enduring, decorative tiles are made.
Thuỷ Nguyễn and An Everyday Dream
An Everyday Dream, an oh-so-inspiring and visually gorgeous retrospective, featuring the work of local artist and designer, Thuỷ Nguyễn, held in late 2020 to early 2021.
Escaping the Chaos – the Catinat Building
One of the ways that I take time out from the often chaotic hustle and bustle of Ho Chi Minh City it to spend time exploring some of its older buildings. A little while back, I was wandering through one
The Mosaic Wall that Suddenly Disappeared
I am trying to unravel the story behind a beautiful hand-painted mosaic wall in Ho Chi Minh City. It seemed as though one moment it was there and then, with a blink of the eye, it was gone. It has
Places We Love: The Old Compass Café, Saigon
Venture down any of the small hems/alleys in Vietnam’s major cities and you never know what you will find. One of my favourite local cafes is hidden down one such laneway, just off Pasteur Street in the heart of downtown
