LIFESTYLE

Back to basics

With both beaches and mountains, the country’s biggest Buddha statue and the Phat Diem Cathedral -- immortalized by Graham Green in The Quiet American -- Ninh Binh Province has become a staple on the Vietnam tourist trail.

Traditional opera house in crisis

Cheo (Vietnamese opera) theatre is facing mounting difficulties due to financial deficit and unsettled debts, one official said.

Chua Thay Pagoda

The home of Vietnamese water puppetry, Kim Megson makes the short trip to Chua Thay Pagoda, a 900-year-old shrine to the monk Tu Dao Hanh.

Boating and more in Ben Tre

Phung Island is the long strip of green in the Tien River below the arch of Rach Mieu Bridge. Like most of Ben Tre Province, it’s dotted with houses and covered with coconut trees.

Making our way up Mount Fansipan

Mount Fansipan is only half as tall as Mount Everest. Yet this mountain, perched at the eastern edge of the Himalayan range in Vietnam’s uppermost Lao Cai province, is hardly an easy climb.

Vietnam honours top ten outstanding young people

The Ho Chi Minh Communist Youth Union and Vietnam Young Talent Support Fund have selected ten most outstanding young people.

Tasting Hoi An

It is said that Hoi An’s penchant for street food began centuries ago when hawkers and cart-pushers started selling food to the thousands of small traders and waterside merchants who needed light meals.

Glistening beauty of Sapa on an early spring morning

During spring the flowers and plants of Sapa glisten with dew in the early morning light.

Hanoi Commotion

There are a lot of things that can give a city an undeniable character. Cities can take on an energy so idiosyncratic that it is beyond recognition.

Two Vietnamese CEO among top 50 businesswomen in Asia

Vinamilk's CEO, Mai Kieu Lien, and Pham Thi Viet Nga, Chairman of DHG Pharmaceutical Joint Stock Co, Ltd have been placed 27th and 31st in the Forbes Asia’s 2013 list of 50 Businesswomen In The Mix.

Vingroup CEO named young global leader by WEF

CEO and vice chairwoman of Vingroup, Le Thi Thu Thuy, who has been named to the Young Global Leaders Class of 2013 by the World Economic Forum.

A cautionary tale in a pot

Can Tho is the largest city in the Mekong Delta, and as such has long been known as Tay Do, which means Capital of the West.

Vietnamese billionaires better known in western world

The number of Vietnamese billionaires has been increasing rapidly, especially those who have been recognised not only in Vietnam, but also in the world.

Looking for development of the Phu Quoc dog breed

At the International Dog Show held in late December in HCMC, Nguyen Minh Khang’s dog named Mickey won two prizes: the first prize for “Phu Quoc Female Dogs” and the second prize for “Phu Quoc Dogs”.

Finding treasure on Pirate Island

Stories about a violent past serve as a major source of entertainment on a small island off the Mekong Delta province of Kien Giang.

Ancient Loc Vung forest of Quang Binh

A village in Quang Binh Province has thousands of Lộc Vừng Barringtonia acutangula trees worth hundreds of billions of VND.

Spring flowers in Dong Van stone plateau

Visitors to the Dong Van stone plateau in Ha Giang province this time of the year will be enchanted with different kinds of flowers which are in full blossom in the northeastern mountainous region.

Early kite flying season in Can Tho City

As the wind starts to blow in Can Tho City hundreds have started to fly their kites around Hau River Park daily for pleasure.

First Vietnamese billionaire on Forbes list

Pham Nhat Vuong has become the first Vietnamese billionaire to enter the list of world’s richest individuals, with total assets of US$1.5 billion as estimated in March 2013.