Lifestyle

Lifestyle

Ho Chi Minh City: Free bus fares drive increase in bus, metro ridership

Ho Chi Minh City: Free bus fares drive increase in bus, metro ridership

According to Deputy Director of the Ho Chi Minh City Public Transport Management Centre Le Hoan, the bus network operated nearly 478,000 trips in July, serving more than 8.48 million passengers. Weekly growth accelerated throughout the month, rising from 33% in the first week to 45% in the fourth week.
Hanoi aims to become city of night-time cultural experiences

Hanoi aims to become city of night-time cultural experiences

Hanoi’s project “Development of the Night Economy in Hanoi for the 2026-2030 Period, With a Vision to 2045” aims to increase the night-time economy’s contribution to 7–8% of the city’s GRDP by 2035, while positioning Hanoi as the “City of night-time cultural experiences.”
Vietnam eyes first ‘City of Photography’ by 2027

Vietnam eyes first ‘City of Photography’ by 2027

Vietnam is aiming to add a new title to its growing list of UNESCO Creative Cities by establishing the country’s first City of Photography as early as 2027. The initiative follows the success of four Vietnamese cities already recognised by UNESCO’s Creative Cities Network: Hanoi for Design in 2019, Hoi An for Crafts and Folk Art in 2023, Da Lat for Music in 2023, and Ho Chi Minh City for Film in 2025.
Central Vietnam's specialties inspire innovative coffee beverages

Central Vietnam's specialties inspire innovative coffee beverages

Businesses and coffee artisans in Da Nang city are reimagining the central region's signature specialties through creative coffee beverages, offering visitors distinctive flavours while adding value to OCOP (One Commune One Product) items and strengthening links between agriculture, culture, tourism and commerce.
Vietnamese souvenirs tell everyday stories, drive creative economy

Vietnamese souvenirs tell everyday stories, drive creative economy

Today’s souvenirs capture the rhythm of everyday life: a “banh mi” (Vietnamese baguette) lapel pin, a sketchbook of Hanoi’s tangled streets, and illustrations of daily life in Ho Chi Minh City. They work because they paint a Vietnam that feels authentic, approachable and alive. Simple, compelling stories are giving cultural souvenirs a whole new appeal.
Film inspired by Vietnamese Quan Ho folk singing released globally

Film inspired by Vietnamese Quan Ho folk singing released globally

Produced by the India Book of Records (IBR) based on an idea by Prof. Dr. Chu Bao Que, "Love Garden" weaves Quan Ho folk singing into a bridge connecting past and present. The storyline follows a young Indian woman from Madhya Pradesh state who travels to the heartland of Quan Ho in northern Vietnam and performance stages in Hanoi to trace memories of her late mother.
Firmiana colorata trees bloom on Cu Lao Cham island

Firmiana colorata trees bloom on Cu Lao Cham island

At the height of summer, the road lined with Firmiana colorata trees leading to Xep beach on Tan Hiep island commune in the central city of Da Nang, is awash in brilliant orange-red blossoms as dozens of trees come into full bloom.
Stamp collector preserves history of President Ho Chi Minh

Stamp collector preserves history of President Ho Chi Minh

For more than six decades, Tran Huu Hue, 74, from the Mekong delta province of An Giang, has devoted himself to collecting postage stamps, building a collection of more than 300,000 stamps and 24 thematic collections with strong historical value, including those featuring President Ho Chi Minh and a collection titled Hoang Sa-Truong Sa Archipelagos Belong to Vietnam.
Food shapes Vietnamese travel choices: Agoda report

Food shapes Vietnamese travel choices: Agoda report

As late summer approaches, the online travel platform Agoda has unveiled its list of the destinations most searched by Vietnamese travellers. The list spans Vietnam's popular beach cities and Asia's leading urban hubs, with the signature local dishes that make each destination a culinary attraction in its own right.
Hanoi named world's second friendliest city for customer service

Hanoi named world's second friendliest city for customer service

Hanoi has been ranked the world's second friendliest city for customer service by MoneySuperMarket, making it the only Southeast Asian destination to feature in the global top 10. The rankings were compiled by analysing more than 100,000 customer reviews of businesses, including restaurants, attractions, entertainment venues and leisure activities, across 107 cities worldwide.
Lai Chau fast-tracks emergency housing for flood-hit families

Lai Chau fast-tracks emergency housing for flood-hit families

Following the recent flash floods, many households in Muong Than Commune, Lai Chau Province, lost their homes and were forced to evacuate. To help residents rebuild their lives as quickly as possible, the provincial authorities have mobilised maximum manpower and equipment to fast-track the construction of an emergency resettlement area in San Bay village.