Temples, History & Culture
Why Every Vietnamese City Has the Same Street Names
Hai Ba Trung, Tran Hung Dao, Le Loi, Nguyen Hue. The same dozen names run through every town in Vietnam because they are a history lesson painted on signs. Here is who they were.
War History Sites in Vietnam: A Guide for American Visitors
Where the war is on the ground rather than in a museum, how the sites are framed, and what to expect as an American.
Temples and Pagodas in Vietnam: What You Are Looking At
Buddhist, Taoist, Confucian, Cham and Cao Dai, often in the same town. A short guide to telling them apart.
Hue Imperial City Guide
A walled city inside a walled city, heavily damaged in 1968 and under restoration since. What survives, and how to walk it.
My Son Sanctuary: What to Know Before You Go
Cham temple ruins in a jungle valley, bombed during the war and never fully restored. Go early or late — the middle of the day is the problem.
War Remnants Museum and Cu Chi Tunnels: What to Expect
Two war sites that affect American visitors more than anything else in Vietnam. What each one is, and how to approach them.