It is 5.20am on a Sunday and Hoan Kiem Lake, a major landmark in Vietnam’s capital Hanoi, is brimming with life and activity. The concierge at my hotel reassured me the night before that I would not be alone in my predawn run there, but nothing prepared me for such a lively scene. A large … Read more
The week before Sam Aisbett opened Akuna in Ho Chi Minh City, in southern Vietnam, he panicked. “I said, ‘What the hell am I doing? What an idiot,’” recalled the Australian chef of the July 2023 opening. There was no way his restaurant, with a menu price of 3.9 million dong (US$155) – at least … Read more
Ditching a lucrative career in finance, Vu Dinh Tu opened a coffee shop without telling his parents and joined a wave of young Vietnamese entrepreneurs using espressos to challenge family expectations around work. Traditionally taken black, sometimes with condensed milk, or even egg, coffee has long been an integral part of Vietnamese culture. But starting … Read more
Facebook parent Meta Platforms will produce its next-generation virtual and augmented reality headsets in Vietnam, creating more than 1,000 jobs, the company said Tuesday. The announcement comes as Vietnam looks to boost its attractiveness as a destination for investment by the world’s biggest companies and a key part of the global supply chain. Speaking at … Read more
Vietnam is a popular holiday destination for Hong Kong residents since it is not far away – Hanoi is only a two-hour flight from Hong Kong International Airport. There is more to the Land of the Ascending Dragon than just its capital city, however, such as Sapa. Difficulty of access is what has always made … Read more
But the 31-year-old firm that draws about two-thirds of its business from the US is making less money from Vietnam than expected, with Ren blaming a 10 per cent rise in raw material costs and a smaller increase in operating costs. “Overall, costs are about 7 per cent higher than in China, which basically equals … Read more
“Since introducing the extended list in 2021, we have been consistently impressed by the innovative drinking experiences Asia has to offer, and it is beyond exciting to see the large number of new entries and new destinations that have made the list this year,” said Emma Sleight, Asia’s 50 Best Bars head of content. “With … Read more
I am handed another glass of champagne, there is a shrill blast of a whistle and our five-hour travel experience gets under way. The Vietage by Anantara luxury carriages are hitched to regular Vietnamese trains. Photo: Instagram / @thevietage The ribbon cutting and razzamatazz are to celebrate the debut of the high-end hotel brand’s second … Read more
HANOI: A fire that ripped through a small apartment block in central Hanoi has killed at least 14 people and injured three others, state media said on Friday (May 24). “The fire broke out at around 12.30am. The fire was big, with several explosions,” Vietnam News Agency (VNA) said. By 6.20 am, at least 14 people … Read more
Last year, Tung was asked to create a menu for the launch party of the inaugural Michelin Guide Vietnam (in which his restaurant is listed), and his bite-sized pho was the dish that generated the biggest buzz among attendees, most of whom were Vietnamese. The dining area is on the first floor of his Tardis-like … Read more
