VietExplorer2020

Standing within the dense fog covering all over the scenery in Sapa Town, Lao Cai Province, Di and Vang sadly think about their beautiful childhood. Things have changed so much since they became teenagers. At the age of 15, H’Mong girls are struggling and fighting for their own independence and lives.  A scene from the documentary film “Children of the mist” by Ha Le Diem. Screenshot Photo  Somewhere else in the remote Southwest region, Phuong, a transgender singer, and her troupe are roaming around to earn for living on dusty and dreary streets. Little did she know, it was also the last tour of her life. These stories are told in Vietnamese-themed documentaries, being on-screen at the reality film festival titled “The Varan Vietnam Adventure”. The film festival lasts until April 2 in Paris, France. The young filmmaker Ha Le Diem’s “Children of the Mist,” Tran Phuong Thao’s “Workers’ dream,” and Nguyen Thi Tham’s “Madam Phung’s Last Journey” a...

Hanoi has lovely and green spaces that are ideal for cycling thanks to a climate that is cool almost all year round and a vast system of lakes and water surfaces.   Cycling is a favorite sport for everyone of different ages and occupations. Photo: Bong Hong Recognizing the recent rise in the popularity of cycling, Hanoi’s authority is now directing localities and units to promote this sustainable activity, encouraging the city’s entire strata to lead healthy lifestyles. A need for more competitions to broaden the playing field Besides well-liked exercises such as jogging, badminton, aerobics, or soccer, cycling has gained strength in Hanoi City and across the nation. Cycling helps people, especially sedentary office workers who spend most of their time on computers, not only improve their muscles, breathing, and mental power but also relax by taking in the sights of the city. The presence of numerous bicycle clubs in Hanoi, one of the three cities in Vietna...

Former French Ambassador to Vietnam Jean-Noël Poirier and former New Zealand Ambassador Haike Manning both served in Vietnam from 2012 to 2016 – a tenure which left such an impression on each of them that they both chose to stay in the country following their ambassadorships. Ex-ambassador’s laundromat service   Former French Ambassador to Vietnam Jean-Noël Poirier left diplomatic service following his term in Vietnam, but he didn’t choose to leave the country.   Instead, he opened three laundromats in Hanoi, one of which managed to stay open throughout the COVID-19 pandemic while the other two only recently reopened following financial hardship brought about by the coronavirus. But laundromats are just a side hustle for Porier. When he’s not busy making sure Hanoians have clean clothes, he manages a foreign investment consulting business in the Southeast Asian country. While the pandemic essentially put a hold on foreign investment in Vietnam, the country’s rapid ...