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Vietnam has 3,260 kilometers of coastline but only a few well-known beach destinations. You might imagine that there are some hidden, white-sand gems somewhere. Quy Nhon is exactly that. A medium-sized beach town almost exactly between Nha Trang and Hoi An, there isn’t a whole lot else to do in Quy Nhon besides enjoy the beautiful beaches. That’s probably what makes it a lesser-known destination for tourists but the perfect spot for a weekend getaway. How To Get To Quy […]

I wanted to interview Adrienne Mack-Davis and Cathleen Angelo (feleciacruz), the two women who make up New Fame, because on every occasion I caught one of their shows I was amazed not only by the quality of music but by how their synergy as a duo captivated an audience of any size. Their blend of reggae, hip-hop, trap, freestyle rapping and soul is unique in Ho Chi Minh City but in New York I would be just as struck by […]

There are plenty of regular gyms in Ho Chi Minh City, but it’s harder to find somewhere to go beyond the rote ellipticals and to get some exercise outdoors. You could bicycle outside the city or join the 5 AM senior citizen crowd using the exercise equipment in the parks, but in the last few years several climbing gyms have also popped up along with a growing community of climbers throughout Vietnam. We spoke with Ludovic Tran, a graphic designer/photographer, […]

If you’ve lived in Vietnam for more than six months, it’s likely that you’ve been invited to a wedding. So far I’ve been to five. And as far as I can tell, Vietnamese weddings are a unique amalgamation of customs, cultures and individual imagination. For a first-timer, it can be hard to know exactly what to expect or do. A Vietnam wedding is one of the best places to experience the juxtaposition between the new and old Vietnam. It perfectly illustrates […]

Through writing this article I have been converted to believing that a proper haircut is not necessarily a matter of vanity, but rather, like other basic choices we make about our appearance, a matter of identity, self-expression and self-care. Hence why barbershops have been gathering places in communities for as long as they have been around. At Hurricane Barbershop, the haircuts are what bring people in but the friendly, laid-back-yet-personal atmosphere is what has cultivated a community over the years. […]

Vietnam is heralded as one of the most progressive countries for LGBTQ (Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Trans and Queer) people in Southeast Asia and worldwide. The ban on same-sex marriage was abolished here before it was repealed in the United States, while last year the national assembly approved a bill legalizing gender reassignment surgery, allowing transgender people to be recognized. Despite these advances, many people point out that in more nuanced ways, Vietnam has a long way to go towards widespread […]