NDO – Coming to the nation’s sacred outpost Truong Sa (Spratly archipelago), one of the simple and peaceful images impressive to strangers are island teachers enthusiastically drying shells on the sunny school steps to make toys and learning tools for local students. Weekends in the remote island are different from the mainland, as teachers and their students gather to study and play together like a small family. 

NDO –Lang Biang plateau is considered as a centre and point of origin for many major families of Co Ho ethnic minority people, such as Pangting, Bonyo and Krajan, who spread to many areas to establish villages. The highland of ‘red soil’ now has many new families, including those from different regions and countries who predestined to come to Lang Biang and then gradually merged into the cultural flow of this land. 

NDO - A writing system is the asset, culture and pride of every ethnic group. But for the Dao people on the outskirts of Hanoi, there is a fear that their ancient script is fading away from their cultural, religious and daily activities. 

NDO – Come rain or shine, stamp lovers gather at 160 Trieu Viet Vuong Street, Hai Ba Trung district, Hanoi, at around 9 am every Sunday, where they share their common interest and exchange talks on Vietnamese and foreign postage stamps. 

NDO - The northern province of Bac Ninh recently marked the 10th anniversary of UNESCO’s recognition of quan ho singing as an intangible cultural heritage. After a decade, the reach of the art has grown from 49 original villages and 34 clubs to 369 practising villages along with thousands of artists who can teach their skills to others. 

NDO – When the warm rays of sunlight push away the winter coldness it’s time for Hanoi to wear a colourful coat. 

NDO - Whenever I return to my home village, I always stop at the village gate. Looking at the road leading to the district centre, I remember my father’s words that in the past when the doors of the gate were still there, water buffaloes were herded to the field through the two small side doors. The middle door only opened at the time of the village festival or reception for special guests.  

NDO – Housewives today can spend a few hours shopping for all the necessary food and supplies for Tet (lunar New Year) holiday. However, many of them still go to outdoor markets in suburban areas to buy indigenous specialties and enjoy the vibrant atmosphere ahead of Tet. 

NDO - It is less than three weeks before the Lunar New Year, or Tet, formally arrives and as usual a repeated call for combining Tet with the Western New Year has re-emerged, with some even moaning “Everything is perfectly OK, why does Tet come about?” For a growing number of Vietnamese people, Tet is becoming somewhat of a reluctant occasion. 

NDO – Vietnam’s history is associated with the struggles to preserve and expand the territory. Hanoians leaving the Red River Delta to reside in a new land in the Central Highlands province of Lam Dong is also a continuation of ancestral traditions. 

NDO - On Vietnam Heritage Day, we should not reflect on solely the past but it is also necessary to look to future heritages which are being created today so as to be cautious in all of our actions. 

NDO – I woke up on an early Hanoi autumn morning, when the street lights were still lit. It’s time to take a walk around the Sword Lake to enjoy the cool weather. Life is passing slowly and quietly across the streets. Sipping a cup of hot tea watching the deserted streets from a small corner, I saw an elderly person slowly passing, holding a new newspaper. Suddenly a daze came - like missing something of the old days...  

NDO – Hanoi on the verge of the new season always has its own charm, with foliage full of colours and lakes dim in the early morning fog.  

NDO – Stepping into an old apartment building near Vu Ngoc Phan street (Hanoi), I immediately savoured the aroma of tea mixed with champak flowers. There were several guests sat at tea tables, chatting softly as if they did not want the sound to melt the fragrance of the tea and flowers. Vu Thien Tan – the owner of the tea house – prepared to marinate tea with champak flowers. In each champak blooming season, extending from early summer until late October, the special tea leaves from the high mountains are associated with the sweetness of the champak flowers’ aroma that could conquer any heart.