There is intense competition among cities throughout the world for investment, which in turn means wealth for those cities.

Back for its second outing in Saigon, this year’s festival is upping the stakes

Nguyen Hue, one of the most successful military commanders in Vietnamese history, and an emperor of the Tan Son Dynasty, has a major street in almost every Vietnamese city named after him. Yet the one in Ho Chi Minh City is perhaps the best known.

When I was a kid I never noticed old buildings. I believed that Vietnam should look modern, that newer is better. But when I took up photography, I began seeing things differently. I looked up, looked around, and suddenly the structure and details of these buildings began to intrigue me.

Chinese dumplings are far more than just dumplings. They’re lucky charms as well, perfect for the period before, during and after Tet. Words by Vi Pham. Photos by Owen Salisbury

Giving two fingers to the Kindle

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Paying homage to the mighty food court

While most streetfood snacks are struggling to beat off competition from imported fast food — think donuts and frozen yoghurt — the merry banh ong la dua is still beating out a fine trade. Words by Vi Pham. Photos by Owen Salisbury

Having eaten several burgers in the service of Word readers, I feel somewhat qualified to declare a ‘short-list’ of sorts. It’s not necessary, because there’s no official competition going on, but when it comes to food wars, let's face it, the battle of the burger is never over.