Joshua Zukas

Writer | Fixer | Strategist

Hanoi-based writer covering travel, culture, architecture and innovation in Asia.

Travel writer for Lonely Planet, CNN Create, Fodor's Travel and Ink Global, which produces award-winning travel content for the world's biggest airlines. National and regional tourism organization experience with Vietnam National Administration of Tourism, Philippine Department of Tourism, Korea Tourism Organization, Visit Wakayama, Kerala Tourism and Jeju Tourism Organization.

Travel and culture stories published in The Economist, 1843, BBC News, Travelfish, AFAR, Hidden Compass, The Independent, The Red Bulletin, The Toronto Star, DestinAsian and The Diplomat. Architecture and design stories published in Wallpaper, Interior Design Magazine, Icon, Frame, Wired UK and Vietcetera.

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Highlight Journalism and Travel Writing

Travelfish • 30th December 2020

Vietnam: Beyond the Stereotype

Vietnam is awash with antiquated and orientalist fantasies. Travel media outlets manufacture nostalgia for a colonial heirloom with crowded street kitchens and conical hat-wearing hawkers. Foreign travel companies overrepresent Vietnam’s beaches as if the country exists to serve sun-starved Northeast Asians and Europeans. And although Vietnam has been at peace for over four decades, American films continue to portray a perilous place reeling from war.

Wallpaper* • 15th July 2021

Green List

On a sizzling April afternoon, a rainstorm pummels Ho Chi Minh City. Despite the deafening downpour, temperatures stay miserably high in the megacity’s concrete and glass-laden central districts. Urbanites remain sheltered in offices and cafés, which are sealed and air-conditioned. After the outburst, which lasts for an hour or so, the clouds crack and the sun resumes its offensive, turning the city’s soggy centre into a steam bath.

1843 • 22nd August 2019

Vietnam’s Ghosts Are Hungry for iPhones

It’s 8pm in Hanoi’s labyrinthine Old Quarter and shop-owner Tran Thu Hien places her last $100 bill on the crackling street-side fire. I’ve watched her burn through thousands of dollars, but it’s still not enough. Hien, crouched over the blaze and dripping with sweat, has exhausted the cash. So she unpacks a box of personal items, pre-prepared for incineration: a gold Rolex, a pair of designer sunglasses, a pack of Cuban cigars and an iPhone X. Finally, Hien turns to a black Toyota Camry. The ca

Hidden Compass • 12th January 2022

A House of Many Hues

Burnt incense flavors the air before drifting away and dissipating in the mist. Monks in saffron robes chant tirelessly, in unison. Magenta orchids and marigold lilies adorn an altar draped in crimson fabrics.

The Economist • 3rd July 2020

Your Loss, My Grain

As covid-19 saps Vietnam’s economy, private charity is blossoming. That is unusual for a workers’ paradise. Despite the mid-morning heat, residents of the Vietnamese capital, Hanoi, swarm around the dispenser filling their brown paper bags.

Silkwinds (SilkAir) • 1st July 2019

COVER STORY: Journey to the Underworld

"Don't step there," our guide says, pointing to a dubious area of brown sludge. "We might lose you." He's grinning but only half-joking: A previous wrong step pulled me deep into the gunk

DestinAsian • 6th December 2021

Natural Order

With its rippling rice terraces, stilt-house villages, and soaring limestone peaks, the Pu Luong Nature Reserve is poised to become one of northern Vietnam’s most appealing destinations. But can it do so without losing its unspoiled appeal?

AFAR • 1st December 2021

Where to Go in 2022: Phong Nha

Phong Nha–Ke Bang National Park, a geologically notable site in central Vietnam, has tempted daredevils since 2013, when Son Doong, the biggest cave on the planet (large enough to hold a Boeing 747), opened for multiday tours. The Phong Nha–based company Oxalis Adventure is hoping to launch a fresh adventure in 2022 that’s set to rival the Son Doong Expedition, its flagship experience.

Going Places (Malaysia Airlines) • 2nd January 2020

Lan Ha Bay: The Other Halong Bay

While otherworldly seascapes and limestone cliffs have long brought cruises to Halong Bay, adventure seekers are looking for something a little different.

The Independent • 21st May 2021

How Architects Are Greening Vietnam’s Hotel Scene

On a diamond-shaped island in southern Vietnam sits a collection of small lagoons enveloped by leafy vines. Adding to the hanging greenery are flourishing frangipani trees blooming with butter yellow champa flowers and bunches of bamboo stalks supporting a lime green canopy. Verdant though it is, this forest isn’t wild. And despite the botanic setting, the lagoons are actually secluded swimming pools.

ICON • 3rd June 2021

Verdant Vietnam

Across the world, biophilic architecture is in full bloom as firms theatrically intertwine buildings with nature. But in Vietnam, architects are harnessing biophilia more quietly.

Fodors Travel Guide • 4th October 2021

Is This Hotel Misleading Guests About Its Colonial Heritage?

In Vietnam, an abandoned university-turned-beachfront hotel seems to be a shining example of the country’s colonial past⁠—except that its history is entirely made up. Gracing the southern tip of Vietnam’s Phu Quoc Island is Bai Khem, one of the tropical haven’s most alluring beaches. Here, a thicket of palm trees bows to a cerulean sea as it tenderly laps a crescent of dimpled sand. Hills canvased in the jungle rise behind cordial palms, leading to the island’s craggy interior. At the bay’s so

The Red Bulletin (Red Bull) • 10th November 2020

Bloom Town

As Vietnam’s booming commercial hub, Ho Chi Minh City is a whirlwind of chaos. But in the eye of the storm sits a cluster of houses where humans, trees and birds coexist peacefully. People occupy the lower levels, but the roofs are giant plant pots, each with a tree sprouting from a thick layer of soil. Chirping birds nest in their branches, quelling the noisy invasion of traffic and construction.

Vietcetera • 20th October 2021

Meet The Architects Using Creative Design To Tackle The Climate Crisis

Furious typhoons hammer the land, triggering torrential downpours and earth-shaking winds. In coastal settlements, some communities sit submerged while others wash away entirely. In the highlands, devastating landslides sever roads and bury farms. This isn’t an eschatological prophecy, but the reality central Vietnam faced in 2020, an abnormally calamitous year. The press reported that natural disasters – probably exacerbated by the climate crisis – caused $1.6 billion worth of damage, five tim

Vietnam Tourism Board • 26th February 2019

Making Sense of Vietnam's Ethnic Diversity

Vietnam is home to a vibrant collage of ethnic groups. There are 54 recognised ethnicities that filter into hundreds of subgroups. Wondering where to start? The best way to understand Vietnam’s ethnic makeup is through hands-on experiences. From mountain homestays to medicinal herbs, encounters with ethnic culture are a highlight of any trip to Vietnam. Here are five easy ways to get to know the Yao, Hmong, Tay, Bahnar, and Khmer ethnic groups. The Yao (often spelt Dao or Dzao) have been in Vie

Highlight Client Articles

CNN - DBS • 15th July 2021

Feeding and Healing Cities

A social enterprise is making Singapore’s ambitious food security goal about something more than just self-reliance. Edible Garden City believes urban farming cultivates a greener and more inclusive environment that also nourishes the minds and health of citizens. In 2019, Singapore announced its ambitious “30 by 30” target: to produce 30 percent of the country’s nutritional needs domestically by 2030. This mission has never seemed more important than after more than a year of trade disruptions

CNN - Visit Wakayama • 3rd February 2021

Wakayama: Make It Happen

Spiritually rich and brimming with natural wonders, Wakayama is Japan's best-kept secret. Here are seven ways to get to know this diverse destination.

Mekong Business Initiative (Asian Development Bank) • 3rd February 2019

Enhancing Access to Finance for Entrepreneurs in Cambodia

In 2004, Kuy Vat decided to fill a gap in the Cambodian dining scene. Restaurants in Cambodia were mostly street food or one-room eateries with poor hygiene and no air-conditioning. Local people, especially those from the middle and upper classes, were becoming more aware of the dangers of processed food and artificial flavoring.

Highlight Client Websites

Oxalis Adventure • 25th February 2020

Life-changing Experiences in Vietnam's Highlight Destination

Oxalis Adventure is the leading adventure tour operator in Vietnam. We pioneered life-changing caving and jungle experiences in UNESCO-recognized Phong Nha-Ke Bang National Park and we are the gateway to Son Doong, the largest cave on the planet. But Son Doong is only the beginning – 70% of the jungle remains unexplored.

Paradise Grand • 25th February 2020

Paradise Arrives in Lan Ha Bay

Soak up the tranquil seascapes of Lan Ha Bay on the Paradise Grand, with Michelin Star menus, private balconies, and the destination’s largest sundeck. Explore this untouched destination with cycle rides in island villages, jungle trekking to panoramic viewpoints, and secluded kayaking experiences. And indulge in onboard activities with Lan Ha Bay’s first floating outdoor cinema and nightly live music.

Topas Travel • 26th September 2019

Tailoring Your Experience, One Adventure at a Time

We’ve been crafting adventures in Vietnam since 1993, which is why we know that they come in all shapes and sizes. A personal experiment with street food is an adventure – as is crawling through caves with the kids. We believe that when it comes to travel, there is no such thing as “one size fits all.” Instead, the key to a remarkable Vietnam experience is working out the right adventures for you – and that’s where we come in.

Highlight Press Releases

President Cruises • 29th November 2018

Halong Bay’s Largest Five-Star Cruise Celebrates Maiden Voyage

HALONG BAY, Vietnam (November 29, 2018) – The largest and most luxurious cruising vessel to ever ply Halong Bay’s waters has impressed its inaugural passengers with its elegant cabins, evening piano bar, expansive sun decks, spa and fine dining.

President Cruises • 8th November 2018

Halong Bay’s Largest Five-Star Cruise Sets Sail

HALONG BAY, Vietnam (November 8, 2018) – Halong Bay is bracing itself for its biggest and most luxurious cruising vessel yet replete with 46 spacious cabins, an evening piano bar, spa, fine dining restaurant and two expansive sun decks.

Mekong Innovative Startups in Tourism (Asian Development Bank) • 26th April 2018

Startup Accelerator Announces 19 Semi-Finalists

The Mekong Innovative Startups in Tourism (MIST) Startup Accelerator has announced that 19 startups have qualified to join its 2018 program. The 19 startups will join a MIST Travel Startups Fundamentals Bootcamp from May 17-22 in Ho Chi Minh City, Viet Nam. The five most outstanding startups will subsequently receive innovation grants up to $10,000USD, six months of intensive coaching, a trip to meet industry experts at the Mekong Tourism Forum (MTF) in Nakhon Phanom, Thailand, and an opportunity to pitch investors in Singapore.

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