Iris Sa Phượng Nguyễn Paints Feminine Complexities by Subverting Familiar Symbols
Iris Sa Phượng Nguyễn's works transport visitors into a world perpetually the colors of twilight. Her debut solo show, “Where Shadows Breathe,” curated by Đỗ Tường Linh, presents a new mythology inspired by Vietnamese womanhood. Surreal and dreamlike, her works portray convenings of women and their trusted companions: storks, ducks, flowers and plants, in imagined spaces that defy the orders of objective reality. Each of her scenes carries an allegorical story, like a fairy-tale book or a document of ancient wisdom. The paintings rest within silver, glittery wooden frames, meant to evoke starry night skies or rippling moonlit waters. Wooden planks curve like streams, where Iris Sa’s painted ceramics float.
Paul Christiansen in Natural Selection
One Nation's Beloved Cá Lóc Is Another Nation's Horror Movie
America has been losing its shit over snakeheads. All summer long my algorithm-led newsfeed has been alerting me to ominous headlines including “‘Horror movie’ snakehead fish that can slither on land invading Missouri amid fourth sighting,” “Voracious, invasive ‘frankenfish’ reeled in from Delaware River at Easton,” and “Snakehead Fish Found in Georgia: ‘Kill It Immediately.’”
From the Mekong Delta's Chiếu Cói, 100 Đốt Creates Accessories for Everyday Fashion
For many Vietnamese, chiếu has always been a familiar part of the home, having grown up with these huge mats in the middle of the living room during family gatherings, afternoon naps, and evening hangouts on the hottest days of the year. Mundane and rustic chiếu is present in countless daily moments of the Vietnamese family as a clean surface to sleep or sit on. Could chiếu cói serve an alternative function in the modern age?
Khôi Phạm in Saigon Hẻm Gems
6 Saigon Eateries With Rare Cuisines to Expand Your World Culinary Experiences
In Vietnam’s history, Saigon has always been a city of dynamic immigration, where people from across the nation arrive every day to seek better opportunities for work, study, and to settle down. As Vietnam becomes more open to the world, this attraction has extended to other corners of the globe as well.
Fly Over Vietnam in the 1930s via These Rare Black-and-White Shots
What if you had a time machine and traveled 90 years into the past with a drone?
Hẻm Gems: At Den the Bar, Making Friends Is as Easy as Finding a New Favorite Drink
At Den the Bar, you first come in for a drink, maybe stay a little longer to chat, then come back to catch up. And before you know it, you've become a regular, made a few friends, and sometimes even end up as part of the next generation of bartenders. For over 10 years, Den has become a place where human connections, creativity, and knowledge sharing matter more than fancy bottles. And behind it all lies a slightly bigger ambition: changing the way bartending is seen in Vietnam.
Phạm Phú Vinh in Architecture
How the General Sciences Library's Design Maintains Cultural Traditions via Modernist Language
Beyond being a fine modernist building with great functionality achieved through clever master planning and microclimatic strategies, the General Sciences Library of Hồ Chí Minh City also encompasses a repertoire of symbolism inspired by Vietnamese traditional culture, expressed in the language of concrete, steel, and wood.
Khôi Phạm in Saigon Hẻm Gems
Hẻm Gems: In Huế, Cơm Hến Bé Liêm Is Breakfast With a Side of Warm Hospitality
One of the small joys in life is having a favorite dish readily available whenever you crave it. Ever since I discovered the little hẻm in Saigon where Cơm Hến O Thu lies, my life has been ever so uplifted by the comfort that, every fortnight or so, I can hop on my motorbike, sit for 15 minutes, and have cơm hến on the table in a blink of an eye for gulping pleasures. Cơm hến is one of my favorite things, so naturally, when I got a chance to visit Huế, the dish’s hometown, there was no way I could miss out on this small joy that packs big flavors.
Latest
Iris Sa Phượng Nguyễn Paints Feminine Complexities by Subverting Familiar Symbols
Iris Sa Phượng Nguyễn's works transport visitors into a world perpetually the colors of twilight. Her debut solo show, “Where Shadows Breathe,” curated by Đỗ Tường Linh, presents a new mythology inspi...
Paul Christiansen in Natural Selection
One Nation's Beloved Cá Lóc Is Another Nation's Horror Movie
America has been losing its shit over snakeheads. All summer long my algorithm-led newsfeed has been alerting me to ominous headlines including “‘Horror movie’ snakehead fish that can slither on land ...
From the Mekong Delta's Chiếu Cói, 100 Đốt Creates Accessories for Everyday Fashion
For many Vietnamese, chiếu has always been a familiar part of the home, having grown up with these huge mats in the middle of the living room during family gatherings, afternoon naps, and evening hang...
Khôi Phạm in Saigon Hẻm Gems
6 Saigon Eateries With Rare Cuisines to Expand Your World Culinary Experiences
In Vietnam’s history, Saigon has always been a city of dynamic immigration, where people from across the nation arrive every day to seek better opportunities for work, study, and to settle down. As Vi...
Fly Over Vietnam in the 1930s via These Rare Black-and-White Shots
What if you had a time machine and traveled 90 years into the past with a drone?
Hẻm Gems: At Den the Bar, Making Friends Is as Easy as Finding a New Favorite Drink
At Den the Bar, you first come in for a drink, maybe stay a little longer to chat, then come back to catch up. And before you know it, you've become a regular, made a few friends, and sometimes even e...
Phạm Phú Vinh in Architecture
How the General Sciences Library's Design Maintains Cultural Traditions via Modernist Language
Beyond being a fine modernist building with great functionality achieved through clever master planning and microclimatic strategies, the General Sciences Library of Hồ Chí Minh City also encompasses ...
Branded Content
InterContinental Halong Bay Welcomes Michelin Star Recipient Granata Fabio as New Executive Chef
After establishing restaurants in his Italian hometown that were awarded Michelin Stars, Granata Fabio decided to grow beyond conventional f...
Technology and Versatility Support Lavish Events at Le Méridien Saigon’s Newly Unveiled Ballroom
As part of its ongoing efforts to elevate conferences, corporate events, and weddings in the city, Le Méridien Saigon has officially unveile...
A Resort Within a Resort: Discover Club InterContinental Phu Quoc
Celebrated for its tranquil beachfront setting and effortless island elegance, InterContinental Phu Quoc Long Beach Resort welcome...
Arts & Culture
Iris Sa Phượng Nguyễn Paints Feminine Complexities by Subverting Familiar Symbols
Iris Sa Phượng Nguyễn's works transport visitors into a world perpetually the colors of twilight. Her debut solo show, “Where Shadows Breath...
From the Mekong Delta's Chiếu Cói, 100 Đốt Creates Accessories for Everyday Fashion
For many Vietnamese, chiếu has always been a familiar part of the home, having grown up with these huge mats in the middle of the living roo...
Experience Cát Tiên National Park's Nature Sounds as Ambient Noises to Relax/Study To
Cát Tiên National Park's calming bird songs, insect cries, and rushing waters are now available as a customizable, uninterrupted soundscape ...
Eat & Drink
Khôi Phạm in Saigon Hẻm Gems
6 Saigon Eateries With Rare Cuisines to Expand Your World Culinary Experiences
In Vietnam’s history, Saigon has always been a city of dynamic immigration, where people from across the nation arrive every day to seek bet...
Hẻm Gems: At Den the Bar, Making Friends Is as Easy as Finding a New Favorite Drink
At Den the Bar, you first come in for a drink, maybe stay a little longer to chat, then come back to catch up. And before you know it, you'v...
Khôi Phạm in Saigon Hẻm Gems
Hẻm Gems: In Huế, Cơm Hến Bé Liêm Is Breakfast With a Side of Warm Hospitality
One of the small joys in life is having a favorite dish readily available whenever you crave it. Ever since I discovered the little hẻm in S...
Travel
Bạch Nam Hải’s Documentary Photo Series Captures Sapa's 7 Years of Transformation
From the town to the depths of the misty mountains of Sapa, Bạch Nam Hải embarked on a documentary photographic journey, capturing the essen...
Xuân Phương in Saigoneer Getaways
Hà Giang's Thôn Khun Is a Soothing Oasis for the World-Weary Traveler
Located in the heart of a valley surrounded by verdant stretches of forest, the little hamlet of Khun retains much of its pristine natural c...
Adrien Jean in Travel
The Enigmatic Neon-Lit World in the Mist of Sapa
Is there a more atmospheric place in Vietnam than Sapa on a misty night?
Stories
Is It Possible to Feel Nostalgic for Rest Stops, the Liminal Space We're Supposed to Forget?
If the long-distance bus is a person, there’s a high chance that it’s a character who’s not very well-liked. Perhaps it’s a rude guy who smo...
Paul Christiansen in Vietnam
The Grotesque Food on AI Slop Signs Ushers in the Age of Flattened Human Experience
The AI slop has arrived, our streets conquered by vibrant, same-same cartoon faces with goofy grins slapped atop gradient-drenched backgroun...
Paul Christiansen in Saigon
The Simple Pleasures of Kite-Flying in Thủ Thiêm
One of the most elegant means to observe the textured heft and untethered strength of otherwise-invisible wind — there is plenty one could s...
Society
Paul Christiansen in Natural Selection
One Nation's Beloved Cá Lóc Is Another Nation's Horror Movie
America has been losing its shit over snakeheads. All summer long my algorithm-led newsfeed has been alerting me to ominous headlines includ...
Phạm Phú Vinh in Architecture
How the General Sciences Library's Design Maintains Cultural Traditions via Modernist Language
Beyond being a fine modernist building with great functionality achieved through clever master planning and microclimatic strategies, the Ge...
A Eulogy for My Childhood Along Saigon's Xuyên Tâm Canal Amid Its Cleanup
Along the busy Điện Biên Phủ Street that travels through the former districts 1, 3, 10 and Bình Thạnh is Hẻm 27, located almost next to Trườ...
Heritage
Fly Over Vietnam in the 1930s via These Rare Black-and-White Shots
What if you had a time machine and traveled 90 years into the past with a drone?
Tim Doling in Saigon
How Saigon's Lăng Cha Cả Went From Mausoleum to Roundabout
If you’re just off the plane and heading west into the city, it’s hard to avoid the busy six-way Lăng Cha Cả intersection south of Hồ Chí Mi...
A Recuperating Vietnam in 1980, as Documented by Philip Jones Griffiths
Released in 1971, Vietnam Inc. by Philip Jones Griffiths was a career-defining work for the Welsh photographer, whose candid, sympathetic images...
Partner News
Namia River Retreat Celebrates Festive Season Inspired by Hoi An’s Merchants Port Heritage
This festive season, Namia River Retreat celebrates the spirit of togetherness through culinary and cultural experiences inspired by Hoi An’...
3,000 Coconut Palms and a Familiar Face: The Story of The Anam Cam Ranh
What does it take to turn a stretch of white sand into a tropical garden? At The Anam Cam Ranh, the answer involves thousands of transplante...
The World’s Smallest Chefs Have Arrived: Holiday Inn & Suites Saigon Airport Unveils ‘Le Petit Chef & Friends’ 3D Dinner Show
Holiday Inn & Suites Saigon Airport is bringing the world-famous 3D dinner show, ‘Le Petit Chef & Friends’ to Saigon. Guests will watch four ...
Saigon Events
IGS German Christmas Market 2026 @ International German School HCMC
After a one-year pause, the IGS German Christmas Market returns on 5 December 2026 for its first celebration on the school’s new campus. Fam...
Workshop Discover CAO @ Macanudo Socials Saigon
What have you always wanted to know about CAO? On Wednesday, 18 November 2026, Mr. Chuong will host Discover CAO at Macanudo Socials Saigon,...
Early Years Parent Forum @ International School HCMC
Register here . Understanding Your Child’s Early Years | Free Parent Event What helps young children grow, learn and thrive? Sometimes, it start...
