Feeling Peckish at the End of the Work Day? Have a Bánh Chiên, or Two, or Four.
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- Published on 30 October 2026
- Written by Thu Hà. Photos by Jimmy Art Devier.
The rainy season is upon us in Saigon. Bouts of rain from ferocious to gentle have helped tempered the searing heat of summer. At one corner of the city, amid the moisture of freshly rained-on atmosphere is the bittersweet caramel scent of sugar syrup bubbling on the stove and of fried dough. It fills me with both nostalgia and a craving for golden, crispy bánh chiên hidden at every market and alley across Saigon.
How Saigon's Lăng Cha Cả Went From Mausoleum to Roundabout
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- Published on 30 October 2026
- Written by Tim Doling.
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 Minh City’s Tân Sơn Nhất International Airport. But it’s even harder to believe that this was once the site of a national monument: the grand mausoleum of Bishop Pigneau de Béhaine — best known in Vietnam as Giám mục Bá Đa Lộc (Cha Cả).
The Shrimps Are to Die for at This Riverside Nhậu Spot on the Outskirts of Saigon
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- Published on 29 October 2026
- Written by Paul Christiansen. Photos by Jimmy Art Devier.
“We eat so many shrimps, I got iodine poisoning,” rapper Pimp C famously proclaimed. But how many shrimps would that require, exactly? The internet claims it would require 680 large shrimps for one to suffer iodine poisoning.
Review: Thịnh Suy, Datmaniac Deliver Earnestness in 'Tự,' an Experiment in Spirituality
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- Published on 27 October 2026
- Written by Khôi Phạm.
Following the musical works of Thịnh Suy means always being on alert for sudden song drops, sometimes without even a cryptic social media status update as a harbinger. Thịnh’s latest creation, ‘Tự,’ came to be in a similar fashion: the vocal version was unveiled in August, while a few days ago, another version with a rap verse by Datmaniac came out.
The Simple Pleasures of Kite-Flying in Thủ Thiêm
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- Published on 26 October 2026
- Written by Paul Christiansen. Photos by Paul Christiansen.
One of the most elegant means to observe the textured heft and untethered strength of otherwise-invisible wind — there is plenty one could say about the poetry of flying kites.
Nguyễn Bình Phương's Tale of Magical Realism Revels in Absurdity
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- Published on 25 October 2026
- Written by San Kwon. Top graphic by Ngọc Tạ.
“Clip-clop, clip-clop.” So goes the sound of the water buffalo hooves pulling a wagon through the highlands against the magenta sky of an unending sunset. The wagon is guided by a nameless driver, and onboard are three travelers: a veteran referred to as “the Man” and two other younger men.
I Grew up Among Ducks in the Mekong Delta. They Always Remind Me of Home.
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- Published on 23 October 2026
- Written by Mai HD. Top image by Mai Khanh.
On a recent ritual walk around my suburb, I was held up by the sight of a middle-aged man with his “fur kid.” I introduced myself and when he heard the word “Vietnam,” his eyes lit up and with a smile as he tumbled out the words: “The Mekong Delta. Ducks.”
A Huế Family Temple Shelters Traditional Ancestral Worship Inside a Modern Shell
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- Published on 22 October 2026
- Written by Saigoneer.
Across the rapidly modernizing urban landscape of Vietnam, Huế stands out as a bastion of traditions, not just in its city layout, rich historical wealth, and court cuisine, but also in the way the city has somehow managed to largely resist the power of rampant urbanization. This architectural project in Huế is a great example of a new structure that can quite seamlessly merge old and new into something mesmerizing.
In Hien's Debut Album, a Self-Discovery Journey Through Vietnam, Hungary and the US
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- Published on 21 October 2026
- Written by Huy Thịnh. Top graphic by Ngọc Tạ.
After a decade writing and gathering materials, Hien recently published her debut album, “Trăng Qua.”
‘Echoes of Tonkin’ Exhibition Challenges Clichéd Narratives of 20th-Century Vietnamese Art
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- Published on 21 October 2026
- Written by Saigoneer.
“Echoes of Tonkin: Vietnamese Modern Art” opens in Hong Kong to challenge reductive narratives and clichés about 20th-century Vietnamese art.
Hoa Sữa, Poetic Icon of Autumn in Hanoi or Nasal Health Enemy No. 1?
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- Published on 19 October 2026
- Written by Thảo Nguyên. Graphic by Dương Trương.
It was early in the day. I opened my window to let in the very first rays of the morning sun, just to catch a waft of that distinctive floral aroma lingering in the cold air. This year, autumn came early, and hoa sữa has started blooming where I live.
A Recuperating Vietnam in 1980, as Documented by Philip Jones Griffiths
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- Published on 14 October 2026
- Written by Saigoneer.
Released in 1971, Vietnam Inc. by Philip Jones Griffiths was a career-defining work for the Welsh photographer, whose candid, sympathetic images of Vietnam during the American War showed a much different side of the country to a global audience.
Gỏi Khô Bò Lê Văn Tám Connects Generations of Saigoneers Over Papaya Salad
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- Published on 14 October 2026
- Written by Khôi Phạm. Photos by Jimmy Art Devier.
My favorite genre of Saigon food places is most definitely address-less street vendors. With no name, no fixed location, no menu, no contact information, before Google Maps and smartphones, whether you can satisfy your craving for their food purely depended on the strength of your memory (to find them again) and the level of luck the universe bestowed on you that day.
Art Project ‘The Lottery of Forgotten Dreams’ Is a Wild Alchemy of Vé Số and Photography
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- Published on 13 October 2026
- Written by Paul Christiansen. Photos by Christian Berg.
Vé số ticket number 984430 yields a magenta fish contorting atop a ghostly image of an apartment high-rise in Tân Phú in “The Lottery of Forgotten Dreams – Topographies of the Unseen,” an art project by photographer Christian Berg. The experimental project, available to view in full online, employs computer technology to combine photography, numerology, and mythology and playfully reimagine how one visualizes Saigon.
The Tragic Story of Cầy Vằn Bắc Is Why You Shouldn't Buy Civet Coffee
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- Published on 12 October 2026
- Written by Michael Tatarski.
While Saigoneer’s Natural Selection series has already covered a number of iconic species and types of animals, including the tiger, Asian elephant, dogs and cats, there’s a good chance most of the people reading this haven’t heard of today’s critter.
Hẻm Gems: Wake up Early, We're Getting Hủ Tiếu Cá for Breakfast
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- Published on 10 October 2026
- Written by Thùy Trang. Photos by Cao Nhân.
When I used to live in Hanoi, I always knew that if an eatery only opens for half a day, the food is probably certified, at least by the locals, to be not only good, but excellent. There is something written in the local traditions that specific dishes should be served at particular times of the day.
In MARG1N, a Resolute Return to Print Media That Dissects Southeast Asian Cinema
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- Published on 10 October 2026
- Written by San Kwon.
The joy of reading, for most of my life, had been primarily grounded in the joy of learning, feeling, and thinking through words, independent of medium. That is, until college, when I found myself repeatedly longing for Thursday mornings, when the week’s freshly printed student newspaper would arrive neatly folded and stacked, ready to be spread over the dining-hall table like wrapping paper. I came to realize then that the joy of reading was not simply about words; it was also about the tactile touch of paper and of the inexplicable satisfaction of flipping through pages bigger than my hands could reasonably manage.
By Preserving Tradition, Honoring Creativity and Showcasing Sustainability, Young Vietnamese Chefs Excel at Ngon Challenge by Marriott International
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- Published on 08 October 2026
- Written by Saigoneer. Photos by Alberto Prieto.
The glossy menus, sleek decor, and iconic logos of international hotel restaurants often obscure the human stories behind each dish. While catering to global guests, these restaurants often serve meals with origins in family kitchens and regional culinary traditions. Young, local chefs balance nostalgic associations with contemporary techniques and creative expression to create these menus. Returning for its second year this past September, Ngon Challenge continued to celebrate and nurture Vietnamese culinary talent across Marriott International’s hotels and resorts in Vietnam.
Lycée Chasseloup-Laubat, the Saigon School That Taught Marguerite Duras, Norodom Sihanouk
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- Published on 06 October 2026
- Written by Tim Doling.
Lê Quý Đôn High School (Trường Trung học Phổ thông Lê Quý Đôn) at 110 Nguyễn Thị Minh Khai Street is the city’s oldest surviving educational establishment.
Review: ‘Inside the Yellow Cocoon Shell’ Is a Soul-Searching Mission in the Lâm Đồng Mist
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- Published on 05 October 2026
- Written by Nguyên Lê.
On the pastures of slow cinema where Andrei Tarkovsky, Tsai Ming-liang and Theo Angelopoulos reside, Phạm Thiên Ân's debut feature, Bên Trong Vỏ Kén Vàng (Inside the Yellow Cocoon Shell), has made its mark as a notable entry for its distinctly Vietnamese vistas, tones and essence.
