Phương Mỹ Chi's Latest MV Tells Eternal Love Story in Vietnam's Khmer Community
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- Published on 08 September 2026
- Written by Saigoneer.
After forays into the worlds of reality TV and cinema, Vietnam’s folk pop princess Phương Mỹ Chi has returned to her roots with a fresh new full-length album, pioneered by the lead single ‘Thiên đường với người thương’ (lit: In heaven with my beloved).
Observing the Day-to-Day Care and Diligence at Ardingly College Vietnam (ACVN), Vietnam’s First Authentic British Boarding School
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- Published on 07 September 2026
- Written by Saigoneer. Photos by ACVN.
Education is a lifelong journey, so it’s no surprise that some parts of learning require a trip away from the familiar. Within the rolling hills of Lào Cai stands Ardingly College Vietnam (ACVN), an institution dedicated to providing a space and community that nurtures not only students from Vietnam, but also from across the globe.
Tracing My Family's Fondness for French Tunes, From Colonial Times to Vietnamese Versions
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- Published on 04 September 2026
- Written by Khuê Anh. Graphic by Vi Nguyễn.
“Tombe la merde; tu ne viendras pas ce soir [Shit is falling; you’re not coming tonight]”: an outburst of laughter and applause would inevitably fill the room as my dad, in his deep, mellifluous voice, put his own profane twist on Salvatore Adamo’s ‘Tombe la neige.’ This track, like ‘Paroles… Paroles…’ by Dalida or Christophe’s ‘Aline,’ are widely known and adored in both France and my family in Vietnam. My childhood unfolded against these rhythms, melodies, and lyrics, whose origins were so far removed from me, both temporally and geographically.
The Saigon House That Swapped Its Front Door for a Moat
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- Published on 04 September 2026
- Written by Saigoneer.
Does a house need walls?
A Brief History of Saigon's Art Deco Eye Hospital, Formerly the Clinique Saint-Paul
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- Published on 03 September 2026
- Written by Tim Doling.
For those condemned to a long daily commute along that busiest of city arteries, Điện Biên Phủ Street, the clean, elegant lines of the Hồ Chí Minh City Eye Hospital offer a refreshing contrast to the surrounding urban clutter. The compound was formerly known as Clinique Saint-Paul, so many older Saigoneers still refer to it by the name Bệnh viện Xanh-Pôn.
What Even Is an Expat: Unpacking the Contentious Term, in Vietnam and Abroad
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- Published on 02 September 2026
- Written by San Kwon. Graphic by Mai Khanh.
“Expat is a racist as hell term” — this is the take of Misan Harriman on the popular internet show SubwayTakes. The reasoning goes that the term expat, short for expatriate, is racist because it is applied to migrants unevenly. Along this line, Mawuna Remarque Koutonin writes in Silicon Africa: “Africans are immigrants. Arabs are immigrants. Asians are immigrants. However, Europeans are expats because they can’t be at the same level as other ethnicities. They are superior. Immigrants is a term set aside for ‘inferior races.’”
The Enigmatic Neon-Lit World in the Mist of Sapa
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- Published on 31 August 2026
- Written by Adrien Jean. Photos by Adrien Jean.
Is there a more atmospheric place in Vietnam than Sapa on a misty night?
Ngõ Nooks: On Hàng Bài, Golden Bún Cá Thái Bình in a Hole in the Wall
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- Published on 28 August 2026
- Written by Hà Tạ. Photos by Long Nguyễn.
When a friend of mine returned home after living abroad last year, he longed for a bowl of bún cá. I suggested the classic Hanoi dish, with satisfyingly oily deep-fried fish, but he had other ideas — a fresh feast originally from Thai Binh, located almost 100 kilometers from the capital.
From Fine Dining to Comfort Food: Why Chef Thierry Mounon Followed up La Villa with La Fontaine
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- Published on 27 August 2026
- Written by Saigoneer. Photos by La Fontaine.
“Beyond awards or recognition, a restaurant is about welcoming people, creating memories and bringing joy around a table,” explains Chef Thierry Mounon of his decision to expand from French fine dining into comfort food.
Review: Pieces of Me | Nao Yoshioka (feat. Mỹ Anh)
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- Published on 27 August 2026
- Written by Khôi Phạm.
Mỹ Anh has come a long way since becoming the runner-up of The Heroes in 2021. Five years later, now with a full-length album and a spectrum of singles and extended plays under her belt, the Hanoi-based artist has proven to be one of the most dynamic singer-songwriter-producer of her generation.
Exploring Chợ Quán Asylum, Saigon’s Oldest Prisoner-of-War Camp
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- Published on 26 August 2026
- Written by Tuyết Nhi. Photos by Tuyết Nhi.
In a secluded corner of Saigon’s Bệnh viện Nhiệt đới, or Hospital for Tropical Diseases, a prison continues its century-long existence hidden from public memory and discourse.
Art Exhibition ‘Limerence’ Explores Where Romantic Desire Distorts Into Obsession
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- Published on 25 August 2026
- Written by Saigoneer.
Thom Nguyen utilizes portraiture and depictions of mushrooms and organic objects to explore the concept of limerence in a solo exhibition at Permanently Closed Gallery in Thảo Điền, beginning Friday, August 28.
How Vinahouse Fosters Sonic Belonging in Modern Saigon's Queer Collectives
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- Published on 24 August 2026
- Written by Đỉnh Nguyễn. Top graphic by Vi Nguyễn.
If you spend a night wandering along Bùi Viện Walking Street and its dense concentration of bars and clubs, you will almost certainly hear the same sound spilling from multiple directions: fast, pounding basslines layered with Vietnamese pop melodies, punctuated by dramatic buildups and explosive drops. If you fall into the right algorithm on TikTok, you might encounter these same sounds circulating as background audio. This music is Vinahouse. Its ever-presence in both physical and digital spaces makes it one of the most recognizable yet least critically examined musical forms in contemporary Vietnam.
Is the Yeti Vietnamese? This Ancient Ape Might Hold the Answer.
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- Published on 23 August 2026
- Written by Paul Christiansen. Top image by Ngọc Tạ.
Can you name a Vietnamese animal that hasn’t been hunted to the precipice of extinction or become a commodified item whose flesh, fur, or feathers are only deemed significant in relation to their practical use by humans?
Inside Tế Tiêu, Home to Vietnam's Rare 'Land Puppet' Performances
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- Published on 21 August 2026
- Written by Xuân Phương. Photos by Xuân Phương.
Bidding goodbye to central Hanoi, I took the National Road 21B to reach Tế Tiêu Neighborhood, a small community in Đại Nghĩa Township of Hanoi’s Mỹ Đức District. This fertile patch of land by the Đáy River is the cradle of a unique form of traditional folk art: Tế Tiêu puppetry.
How Quy Nhơn's Old Cemetery Slowly Expands up Vũng Chua Mountain
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- Published on 20 August 2026
- Written by Paul Christiansen and Phuong Pham. Photos by Alberto Prieto.
You might miss it if you were driving past, but once you walk down a small hẻm off Quy Nhơn’s main Tây Sơn Street, the massive cemetery sprawls in all directions.
What Cooking Bún Chả for My Birthday Abroad Taught Me About Vietnameseness
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- Published on 18 August 2026
- Written by Khuê Anh. Graphic by Dương Trương.
“Hot summer night, mid-July, when you and I were forever wild,” Lana Del Rey croons every July 15 to celebrate my birthday. Those melodramatic words consistently evoke three specific elements in my mind: Heineken or Tiger beer cans on the floor; the sweet smoky smell of bún chả and nem enlaced with the rainy air of a darkening Saigon sky; and my friends and family under the LED-lit roof of an iCool karaoke room. Such pillars uphold what I consider the quintessential Vietnamese birthday experience.
Into Saigon's Charming Hidden Third Spaces in the Shade of Bridges
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- Published on 18 August 2026
- Written by Uyên Đỗ. Photos by Nikolai Sokolov.
Third place (noun): A space outside of one's home and workplace, where people meet and interact socially.
This Suburban Hanoi House Answers 'Yes' to 'How Many Windows Do You Want?'
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- Published on 18 August 2026
- Written by Saigoneer.
Do you love the tropical summer? Does bathing in the warmth of the sun spark joy in you? How many windows are enough to solar-power your everyday life? If you, too, are toiling with these existential concerns on a daily basis, perhaps this recent residential project might provide some inspiration.
Vietnam's First Authentic British Boarding School Opens
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- Published on 16 August 2026
- Written by Saigoneer. Photos by ACVN
Lào Cai: the name conjures images of expansive natural fields in the shadows of harsh mountains as well as ethnic minority communities and traditional lifestyles. Many may know that this diverse location challenges people’s assumptions about Vietnam, but few would imagine it is the setting for Vietnam's first authentic British boarding school
