Review: Quán Kỳ Nam Is an Instant Classic of Contemporary Vietnamese Cinema
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- Published on 07 December 2025
- Written by Khôi Phạm.
Quán Kỳ Nam is a cozy, languorous film that might elude some viewers who don’t have the patience to sit around sipping on tea while waiting for hoa quỳnh to blossom. Still, just like waiting for those petals to unfurl, if you manage to sit still until the end, the result is a tender beauty whose scent will linger on even after the flower is gone.
Inside Quảng Nam's School for Children From Ethnic Minorities, Designed by VTN Architects
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- Published on 04 December 2025
- Written by Saigoneer.
Can a school protect against harsh climate conditions and foster productive academic and social activities in a sustainable and affordable way, while paying attention to the aesthetic values of the region?
On Finding Packaged Existential Relief at Saigon's Convenience Stores
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- Published on 03 December 2025
- Written by Uyên Đỗ. Photos by Uyên Đỗ.
When running away from life’s many grievances, I often find myself at the convenience store.
Saigon Demolishes 3 Heritage Villas to Make Room for Covid-19 Memorial Park
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- Published on 02 December 2025
- Written by Saigoneer. Photos by Alexandre Garel.
As part of a plan to build a dedicated space to commemorate victims of the COVID-19 pandemic, Saigon authorities recently demolished several heritage buildings from the 1950s, sparking concerns about the city’s loss of architectural heritage.
What a Set of Art Homework From Long Xuyên Teaches Us About 1930s Vietnam
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- Published on 01 December 2025
- Written by Ann Ann. Images courtesy of Trọng Tính.
Much like their descendants today, schoolchildren of 1930s Vietnam also took art classes as part of their syllabus. In this rare collection of what was essentially our grandparents’ homework, we can surprisingly learn a lot about the daily life of Mekong Delta residents from nearly 100 years ago.
Cát Tiên National Park Is the Perfect Cure for the Festering Wounds of Chronic Urban Life
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- Published on 30 November 2025
- Written by Paul Christiansen. Photos by Mike Tatarski.
What’s new? What’s trendy? What haven’t I explored? Such questions often dictate our travel plans, but sometimes, we’d be better off asking the opposite: What’s old? What’s impervious to being in style? Where have I been before and loved?
Hẻm Gems: In the Mood for Lẩu? A Ngưu Offers Hong Kong Vibes and Tasty Bites.
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- Published on 28 November 2025
- Written by Uyên Đỗ. Photos by Lê Thái Hoàng Nguyên.
I visit Tiệm Lẩu A Ngưu on a rare wintry Saturday evening in Saigon, the perfect occasion to fill one’s stomach with warm broth, noodles, and a host of other tasty accouterments.
When Donations Are All Womenswear, Men in Flood Zones Turn Necessity Into Fashion
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- Published on 28 November 2025
- Written by Saigoneer.
Vietnam’s South-Central Coast region is going through an especially grueling time of the year as both the local people and authorities have to deal with the aftermath of historic rainfall and flooding. Still, amid the mourning and strenuous rebuilding efforts, moments of levity shine through — a testament to the resilience, optimism, and incredible humor of the Vietnamese people in the face of hardships.
On Moving Posters and Saigon, the City of Constant Movements and Migration
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- Published on 26 November 2025
- Written by Minh Phát. Photos by Hạo Lê.
Each time I stop at a traffic light or visit a street food vendor, I can’t help looking around at nearby utility poles and naked patches of wall that are full of posters advertising moving services.
Đắk Lắk, Khánh Hòa Are Next Victims of 2025's Historic Flooding. Here's How to Help.
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- Published on 25 November 2025
- Written by Saigoneer.
After nearly a week of constant downpour, many provinces of Vietnam’s Central Highlands and South-Central Coast regions have suffered severe flooding and landslides, causing catastrophic damage to local infrastructure, economic activities, and deaths. This has been yet another month of loss and destruction for Vietnam in 2025, which is shaping up to be the most devastating year in recent history due to consecutive powerful typhoons and atypically high rainfall.
Meet Dạ Ngân, the Author of the Most Important Vietnamese Novel You've Never Read
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- Published on 24 November 2025
- Written by Paul Christiansen. Top photo by Kevin Lee.
When the wind strafes Dạ Ngân’s window, seedpods shake and rattle like spent bullet casings in the tamarind tree that Americans planted decades ago. They also built the large apartment complex where she now lives. It’s an ironic place to call home, considering Dạ Ngân was a resistance fighter in the south during the American War.
What Can Vietnamese License Plates Tell You About the Vehicles and Who Drives Them?
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- Published on 21 November 2025
- Written by Khôi Phạm. Illustration by Dương Trương.
There was a game I used to play with my dad whenever we would stop at a traffic light. He would point to a random license plate in front of us and quiz me on where it came from.
Nem Chả Diên Khánh, a Match Made in Khánh Hòa's Coastal Heaven
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- Published on 21 November 2025
- Written by Hạ Vy. Photos by Hạ Vy. Graphics by Mai Khanh.
During my journey to explore the culinary specialties of Khánh Hòa, I was delighted to discover the nem chua and chả lụa from Diên Khánh, a centuries-old ancient town that’s just 10 kilometers from downtown Nha Trang.
5 Iconic Teachers in Vietnam's Recent History Who Embody the Learning Spirit
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- Published on 20 November 2025
- Written by Khôi Phạm. Graphic by Khanh Mai.
Teachers are probably amongst the most influential figures in our lives, apart from our parents. Their roles are even more elevated in societies like Vietnam’s, where the remnants of Confucian principles are still present even today, placing teachers as figures of utmost authority in the classroom.
Mũi Né Among Top 10 Trending Travel Destinations Globally in 2026, Booking Says
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- Published on 18 November 2025
- Written by Saigoneer.
Travel site Booking.com dubbed Mũi Né “one of 2026’s trending travel spots,” reflective of the international attention and domestic emphasis the beach city is currently receiving.
1997 Vietnam Through the Lens of Saigon's Former Canadian Consul General
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- Published on 17 November 2025
- Written by Khôi Phạm. Photos by Kyle Nunas.
Digging into one’s collection of old mementos can be a thrilling experience. From antique watches to tattered letters, these trinkets serve as a remembrance of a period of time in our past. For Kyle Nunas, Saigon’s former Consul General of Canada (2017–2020), his connection with the bustling metropolis began with this collection of old photos captured during a trip to Vietnam over 20 years ago.
Dream Big: AIS Saigon Opens New Scholarship Pathways for Tomorrow’s Global Citizens
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- Published on 17 November 2025
- Written by Saigoneer. Photos by AIS.
What will the world look like when today’s students enter it as adults?
Euphoria, Ruin, Nostalgia: Tracing Hanoi's Changing Skyline by Its Soundtrack
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- Published on 16 November 2025
- Written by Vũ Hoàng Long. Graphic by Mai Khanh.
From loudspeakers broadcasting construction anthems during wartime to melancholic ballads mourning vanished street corners, Hanoi's soundtrack reveals a city that has never quite learned to live in its present tense.
As Infrastructure Lags Behind, Saigon's Poorest Hardest Hit by Worsening Flooding
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- Published on 13 November 2025
- Written by Nhung Nguyễn. Top photo by Cương Trần.
In April 2023, in the first downpour of southern Vietnam’s rainy season, the narrow rented room where Mã Thị Diệp and her children were staying in Hồ Chí Minh City was inundated by knee-high water.
After Years in Limbo, Saigon's Metro Line 2 Is Officially Breaking Ground in Jan 2026
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- Published on 13 November 2025
- Written by Saigoneer.
After years under development limbo, Saigon’s Metro Line 2 has finally gotten an official date for breaking ground, but will this timeline stick?
