Tiny Tracks, Big Passion: Inside the Miniature World of Vietnam's Model Train Enthusiasts
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- Published on 10 August 2023
- Written by Khang Nguyễn. Photos by Cao Nhân.
“When you turn it on, the train is not only moving, but it can make sounds too. The sounds are so authentic that when I listen to it, I feel like I am sitting on a real train right now,” Minh Tú, a Saigon-based model train aficionado, shares with me the satisfied feeling every time he gets a mini train to run.
The Tumultuous Tale of Three Ga Sài Gòn Locations, From 1885 Until Now
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- Published on 08 August 2023
- Written by Tim Doling. Graphic by Mai Khanh.
Travelers arriving by train in Hồ Chí Minh City sometimes express surprise that the main Saigon Railway Station is located in Hòa Hưng, some distance from the central business district. In fact, this is the third railway terminus in a city where each successive station has been built further away from the river.
A Brief History of the Vietnam Railways Building Before Its 110th Birthday
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- Published on 07 August 2023
- Written by Tim Doling.
The iconic Bến Thành Market is not the only Saigon landmark that has endured for more than a century. The Vietnam Railways building at 138 Hàm Nghi, given its inauguration in 1914, is pushing the 110-year milestone in less than six months.
My Great-Great-Grandfathers Were in Indochina in the 1880s to Build the Railway
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- Published on 04 August 2023
- Written by Julie Vola. Photos courtesy of Julie Vola.
We often see archival images of old Hanoi, but these photos are different — they are personal. The following shots, which come from a collection of five photo albums, are the only surviving record of my two great-great-grandfathers’ presence in what was then Indochina.
1735 Km, the 2005 Road Trip Romcom That Could Have Been
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- Published on 04 August 2023
- Written by Khôi Phạm. Graphic by Hannah Hoàng, Phan Nhi and Simona Nguyễn.
In 2005, I was in middle school. I had never had a cellphone nor known what the internet was — our home didn’t have ADSL until ninth grade. Life as a fledgling pupil in Saigon revolved around homework, catching the latest That’s So Raven episode on Disney Channel, and riding behind my dad’s back on our family motorbike every day to and from school. But something was about to change: 2005 was the year I went to the movies for the very first time.
Glide Over Hanoi in the Calmness of the Cát Linh-Hà Đông Metro Line
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- Published on 03 August 2023
- Written by Elyse Phạm. Photos by Alberto Prieto.
In many countries, urban metros are a mundane convenience — so ordinary that their users often take them for granted. But until the birth of Hanoi’s Cát Linh-Hà Đông Metro Line, residents of Vietnam had enjoyed no such air-conditioned, traffic-immune method of transportation.
The Majesty of Crossing Myanmar on Colonial-Era Trains
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- Published on 01 August 2023
- Written by Chris Humphrey. Photos by Chris Humphrey. .
Whether on the slow train carving its way through the Shan Hills near Kalaw, the Mandalay to Yangon Express, or the 4am train to Hsipaw that crosses the great Goteik Viaduct, traversing Myanmar on gritty, swaying trains is the way to go.
Vignette: On the North-South Train, a Pastiche of the Human Condition
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- Published on 01 August 2023
- Written by Paul Christiansen. Photos by Paul Christiansen.
“Heavy with the thick smell of misery and before even leaving the station, the odor of urine would be palpable throughout the car,” writes author Dạ Ngân of the North-South Train in 1989. Back then, a hard seat berth cost nearly a month’s salary and one had to be wary of thieves and sexual assault for the entirety of the jostling journey.
Hẻm Gems: Dì Út Tells Her Family's Indian-Vietnamese Story via Tasty Bò Kho
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- Published on 28 July 2023
- Written by Khang Nguyễn. Photos by Cao Nhân.
The arrival of the rainy season in Saigon has left me craving for hot meals to beat the cold, damp weather. I was on my way home from work in the aftermath of a bout of rain one day and found myself in search of a warm, broth-based afternoon meal. Through the help of Google Maps, I decided to go to a bò kho place only 10 minutes from the office, Bò Kho Dì Út (Auntie Út's Beef Stew).
A Delta Nest in Cao Lãnh Fit for a Solitary Poet
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- Published on 25 July 2023
- Written by Saigoneer.
Who says a single person can't nest?
In Nguyễn Phan Quế Mai's New Novel, Saigon's Rhythms Hum in the Background
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- Published on 22 July 2023
- Written by Paul Christiansen. Photos by Alberto Prieto.
“I’m always homesick for Vietnam. To write is to return home. That's why I had to bring Vietnam alive onto the pages. I had to hear the people speak, I had to listen to the music, to the language; I had to smell the food, see the landscape — that's my way of returning home. Whenever I’m homesick, I just return home via my writing.”
An Homage to Rastaclat, the Coolest Bracelets of Our High School Years
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- Published on 21 July 2023
- Written by Khang Nguyễn. Photos by Cao Nhân.
During my teenage years when a lot of us were trying new things, I can remember certain trending items affected our lifestyle. For me, amongst the most memorable was the Hypebeast culture that caught my friends' attention. In high school, many tried to dress like their favorite rappers by mixing sneakers and hoodies with the school uniform. While I was not much of a fashion enthusiast, I did have a personal fascination with Rastaclat bracelets.
Learning to Coexist in Peace Is the First Step to Protect Vietnam's Last Remaining Elephants
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- Published on 21 July 2023
- Written by Govi Snell and Anton L Delgado. Photos by Anton L Delgado.
A trail of enormous footprints, criss-crossing slabs of cracked concrete, lead to a battered ranger station in Vietnam’s Pù Mát National Park. Park staff say the wild Asian elephant that left the tracks is as friendly as it is lonely.
A Simple Americano Goes a Long Way at Quy Nhơn's Lone Coffee Roaster
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- Published on 20 July 2023
- Written by Paul Christiansen. Photo by Alberto Prieto.
Saigon is spoiled with cafes. In addition to the street stalls hawking cheap phin coffee, international chains and charming mom-and-pop shops, the last decade has seen a proliferation of third-wave venues that meticulously source organic beans to roast in small batches and prepare with a wide assortment of gizmos and gadgets.
From Saigon to Đà Lạt: A Tourist's Journey Through Vietnam in 1963
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- Published on 17 July 2023
- Written by Saigoneer.
Old archives of images from 1960s Saigon are easy to come by, but how often does one get to have a peek into the past version of Đà Lạt.
Hẻm Gems: At Bún Thang 50, Unexpected Hanoi Flavors in a Phú Nhuận Corner
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- Published on 14 July 2023
- Written by Elyse Phạm. Photos by Cao Nhân.
When I was growing up in California, every couple of months, plastic containers of sliced fried egg, chicken, and chả lụa would line the kitchen counter. This medley of ingredients would usually mean bún thang for dinner — which, in turn, signaled that the dinner was a special occasion.
Cannes Caméra D'or Winner 'Inside the Yellow Cocoon Shell' to Hit Vietnam Theaters in August
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- Published on 13 July 2023
- Written by Saigoneer.
Following its win at the latest Cannes Film Festival, Bên Trong Vỏ Kén Vàng (Inside the Yellow Cocoon Shell) will officially premiere in theaters across Vietnam next month.
Chiecquanque Breathes Life Into Patchwork to Create Unique Handmade Clothing
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- Published on 12 July 2023
- Written by Đồng Thanh Thủy. Graphic by Tú Võ. Photos courtesy of Chiecquanque.
Chiecquanque is an independent fashion brand presenting clothing items, backpacks and bags that were handcrafted. Each item that the store carries is a one-off creation that exists on its own due to the way they are formed.
A (Non-Exhaustive) Ranking of 10 Vietnamese Queer Movies in History
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- Published on 11 July 2023
- Written by Khôi Phạm. Graphic by Tú Võ.
How would you define a “queer” film?
Ukiyo Concert to Bring Iconic Scores of Makoto Shinkai Movies to Life This July
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- Published on 11 July 2023
- Written by Saigoneer. Images courtesy of 8 the Theatre.
This month, fans of Japanese auteur Makoto Shinkai will have a rare opportunity to watch the soundtracks of his hit movies come alive during three concerts in Saigon and Hanoi.
