In Hanoi, Waacking Is Not Just a Dance, but a Home for Creativity and Gender Fluidity Too
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- Published on 10 July 2023
- Written by Nguyệt. Photos by Léo-Paul Guyot. Graphic by Lê Minh Phương.
“I get to express my madness.” That is what Trần Khánh Linh, also known as Lyna, says when asked why she has been waacking for the last 10 years. By day, Lyna is a jewelry and gemstone seller, but by night, she joins her friends at the Soul Waackers, a waacking group based in Hanoi, and practices a dance style that allows her a vibrant way to self-express.
Ngõ Nooks: Tender Bar Is an Introvert's Haven, Except on Tuesdays
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- Published on 07 July 2023
- Written by Oliver Newman. Photos by Linh Phạm and Tender Bar.
“Just read it and forget it. Then you can write anything you like about Tender Bar. Thank you.”
'Engaging With Vietnam' Conference Ruminates on Heritage in Huế
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- Published on 03 July 2023
- Written by Saigoneer.
“Living with Heritage, (Re)Creating Heritage: Vietnam and the World” is the title of the 14th Engaging with Vietnam conference, a series of activities including academic panel discussions, keynote talks, art installations, music and fashion performances, workshops, curated visits to heritage sites and more.
Vignette: How Bình Định's Nón Ngựa Gave Me Hope for the Tourism Industry
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- Published on 30 June 2023
- Written by Paul Christiansen. Photos by Alberto Prieto.
In 1964, when Đỗ Văn Lan was only 14 years old, a group of American soldiers spent six months at his family’s Bình Định home learning how to make nón ngựa. Once he learned that I am American, he told me this story. More than once.
How Táo Xanh Forum Created a Safe Space for Gay Vietnamese Before Social Media
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- Published on 29 June 2023
- Written by Khang Nguyễn. Graphic by Lê Minh Phương.
Before Vietnamese could hop on social media sites such as Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter to share our hot takes of the week, there was an era of past cybersphere when online forums were the crucial online space to connect local netizens.
Vietnam Officially Extends E-Visa to 90 Days, Allowing Multiple Entries
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- Published on 26 June 2023
- Written by Saigoneer. Photo by Alberto Prieto.
Beginning August 15, tourist visas will be extended from 30 days to 90 days.
Hẻm Gems: The Chuối Nếp Nướng That You Can't Find on Google Maps
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- Published on 22 June 2023
- Written by Hương Lê. Photos by Cao Nhân.
Before the birth of TikTok and food review channels, many Saigoneers already grew up with their own set of staple food gems. As a youngster, I would visit the city's familiar, delicious food stalls with my mom and little brother after a long day at school, snacking on all the desserts and food. Even though many stalls do not exist on Google Maps, thanks to word of mouth, they are always lively and crowded from opening to closing.
In Xuân Diệu's Tender Poetry, a Reminder to Love Honestly and Courageously
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- Published on 22 June 2023
- Written by Linh Phạm. Graphic by Phan Nhi.
“Tenderly, fondly, Xuân Diệu held on to my wrist, caressing it up and down. Our eyes locked in affection…Xuân Diệu loved me.”
Trần Trung Lĩnh's Latest Art Collection Is an Homage to Saigon and Van Gogh
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- Published on 21 June 2023
- Written by Saigoneer.
Van Gogh’s distinctive palette is perhaps one of the most recognizable personal styles in the art world, and viewers of Vietnamese artist Trần Trung Lĩnh’s artworks are sure to be amused to see these classic techniques applied to very familiar Saigon moments.
For Trans Vietnamese, Healthcare Providers Are Respectful, but Red Tape Still Hurts
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- Published on 21 June 2023
- Written by Nhi Ngọc Nguyễn. Top graphic by Hannah Hoàng.
Vietnam has been increasingly progressive in protecting and promoting LGBT rights. In November 2015, Vietnam made a big milestone when it granted individuals who have changed their gender the right to apply for a change of civil status affairs, and at the same time set forth the right to legal gender recognition for transgender people. Not only that, Vietnam has removed the ban on same-sex marriage since 2013, and legalized gay people serving in the military since 1992.
Landmark 81’s Oriental Pearl Prepares Dishes with its Head in the Clouds
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- Published on 20 June 2023
- Written by Saigoneer. Photos by Saigoneer.
What Saigon venue offers the best mountain view? This may seem like an absurdist question given the city’s notoriously flat landscape, but if you go up high enough, you are actually able to see them rise on the distant horizon. But before recognizing these peaks, you are liable to get lost marveling at the city as it unfurls below in all its neon glory below.
Opinion: With New Vietnam Guide, Michelin Has Failed Asian Street Food Again
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- Published on 19 June 2023
- Written by Khôi Phạm. Graphic by Lê Minh Phương.
Nothing gets Saigon foodies up in arms faster than the ratio of 10 phở restaurants to zero bánh mì place, but this disproportionate phở favoritism is just one of many ways the Michelin Guide has fumbled in its recently published guide to Vietnam.
'The Shard, the Tissue, an Affair': A Short Story by Andrew Lam
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- Published on 19 June 2023
- Written by Andrew Lam. Art by Trà Nhữ. Top image by Phan Nhi.
This short story is featured in Volume 2 of In My Ear, Your Voice Still Flickering // Bên tai tôi, giọng người vẫn chờn vờn, a three-part, bilingual collection of works by more than 20 Vietnamese artists and writers, curated by Saigoneer in collaboration with Miami Book Fair.
Hẻm Gems: The 40-Year-Old Phở Gà in Kỳ Đồng, Now Michelin-Approved
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- Published on 16 June 2023
- Written by Khôi Phạm. Photos by Brandon Coleman and Cao Nhân.
If you’re ever lost in District 3, Kỳ Đồng’s famous phở gà place will be the oasis you need in those trying times.
'The Chosen and the Beautiful,' a Queer, Magical, Asian American Gatsby Remix
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- Published on 15 June 2023
- Written by Paul Christiansen.
“The Great Gatsby, but with an Asian American narrator and some of the characters are queer and there’s magic.” This is a fine elevator explanation for The Chosen and the Beautiful.
A Brake Failure and 200 Victims: Remembering Vietnam's Deadliest Rail Accident
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- Published on 13 June 2023
- Written by Marc Dinh. Top graphic by Mai Khanh.
About 55 kilometers from Saigon, in the small commune of Tây Hoà rests the 17/03/1982 Railway Cemetery. It currently houses 85 unidentified graves of victims of the Train 183 Disaster, the deadliest railway accident in Vietnamese history.
Ngõ Nooks: A Ngõ Cafe Houses Big Dreams for Buôn Ma Thuột Beans
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- Published on 11 June 2023
- Written by Oliver Newman. Photos by Léo Paul-Guyot.
A well-known singer from the Central Highlands city of Buôn Ma Thuột, Mai Trang is taking an extended break from show business to focus on her other passion: coffee.
Vietnam Reports First-Ever Test-Taker Attaining 9.0 for All 4 IELTS Skills
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- Published on 09 June 2023
- Written by Saigoneer.
As more institutions and enterprises in Vietnam adopt IELTS results as an official assessment of students' and employees’ grasp of the English language, high IELTS scores have gradually become a sought-after mark of prestige.
Street Photos in 1973 Capture a Rebuilding Hanoi After Linebacker II
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- Published on 08 June 2023
- Written by Saigoneer.
In this collection of black-and-white photos taken by German photographer Horst Faas, Hanoi's streets seem bursting with life, but lurking behind innocent smiling children and packed tram rides are the undeniable remnants of an ongoing war.
Cá Hồi Hoang to Disband After National Tour Marking 10 Years of Making Music
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- Published on 06 June 2023
- Written by Saigoneer.
On the cusp of their current nationwide tour, indie band Cá Hồi Hoang abruptly announced that they would disband after touring finishes.
