Has the Saigon Metro Made Suối Tiên Relevant Again in the 2020s?
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- Published on 19 May 2025
- Written by Paul Christiansen. Photos by Alberto Prieto.
Has Vietnam outgrown Suối Tiên Theme Park?
Hoa Bưởi's Fleeting but Fragrant Season Teaches Us to Find Beauty in Impermanence
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- Published on 18 May 2025
- Written by Văn Tân. Illustration by Ngọc Tạ.
Every year during this time, I can’t help but hanker for a taste of sugarcane infused with hoa bưởi, or pomelo blossom. Only hoa bưởi’s tender aroma can accentuate the flavor of this humble snack several folds.
In an Ever-Changing Saigon, Street Artisans Hold Fast to Dying Crafts
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- Published on 15 May 2025
- Written by Juliet Doling. Photos by Alberto Prieto.
We delve into the lives of Saigon’s artisans — an animal coconut leaf folder, a woodcarver embracing modern influences, an accomplished street corner calligrapher, and an itinerant craftsman to see what they’re doing to keep their art alive.
Hanoi's Bát Tràng Ceramic Village Turns Historic Craft Into Global Fame
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- Published on 14 May 2025
- Written by Nat Wilkins. Photos by Nat Wilkins.
Bát Tràng has been producing ceramics for over 700 years, but it’s the recent decades that interest me most: a period in which this small village has mirrored Vietnam’s rapid economic growth.
Vibrant Watercolor Paintings Take Us Back to Northern Vietnam in 1890
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- Published on 13 May 2025
- Written by Saigoneer.
Way before colored photography appeared, generations of our ancestors had to rely on the finesse of painters to create visuals records of their everyday routines. This collection of watercolor paintings from the 1890s is a particularly vivid example of that, depicting lively scenes of Vietnam two centuries ago that are full of humor and personality.
A Touch of Magical Realism in ‘The Cemetery of Chua Village’ by Đoàn Lê
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- Published on 12 May 2025
- Written by Paul Christiansen.
Vietnam transitioned to a market economy like an old train lurching to life: momentous shakes and shudders, steam bursting out busted gaskets, disheveled cargo tumbling from luggage racks, sparks shooting off wheels screeching across warped rails and a whistle ripping into the placid sky.
Ngõ Nooks: From Praying for Good Grades to Opening an Eatery Together, the Story of Màu
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- Published on 11 May 2025
- Written by Meg Houghton-Gilmour. Graphic by Dương Trương.
In the soft morning light, three teenagers once stood before the Temple of Literature, whispering hopes for exam success into clasped hands. A decade later, that same trio — Triết Nguyễn, Tùng Nguyễn and Dương Nguyễn — have channeled their youthful aspirations into MÀU, a gastro wine bar directly opposite their old place of pilgrimage.
A Botanical Illustrator Captures Vietnam's Flora on Paper, One Species at a Time
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- Published on 10 May 2025
- Written by Lã Khánh Giang. Top graphic by Ngọc Tạ,
When science and art commingle in a botanical illustration, it’s as if a magical world appears, where colors, brushstrokes, and lighting work together to not only replicate but also breathe life into nature’s best creations.
Mèow Lạc on Growing up in Hanoi Rock City and Giving Voice to Cats
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- Published on 09 May 2025
- Written by Phương Phạm. Photos courtesy of Mèow Lạc.
Having just finished recording their new album, Mèow Lạc is temporarily taking time apart to focus on individual development so that, when they regroup, fresh ideas can come through.
Lúa Ma, the Mekong's Ancient Wild Rice Varieties Holding Secrets to Climate Resilience
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- Published on 07 May 2025
- Written by Lê Quỳnh.
“It’s been so long I can barely remember. It’s delicious, fragrant, soft but not sticky,” says Trần Văn Lựa, 53, a farmer from Đồng Tháp Province, south-west Vietnam, recalling the taste of wild rice. As a child, he would harvest the grain during flood season, when wild rice flowers. Today, however, it is a rare sight.
Hẻm Gems: The Unbearable Lightness of Eating Bò Lá Lốt Alone
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- Published on 06 May 2025
- Written by Khôi Phạm. Photos by Alberto Prieto.
There are certain activities that are best not undertaken alone: karaoke, barbeque, watching football and feasting on ốc. The consensus, however, is still out on bò nướng lá lốt mỡ chài, so I decided to take one for the team and venture into Saigon’s thriving bò lá lốt scene as a lone wolf.
From North to South: Memories of 1990s Vietnam via the Lens of a French Photographer
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- Published on 05 May 2025
- Written by Saigoneer.
What do you miss most about the 1990s?
Cầy Mực, the Fluffy Bearcat Whose Pee Really Smells Like Popcorn
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- Published on 04 May 2025
- Written by Paul Christiansen. Graphics by Hannah Hoàng and Phan Nhi.
I won’t bury the lede. If you are wandering Vietnam’s jungles and suddenly get a whiff of an odor that transports you to the entrance of a CineStar movie theatre, don’t ready yourself for another clichéd Marvel flick. Instead, look into the trees for a cầy mực (binturong).
Inside Chôl Chnăm Thmây, the Festive New Year of Saigon's Khmer Community
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- Published on 29 April 2025
- Written by Uyên Đỗ. Photos by Alberto Prieto.
As April's fickle weather shifts between sunlight and breeze, Candaransi Pagoda sheds its usual solemnity, becoming animated with a festive spirit. The air hums with the resonant sounds of temple bells and the rhythmic beat of the wooden fish drum, a vibrant counterpoint to the warm laughter shared by monks and lay Buddhists. Anticipation builds as everyone awaits the midnight chime, signaling the arrival of the Khmer New Year.
How Music Transcended Political Divides: The Stories of 5 Timeless Wartime Songs
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- Published on 28 April 2025
- Written by Vũ Hoàng Long. Graphic by Ngàn Mai.
Vietnamese musicians created a musical bridge across political divides, transforming the pain of a fractured nation into melodies that still resonate with both homeland and diasporic Vietnamese 50 years after the war's end.
Meet the Saigon Man Whose Home Is an Archive of Traditional Musical Instruments
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- Published on 27 April 2025
- Written by Khang Nguyễn. Photos by Cao Nhân and Alberto Prieto.
“These instruments serve our everyday life, or even our spiritual life. For example, they mark the transitions of life. When a baby is born or a person passes away, people play these instruments to welcome or bid farewell to these moments. They also use music to pray for good weather, good business, and happiness for future generations,” Đức Dậu, a seasoned collector of Vietnamese traditional instruments, shares how these antique musical devices are more than just merely tools used for entertainment.
As Saltwater Intrudes More of Mekong Delta, Durian Farmers Struggle to Stay Afloat
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- Published on 25 April 2025
- Written by Minh Ha and Lue Palmer. Photos by Minh Ha. Top graphic by Ngàn Mai.
Nguyễn Văn Quại, 63, walked slowly on the muddy dirt path in his yard, his hands clasped behind his back. He stopped beside a tree split in half, its branches dipping into the stagnant water of a narrow moat, and gestured towards the rest of his leafless crop — their trunks yellow, their bark cracked and brittle.
On Vietnam's Internet, You're a Mom, I'm a Mom, Everyone Is a Mom
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- Published on 25 April 2025
- Written by Khôi Phạm. Graphic by Mai Khanh.
I am a mom. Well, not in the most conventional meaning of the word — I am childless, and it’s still biologically impossible for men to give birth the last time I checked, but for most of my existence on the Vietnamese cybersphere, I have been using the designation “mẹ” amongst my closest friends.
The Story of Quách Đàm, the Man Who Shaped Modern Chợ Lớn — Part 2
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- Published on 24 April 2025
- Written by Tim Doling. Top image by Mai Khanh.
By the 1920s, the old Bình Tây Market and much of the surrounding land had belonged to Quách Đàm, so he proposed to the colonial authorities the demolition of the existing building and the construction, “on an area of not less than 9,000 square metres,” of a new and much larger Bình Tây Market, to serve as the new central market of Chợ Lớn.
This is Part 2 of our miniseries on the origin story behind Chợ Lớn. Read Part 1 here.
If Every Province in Vietnam Has a Mascot, What Would Your Hometown's Be?
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- Published on 23 April 2025
- Written by Paul Christiansen. Top image by Ngàn Mai .
Do you know Bé Sen?
