Details: Published on 28 April 2014; Written by Saigoneer.

Yesterday, we waddled down to District 7’s Crescent Lake to check out the newly installed giant duck and found quite a scene.

Weekend News Roundup: Vietnam Minister Calls for Indefinite Ban on HCMC Hydrofoils

Details: Published on 28 April 2014; Written by Saigoneer.

Vietnam’s first cliff railway opens in Da Nang [SGGP]

97 percent of countryside households have access to electricity [SGGP]

Another endangered tiger delivers cubs at Vietnam zoo [Thanh Nien]

Camping: Into the Wild @ Saigon Outcast

Details: Published on 26 April 2014; Written by Saigoneer.

Ready to do a little camping? Then make your way over to Saigon Outcast next weekend and enjoy: a bon fire, a BBQ, s'mores, acoustic guitar, a pyjamas party, ghost stories, camp fire songs, games and more.

Camping: Into the Wild @ Saigon Outcast (2)

Details: Published on 26 April 2014; Written by Saigoneer.

Ready to do a little camping? Then make your way over to Saigon Outcast next weekend and enjoy: a bon fire, a BBQ, s'mores, acoustic guitar, a pyjamas party, ghost stories, camp fire songs, games and more.

Street Cred: Cách Mạng Tháng 8

Details: Published on 25 April 2014; Written by Vinh.

Some people find it boring and unimaginative that all the cities in Vietnam share the same street names. Whether it’s an isolated town touching the Chinese border or a tiny strip of road leading to a deserted beach in Phu Quoc, the streets of Vietnamese cities all crisscross with the same names. Can this be attributed to being boring and having a lack of imagination? Hardly.

Literal Translations of Beijing’s Subway Stations are Amazing

Details: Published on 25 April 2014; Written by Saigoneer.

Like Vietnamese, Chinese can yield some interesting results when things are translated literally. With this in mind, the Wall Street Journal Asia recently published a map with literal translations of Beijing’s subway stations. Some are pretty vanilla, but others are absolute gems.

Amid Heavy Criticism, Hoi An Amends Entry Fees

Details: Published on 25 April 2014; Written by Saigoneer.

After getting a huge amount of flak from locals and tourists alike, Hoi An authorities have made amendments to the strict enforcement of $6 entry fee’s to the city’s old town, according to the Saigon Times.

Hong Kong Record Exec Lists his Top Underground Asian Tracks. Cambodia Wins.

Details: Published on 25 April 2014; Written by Saigoneer.

Over at & of Other Things, an excellent Vietnam-centric arts website, CAMA’s Eliza Lomas talked with Sean Hocking, owner of Hong Kong’s Saffron Records, who gave her a list of his current favorite, non-mainstream tracks from around Asia, including Cambodia, India and China (sorry, Vietnam).

Vietnam has Emerged as Apple’s Hottest Market

Details: Published on 25 April 2014; Written by Saigoneer.

With sales of Apple products in Vietnam tripling in the fiscal first half of this year, a rate 5 times faster than India, the tech giant is finally taking notice and recently “talked up” the potential of the country in a quarterly conference call on Wednesday, reports Tuoi Tre.

[Video] Vietnamese Man Gets Shock of his Life When Plugging in Mobile Phone

Details: Published on 25 April 2014; Written by Saigoneer.

Sure, mobile phones may give you brain cancer but the devices pose short term dangers as well. The guy in this video learned this the hard way when he went to plug in his mobile phone and got the shock of his life.

Morning News Roundup: WB Signs Agreements to Modernise Vietnam’s Poorest Areas

Details: Published on 25 April 2014; Written by Saigoneer.

National economy on road to recovery: commission [Vietnam Plus]

WB signs agreements to modernise Vietnam’s poorest areas [DTI]

Apple's sales boom in Vietnam [Tuoi Tre]

20 Pictures of Saigon from Before You Were Born

Details: Published on 24 April 2014; Written by Saigoneer.

We’re gonna go out on a limb and assume none of readers are more than 100 years old. Based on this assumption, we present 20 pictures of Saigon from before you were born.

Saigon Artbook Presents: Laurent Judge

Details: Published on 24 April 2014; Written by Zelda Rudzitsky.

Due to high demand, the release party for Saigon Artbook’s 3rd edition will be held over two days at Lê Công Kiều Station starting this evening. For those unfamiliar with the project, it is a quarterly book launch comprising mainly unseen works by innovative artists living in Saigon and its surrounding areas.

19 Pictures of Wacky Japanese Vending Machines

Details: Published on 24 April 2014; Written by Saigoneer.

Vietnam might not have many vending machines but Japan more than makes up for the deficit. Not only are they seemingly everywhere, from Mt. Fuji to train cars, but they serve up basically anything you could think of (and plenty more that you probably couldn’t imagine).

Wealthy Vietnamese Spending Habits Include $40 Bowls of Kobe Phở and Castles

Details: Published on 24 April 2014; Written by Saigoneer.

Vietnam’s rich sure know how to flaunt their wealth. While we know all about their fancy villas and luxury cars, VietNamNet recently took a closer look at some of the lesser known, extravagant items that are high on their wish list.