Nay Mai Tạp Hóa Is a Love Letter From Its Founders to Vietnam and the Creative Spirit
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- Published on 01 June 2025
- Written by Rhianna Morris. Photos by Zoé Renard.
When you step inside the jewel-box-sized Nay Mai Tạp Hóa, you have no choice but to confront the immediacy of the products on display around you: clothing, artwork, zines, jewellery, stickers, you name it, from local and international designers. The shop, which opened last year, fulfills the “anything-you-might-need” role of its distinction as a tạp hóa, the Vietnamese equivalent to a corner store.
Bánh Ú Tro Wraps the Childhood Joy of Tết Đoan Ngọ Within Its Green Leaves
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- Published on 31 May 2025
- Written by Thu Hà. Graphics by Ngàn Mai.
Since the beginning of our festive history, Vietnam’s special occasions have always been closely associated with traditional dishes. Lunar New Year is the time to enjoy bánh chưng and bánh tét, while the arrival of Trung Thu is foretold by the appearance of moon cakes and bánh pía. In the case of Tết Đoan Ngọ, revelers eat bánh bá trạng and bánh ú tro to get a taste of festivity.
In Chợ Lớn, Leaf-Wrapped Rice Dumplings Abound Every Tết Đoan Ngọ
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- Published on 30 May 2025
- Written by Mervin Lee. Photos by Mervin Lee.
The fifth day of the fifth month of the lunar calendar is a day of great importance in Chinese communities all over Asia.
10 Rare Illustrations Offer Glimpses Into Life in Tonkin in 1923
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- Published on 29 May 2025
- Written by Saigoneer.
What’s your typical Sunday routine? If your answer includes grabbing some noodles on the street, getting your earwax removed and mustache shaved, and maybe smoking some opium to take the edge off, congratulations, you might be living in 1923 Tonkin.
Bạch Nam Hải’s Documentary Photo Series Captures Sapa's 7 Years of Transformation
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- Published on 28 May 2025
- Written by An Trần. Photos by Bạch Nam Hải.
From the town to the depths of the misty mountains of Sapa, Bạch Nam Hải embarked on a documentary photographic journey, capturing the essence of local life, the intimate connections between people and nature, and the contrast between the natural landscape and rapid urban development fueled by tourism expansion.
A Brief History of Hanoi Rock City, a Bastion of the Indie Spirit
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- Published on 27 May 2025
- Written by Lê Vy. Photos courtesy of Võ Đức Anh and Hanoi Rock City.
Hanoi Rock City (HRC) is more than a household name for the youth of Hanoi, especially anyone who’s fond of the “Rock n Roll” culture. Nearly 15 years after its founding, HRC has become a special cultural realm, one that brings musicians and fans closer to one another on its storied stage.
Hẻm Gems: Cleopatra Restaurant Adds Egyptian Flairs to Saigon's Dynamic Food Scene
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- Published on 26 May 2025
- Written by Khôi Phạm. Photos by Alberto Prieto.
As of 2024, Saigon remains Vietnam’s most densely populated metropolis, playing host to 9.5 million residents. In the quality of life discourse, this crowdedness is often singled out as a weakness deterring many from living their best life in the city. While this is absolutely a valid concern, as someone who grew up in Saigon and has adapted to urban denseness, I would be the first to point out that this population is also a strength, for without it and a sense of southern generosity, Saigon’s cultural diversity would not be the same.
These 5 Uncommon Bánh Canh Bowls Celebrate Vietnam's Regional Diversity
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- Published on 25 May 2025
- Written by Thu Hà. Illustrations by Ngọc Tạ.
Bánh canh is a quintessential Vietnamese dish. Its chewy rice noodle strands and light broth full of umami thanks to simmered pork, beef, chicken and seafood have stolen the hearts of generations of Vietnamese.
The Overwhelming Presence of Nature's Most Inspiring Sound: Cát Tiên's Gibbon Call
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- Published on 24 May 2025
- Written by Paul Christiansen. Graphics by Ngọc Tạ.
What is your favorite sound?
Letter to the People I Met as We Hid From the Rain Under a Bridge Together
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- Published on 22 May 2025
- Written by Khôi Phạm. Photos by Alberto Prieto and Pete Walls.
“Do not be angry with the rain; it simply does not know how to fall upwards.”
— Vladimir Nabokov.
Nguyễn Thị Thành, Saigon's Beloved 'Lunch Lady,' Passes Away at 59
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- Published on 21 May 2025
- Written by Saigoneer.
Nguyễn Thị Thành, one of Saigon’s rare internationally renowned food icons known as the “Lunch Lady,” passed away earlier this week.
Revisit 1990s Saigon in 'L’Amant,' the Film Adaptation of Marguerite Duras' Famous Novel
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- Published on 20 May 2025
- Written by Tim Doling.
When filming the movie adaptation of Marguerite Duras’ 1984 autobiographical novel The Lover, French director Jean-Jacques Annaud made extensive use of Saigon locations. Here’s a run-down of the local landmarks to watch out for when you view the movie.
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.
