A Personal History of Hồ Tây: Romance, Colonial Rule and Subsidy-Era Fishing Heists
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- Published on 26 March 2025
- Written by Linh Phạm.
My father-in-law has spent decades visiting Hồ Tây (West Lake). His personal story both contrasts and reflects Vietnam's history as a whole and, as a result, offers a profound insight into the importance of Hanoi's largest lake.
In a Hẻm in D8, a Scrumptious Halal Feast Comes Alive Every Ramadan
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- Published on 26 March 2025
- Written by Uyên Đỗ. Photos by Jimmy Art Devier.
At noon, we make our way through a narrow alley off Dương Bá Trạc Street (District 8) and stumble into a lively scene of Muslim community life. More than a place of worship, this neighborhood unfolds into a diverse culinary fest, a testament to the cultural crossroads that thrive within the city.
The 50 Shades of Cháo on the Palette of Vietnam's Regional Cuisines
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- Published on 25 March 2025
- Written by Thu Hà. Illustrations by Dương Trương.
Cháo, or congee in English, is a diverse genre of Vietnamese dishes in both executions and flavor profiles — from humble versions like pandan congee, red bean congee to more substantial and complex meals like offal congee, chicken congee and catfish congee. Each dish is a different variation, but they all share a reputation for being nourishing and a richness of regional culinary characteristics.
In Latest Short Story Collection, Andrew Lam Explores Diaspora Drama via Literary Fiction
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- Published on 23 March 2025
- Written by Paul Christiansen. Top image by Mai Khanh.
If you opened an American magazine, literary or otherwise, in the early 2000s and found any Vietnamese American byline, there’s a good chance it was Andrew Lam. The long-time journalist’s essays and short stories were amongst the first widely circulated in the US.
How Saigon's Free Water Coolers Quench Thirst and Spread Kindness
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- Published on 22 March 2025
- Written by Uyên Đỗ. Top image by Cao Nhân.
In recent years, stories about climate change's impacts on the lives of Vietnamese people have been increasingly making the news.
'Living Hanoi' Series by Joseph Gobin Delves Into the Capital's Eccentricities
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- Published on 21 March 2025
- Written by Chris Humphrey. Photos by Joseph Gobin.
Is there a photographic format more suitable for capturing Hanoi's abundantly complex and alluring culture than the crystalline clarity of medium format film?
A Brief History of Cung Văn Hóa Lao Động and Saigon's First Swimming Pool
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- Published on 20 March 2025
- Written by Tim Doling. Graphic by Mai Phạm.
Once a fashionable rendezvous for the elite of colonial society, the Labour Culture Palace (Cung Văn hoá Lao động) at 55B Nguyễn Thị Minh Khai is today one of Hồ Chí Minh City’s most popular sports and recreation facilities.
Hẻm Gems: Kura Bar, a Veritable Treasure Trove of Rare Japanese Sakes Amid Saigon
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- Published on 19 March 2025
- Written by Brian Letwin. Photos by Alberto Prieto.
Saigoneers are spoilt for choice when it comes to Japanese eateries in the city. Dozens, if not hundreds, of sushi, ramen and izakaya spots dot its districts. And if you're in the mood for something special, more obscure delicacies like tsukemen, Tokyo abura soba and Okinawa taco rice are readily available. Over the years, the epicenter of such eateries, especially those run by Japanese owners, has been slowly shifting from the upper stretches of Lê Thánh Tôn to Bình Thạnh District’s Phạm Viết Chánh neighborhood.
What a Mango Flower Looks Like: On the Unexpected Beauty of Fruit Flowers
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- Published on 18 March 2025
- Written by Paul Christiansen. Top photo by Alberto Prieto.
What does a mango flower look like?
Guilt, Mortality, and Hope in 'Khát Vọng Cho Con' by Poet Du Tử Lê
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- Published on 15 March 2025
- Written by Hoa Đỗ. Graphic by Hương Đỗ and Hannah Hoàng.
“We are like fruits forcefully ripened, a generation of premature adults, a generation of misery.”
— Du Tử Lê.
At Saigon's Oldest Ornamental Fish Market, Fish Are Friends, Not Food
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- Published on 14 March 2025
- Written by Trần Duy Minh. Photos by Trần Duy Minh, Lê Thái Hoàng Nguyên and Đỗ Anh Chương.
It is a street, not a river, that comes to mind when people talk about vibrant fish in Saigon. Located in District 5, Lưu Xuân Tín Street is only approximately 500 meters long, but it is home to dozens of aquarium businesses.
Đuông Dừa, the Mekong Delta's Unique Squishy Snack and Enemy of Coconut Trees
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- Published on 12 March 2025
- Written by Thảo Nguyên. Graphics by Ngọc Tạ.
Towards the deep end of our home, several coconut trees’ fronds started browning and falling off, straight from the bud. For the last few weeks, tiny holes have gradually appeared on the coconut trunk and shoot, from a few to numerous, giving off an unpleasant funk of rotten sap. My dad says that these trees are infested with đuông, and we must chop them all down lest we lose the entire grove.
Vietnam's Central Highlands Imagined in ‘Angin Cloud’ at National Gallery Singapore
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- Published on 11 March 2025
- Written by An Trần.
Amidst shifting social currents, industrialized landscapes, and a fast-paced world, how does a community preserve its heritage, rewrite histories, and confront colonial legacies? In this long-term collaboration with the Jrai community, ‘Angin Cloud’ by Art Labor explores these questions through a multi-floor installation at National Gallery Singapore that poetically intertwines Gia Rai (Jrai) beliefs, traditions, and environmental change.
Hẻm Gems: Go Back in Time to Chợ Cũ's Golden Days via Cô Chánh's Hủ Tiếu Mì
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- Published on 10 March 2025
- Written by Đăng Khương. Photos by Ben Nguyễn.
In the memory-scape of children growing up in the countryside like me, there always exists the familiar sight of old wet markets and the mornings we spent there, toddling behind our moms on the hunt for snacks, CDs, and lollipops. In the afternoons, I often tagged along with my grandma to buy meat and veggies, sneaking a toy or two inside her basket. Sometimes, if I was particularly sweet, she would allow us to have lunch there instead of at home.
6 Saigon Streets That Were Named After Lesser-Known Female Historical Figures
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- Published on 09 March 2025
- Written by Khôi Phạm. Top graphic by Dương Trương.
Any place is a great learning opportunity if you know where to look. A brisk walk in Saigon can be amazing fodder for history aficionados to exercise their brain muscles — just look at street titles and the amazing people they were named after.
Music Is My Release: Behind the Anger That Fuels the Fiercely Indie Group COCC
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- Published on 08 March 2025
- Written by Michael Howard. Top image by Ngọc Tạ.
“I don’t make happy songs,” says Phúc, the lead singer and guitarist of Saigonese rock group COCC. He and I are sitting in the middle of the band’s “cave” — a homemade recording studio they began putting together ten years ago. “I dreamed about it for a long time,” Phúc says of the studio. “In 2015, when I finished this house, the vision came true. We invest in it all the time, buy a little bit here, buy a little bit there. We’re still adding and improving the system and the equipment.”
The Harrowing History of Vietnam's Rubber Plantations
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- Published on 07 March 2025
- Written by Paul Christiansen. Illustrations by Hannah Hoàng.
"Oh it’s easy to go to the rubber and hard to return, / Men leave their corpses, women depart as ghosts."
How Did Vietnam Start Celebrating International Women's Day on March 8?
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- Published on 06 March 2025
- Written by Saigoneer.
In the hyper-commercialized world we now live in, it might be impossible to associate anything but overpriced flower bouquets and corporate sponsorships with International Women’s Day (IWD), but the widely celebrated occasion actually has a rich history of over 100 years of the women’s rights movement.
How Thoughtful Design Boosts Educational Outcomes: Australian International School Undergoes Multi-Million-Dollar Renovations
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- Published on 05 March 2025
- Written by Saigoneer. Photos by Australian International School.
According to a 2018 study by the University of Salford in Manchester, carefully considered classroom environments can improve students’ academic progress by up to 16%. Researchers and educators alike have increasingly emphasized how well-planned physical spaces can spark curiosity, nurture creativity, and enhance engagement. In other words, a school’s architecture and interior layout aren’t merely aesthetic choices; they can and should be powerful catalysts for better educational outcomes. The Australian International School (AIS Saigon) recently took this global insight to heart, embarking on an ambitious renovation project to ensure its facilities serve as an active partner in the learning process.
Chạm Vào Xanh, the Social Enterprise Normalizing Joy for People With Disabilities
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- Published on 03 March 2025
- Written by Oliver Newman. Top graphic by Ngọc Tạ.
Hồng’s parents took her out of school in Grade 5. They weren’t facing financial issues, her grades weren’t bad and she had no behavioral setbacks. It was just because she has cerebral palsy.
