Nomer Adona has lived in Vietnam since 1994, a 25-year journey (so far) that has taken him from working as an architect with the Malaysian government to the halls of international schools.
Two large crane statues stand atop ceremonial turtles with lotus flowers in their mouths on either side of the entrance to Villa Royale.
Instead of sunny Saigon, I found myself yet again in relentlessly sunny Bangkok. I had a convenient excuse though: attending a close friend’s wedding.
Potato foam is not something you’d expect to find in Saigon, or maybe anywhere and yet here it is, on my plate, during a tasting of Qui: Cuisine and Mixology’s new menu launch.
Vietnam joins several other Asian nations with expected economic growth rates of around 7% for the next decade according to a recent Standard Chartered report.
A whale with trash spilling out its busted belly, a seagull with feathers soaked in sticky oil, horses galloping in terror: a group of students circled around a computer peer over images of sculptures, searching for inspiration.
With a devious grin on her face, Hau snatched the oversized plush pillow resembling a tree trunk from my hands, exclaiming, “Mine! And third steal so no one can take it away.”
While most people know Saigon’s water is far from clean, few grasp the severity of the contamination.
During the last decade of the 19th century, French colonists occupying northern Vietnam (then Tonkin) decided to conduct a census survey on the region’s ethnic minorities. The first convoys reached Lao Cai Province in 1898, and in 1903, Sapa Village was put on the map of Vietnam for the first time.
“Phu Quoc is a large, uncultivated island, apart from a few hectares of coffee plantation and the small gardens of Duong-Dong, covered throughout its whole extent by beautiful jungle which grows on a forest floor of exceptional richness and is exploitable, provided we build roads.”
Thao Dien is known to some as a quiet neighborhood, despite its ongoing development projects. Upscale restaurants and fancy cafes are plentiful, serving a range of gourmet food and drinks. Yet, in between high-end eateries and tube houses, at times we can find a few places where we kick off our shoes and feel at home, such as this cozy cafe near the Thao Dien Market.
“Let's get loud, let's get loud, turn the music up, let's do it!“ singer Noiichan roared while standing atop a table in the middle of the spacious Hard Rock Cafe Saigon.
![[Video] Hanoi Circus Acrobats Show Mesmerizing Moves in Short Film 'Sông Trăng'](http://media.urbanistnetwork.com/saigoneer/article-images/2019/May/15/SongTrang_SGRs.jpg "[Video] Hanoi Circus Acrobats Show Mesmerizing Moves in Short Film 'Sông Trăng'")
![[Photo] Two Years After Eviction, 3A Station Lot Remains Sparsely Developed](http://media.urbanistnetwork.com/saigoneer/article-images/2019/May/15/3A1s.jpg "[Photo] Two Years After Eviction, 3A Station Lot Remains Sparsely Developed")
![[Photos] PR Campaign Stirs Controversy Online for Depictions of Pregnant Rape Victims](http://media.urbanistnetwork.com/saigoneer/article-images/2019/May/10/child-abuse/Abuse0s.jpg "[Photos] PR Campaign Stirs Controversy Online for Depictions of Pregnant Rape Victims")
![[Photos] The Life Semi-Aquatic With 1968 Can Tho](http://media.urbanistnetwork.com/saigoneer/article-images/2019/May/6/can-tho/CanTho24s.jpg "[Photos] The Life Semi-Aquatic With 1968 Can Tho")
![[Photos] On the Cusp of a Tourism Boom, a Pristine Sapa of the 1920s](http://media.urbanistnetwork.com/saigoneer/article-images/2019/Apr/22/sapa-laocai/Sapa0s.jpg "[Photos] On the Cusp of a Tourism Boom, a Pristine Sapa of the 1920s")
![[Photos] A Child Wedding of Tay Ethnic Minority in Lao Cai in 1920s](http://media.urbanistnetwork.com/saigoneer/article-images/2019/Apr/16/kiddiewedding/wedding2s.jpg "[Photos] A Child Wedding of Tay Ethnic Minority in Lao Cai in 1920s")
![[Photos] Vintage Tourism Posters Showcase Past Vietnam's Natural Landscapes](http://media.urbanistnetwork.com/saigoneer/article-images/2019/Apr/8/vintage-posters/tourism0s.jpg "[Photos] Vintage Tourism Posters Showcase Past Vietnam's Natural Landscapes")
![[Video] Rare Newsreels From 1930 Show Harsh Realities of Life in Colonial Saigon](http://media.urbanistnetwork.com/saigoneer/article-images/2019/Mar/27/1930s.png "[Video] Rare Newsreels From 1930 Show Harsh Realities of Life in Colonial Saigon")
![[Photos] Blending in With Nature at a Rustic My Tho Coffee Shop](http://media.urbanistnetwork.com/saigoneer/article-images/2019/May/22/cafe1/cafe4l.jpg)
[Photos] Blending in With Nature at a Rustic My Tho Coffee Shop
Set at canal-level, the serene coffee shop pays homage to the residents of the Mekong Delta who for centuries have built homes and communities betwixt channels, swamps and lakes.
![[Photos] A Visual Anthology of Life and Fashion of 1970 Saigoneers](http://media.urbanistnetwork.com/saigoneer/article-images/2019/May/21/photos1/fashiontopl.jpg)
Amid Online Backlash, Production Company Pulls 'The Third Wife' From Theaters
After just four days in theaters, the award-winning movie The Third Wife (Nguoi Vo Ba) has stopped being screened in Vietn...
Vietnam's Low Birth Weight Rate Among the Lowest in Asia-Pacific: Report
A recently published paper produced by the London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine, UNICEF, and the World Health Or...
Morning Stories Roundup: Hanoi Continues to Promote its Images on CNN
Stay connected with Saigoneer on Twitter and Instagram and like us on Facebook .
Each morning, we select some of the most impor...
Vietnam Might Add Laughing Gas to List of Banned Narcotics
Although at the moment, laughing gas is laxly regulated in Vietnam, local officials want to tighten restrictions on the ...
Pizza 4P's Receives Investment From Mekong Capital
Vietnam-focused private equity firm Mekong Capital is injecting an undisclosed amount of investment into Vietnam's ...
Taiwan Becomes First in Asia to Legalize Same-Sex Marriage
It's been an emotional week for Taiwan's same-sex couples.
Upcoming Events
Today
18:30
The Delicatessen Night @ Hôtel des Arts Saigon
18:30
Presentation: Black and White Color Photographs by Michael Burr @ Salon Saigon
19:00
The Great Gatsby @ British International School, Ho Chi Minh City
20:00
A Tale of Modern Jazz @ Social Club Above Saigon
20:00
Gin & Juice special with Marco Mei & Open Mic Freestyle @ Arcan
20:30
Wednesday Social on Rooftop @ Chanh Bistro Rooftop Saigon
20:30
Tipsy Trivia Night @ The Tipsy Unicorn
Tomorrow
10:00
Dew Drips, Smog Seeps | Exibition by Nguyen Thuy Hang @ Vin Gallery
16:00
Acoustic Night & Happy Hour // featuring FMG Band @ Saigon Outcast
16:00
Ei [Ambient] Sessions @ Arcan
18:00
Girls In The City Buffet Dinner @ Saigon Kitchen Restaurant
18:00
Kaleidoscop @ Arcan
Soon
24/05
Seafood Buffet - Bring Your Own Bottle (Byob) @ Saigon Kitchen Restaurant
24/05
Paint & Wine L'Usine @ L'Usine Le Thanh Ton
24/05
EAT to the BEAT: Peanuts @ KNICK KNACK
Full Events Calendar
Arts & Culture
[Video] Saigon's Sneakerheads Kick It up a Notch in New Documentary
![[Video] Saigon's Sneakerheads Kick It up a Notch in New Documentary](http://media.urbanistnetwork.com/saigoneer/article-images/2019/May/10/AirMax2_SGRs.jpg)
While relatively unknown in Vietnam, Nike's iconic Air Max sneakers are some of the most popular shoes in the world.
Altars, Lucky Packets and Votive Dollars: Suboi's New Video Goes Back to Basics
Sleek? Inspiring? Sexy? Slick syllable-massaging? The newest video from Vietnam's rap queen delivers on all fronts.
[Photos] Morning Over the Fish Markets and Salt Fields of Phan Rang
![[Photos] Morning Over the Fish Markets and Salt Fields of Phan Rang](http://media.urbanistnetwork.com/saigoneer/article-images/2019/Apr/24/PR/2s.jpg)
I live in Da Lat, so the most direct route to the coast brings me to Phan Rang, which is where I often go for the beach and seafood. &n...
Eat & Drink
Pizza 4P's Receives Investment From Mekong Capital
Vietnam-focused private equity firm Mekong Capital is injecting an undisclosed amount of investment into Vietnam's widely popular fusio...
Hẻm Gems: Coconut Coffee and Banana Bread in a Quiet Corner of Thao Dien
Thao Dien is known to some as a quiet neighborhood, despite its ongoing development projects. Upscale restaurants and fancy cafes are plenti...
Hẻm Gems: Nhậu and Forming Friendships the Laotian Way in Saigon
“Here we go, I’m gonna do it,” I proclaim to a table of eight friends. On the tip of my chopsticks is a single ant egg, the “pearl of the fo...
Partner Content
How Creativity, Activity, Service IB Projects Prepare Students for University
A bare, multi-color back slips into a river made with dollops of vivid blues and greens.
Traditional Sushi Techniques on Full Display at Okome
For many years Saigon has been home to two distinct sushi scenes. First, the non-technical, low-cost options that occupied the same culinary...
Where Saigon’s Water Comes From and Why It Matters
While most people know Saigon’s water is far from clean, few grasp the severity of the contamination.
Pushing Boundaries with Globally Recognized Chefs at Qui
Potato foam is not something you’d expect to find in Saigon, or maybe anywhere and yet here it is, on my plate, during a tasting of Qui: Cui...
Jamming Out at the Hard Rock Cafe Saigon
“Let's get loud, let's get loud, turn the music up, let's do it!“ singer Noiichan roared while standing atop a table in the middle of the sp...
From Hamlet-Dotted Wilderness to Tourist Hotspot: The Story of Phu Quoc
“Phu Quoc is a large, uncultivated island, apart from a few hectares of coffee plantation and the small gardens of Duong-Dong, covered throu...
Tea, Comfort Food and Unique Antiques at Villa Royale
Two large crane statues stand atop ceremonial turtles with lotus flowers in their mouths on either side of the entrance to Villa Royale.
Envy Ranked #80 Club on Top 100 Clubs DJ Mag 2019
Envy is officially amongst the top 100 clubs in the world.
A Confluence of Art, Culture and Cuisine at Square One
Your first impression when stepping into Square One may reveal the type of person you are.
Stories
Saigon to Expand Smart Card Payment Trial to 8 More Bus Routes
On March 8, Ho Chi Minh City inaugurated a pilot program for smart bus cards.
Vietnam's New Love for Crayfish Might Lead to Ecological Disaster
Crayfish is currently the hottest crustacean on Vietnam’s seafood banquets, but these freshwater lobsters might cause an ecological disaster...
Taiwan Becomes First in Asia to Legalize Same-Sex Marriage
It's been an emotional week for Taiwan's same-sex couples.
Old Saigon
[Photos] Hiding From the Heat at Cong Hoa Swimming Pool in 1965
![[Photos] Hiding From the Heat at Cong Hoa Swimming Pool in 1965](http://media.urbanistnetwork.com/saigoneer/article-images/2019/May/13/swimming-pool/Pool0s.jpg)
Saigon’s most famous swimming pool is perhaps that of the Cercle Sportif Saigonnais , a huge sporting facility on Nguyen Thi Minh Khai that wa...
[Photos] A Visual Anthology of Life and Fashion of 1970 Saigoneers
![[Photos] A Visual Anthology of Life and Fashion of 1970 Saigoneers](http://media.urbanistnetwork.com/saigoneer/article-images/2019/May/21/photos1/fashiontops.jpg)
One of Saigon's most compelling attractions has always been the people, and this collection of photos taken from the 1970s shows us just why...
From Botany Institute to Amusement Park: The Evolution of Thao Cam Vien Sai Gon
Local parks such as the Jardin d’Espagne and Jardin de la Ville, now Tao Dan Park, were a focal point of Saigon’s early urban development. B...
Society
[Photos] Blending in With Nature at a Rustic My Tho Coffee Shop
![[Photos] Blending in With Nature at a Rustic My Tho Coffee Shop](http://media.urbanistnetwork.com/saigoneer/article-images/2019/May/22/cafe1/cafe4s.jpg)
Set at canal-level, the serene coffee shop pays homage to the residents of the Mekong Delta who for centuries have built homes and communiti...
Food Delivery Service Vietnammm Acquired by South Korean Tech Startup
Vietnam's competitive food delivery services landscape welcomes a new player.
Vietnam's Low Birth Weight Rate Among the Lowest in Asia-Pacific: Report
A recently published paper produced by the London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine, UNICEF, and the World Health Organization (WHO) loo...
