A Visit to Lê Minh Xuân, a Rare Craft Village Making Incense Sticks Amid Saigon
From inside the workshop, artisans carry bundle after bundle of freshly made incense sticks into the courtyard amid the morning mist. A gentle scent of spices linger in the air.
As Thanh Đa Faces Redevelopment, Writer Dạ Ngân Reflects on What Will Be Lost
To me, my trip to Cư xá Thanh Đa in summer 1982 was a serendipitous encounter. It was Saigon’s largest-scale residential complex in the first half of the 1970s, with nearly 4,000 separate units housing about 50,000 inhabitants. Cư xá refers to a residential quarter reserved for gainfully employed citizens, with a vision to establish a model community with a high quality of life. Here, in their three-bedroom apartments, civil servants, professors, doctors, and military leaders ranked major or higher lived in pride of being a part of a cư xá like that.
Uyên Đỗ in Saigon
How Saigon's Free Water Coolers Quench Thirst and Spread Kindness
In recent years, stories about climate change's impacts on the lives of Vietnamese people have been increasingly making the news.
Inside the Covid Memorial Park at 1 Lý Thái Tổ, Saigon's Brand-New Green Space
As part of Saigon’s latest initiative to increase green space coverage in the city, a number of abandoned land plots were converted into public parks, including a Covid Memorial Park that’s become a beloved destination for Saigoneers seeking a space to jog, reflect, or just simply touch grass.
Uyên Đỗ in Saigon
All Aboard Bus 146, Home of Plushies, Rubber Chickens and a Side of Humanity
“Cute” doesn’t seem like a fitting descriptor for any mode of public transport, but a bus in Saigon is driving straight into the heart of Saigoneers for being the quintessence of “smotheringly adorable.”
Saigon Set to Make Bus Service Free for All to Cut Congestion, Air Pollution
Saigoneers without private vehicles might be happy to hear that the city is planning to make the municipal bus system free to ride in the near future.
Bạc Liêu-94, Cà Mau-69: In Saigon, a Surprising Reminder of Home Lives on License Plates
Once in a while, I bump into a little sliver of my hometown on a random license plate on the street.
Pristine Blue Sky and Memorial Park: Ruminating on What the Covid-19 Pandemic Left Us
Recently, I visited Saigon’s newly inaugurated COVID-19 memorial park . Located at 1 Lý Thái Tổ, Vườn Lài Ward, the park o...
Saigon Plans to Add 10ha of Public Parks by End of 2022
The additional parks are part of a goal to have 3–4 square meters of green space per Saigon resident by 2030.
Controversy Brews Over 'Minh Mạng' Herbal Tea Brand's Song Joong-Ki Packaging
A tea product featuring the face of a South Korean celebrity has turned into a royal pain for its manufacturer.
Đàm Lê Đức, Educator Extraordinaire and Matriarch of 218 Lý Tự Trọng, Passes Away at 91
If there’s such a thing as a celebrity teacher, Madame Đàm Lê Đức would be a shining example of Saigon’s educator extraordinaire.
Facing Another Removal Plan, Will Chợ Cũ Tôn Thất Đạm Survive 2022?
After years of existing on paper, Saigon authorities’ plan to remove chợ cũ might become a reality this year.
Hanoi Woman Survives 7 Days in the Wild After Falling off Cliff During Pagoda Visit
Would you be able to survive a week in the wilderness of Vietnam?
Vietnam Removes Health Declaration Requirement for Domestic, International Travelers
Citing Vietnam's continued success in controlling the COVID-19 pandemic, the Ministry of Health announced domestic travelers will no longer need to make health declarations and restrictions will be ea...
Khôi Phạm in Stories
A Letter From Saigoneer
Saigoneers ơi!
Hanoi Envisions 6 More Metro Lines for City Center by 2050
Earlier this week, Hanoi unveiled a general plan for the underground development of the city center which includes adding six metro lines and 81 underground stations.
Inside the Backbreaking Work of Quảng Ninh's Coal Miners
“I am a person with two skin tones.”
Hanoi to Establish Animal Control Squads to Catch Roaming Dogs, Cats
In a city-wide campaign to curb the spread of rabies, Hanoi authorities announced that the city will form squads dedicated to snaring stray dogs.
5 Biggest Cities Told to Restrict Motorbikes From 2030
Will motorbikes in downtown Saigon be a thing of the past in eight years?
Beauty Behemoth Sephora Enters Vietnamese Market With Digital Store
Sephora, the wide-reaching consumer goods retailer, has launched an e-commerce portal for Vietnamese customers, but has revealed no plans for physical stores in Vietnam.
Letter From Ukraine: Kharkiv Is My Home, I Never Imagined That We Could Be Attacked
Editor's note: This article is a personal essay written by Viktoria Grivina, a Ukrainian and friend of a member of our team. While Saigoneer has always focused our editorial content on Vietnam, as Vie...
President Joe Biden Announces New US-Based VinFast Factory on Twitter
Vietnam's domestic manufacturing industry has entered a new era.
Highest Temperatures of the Year to Hit Saigon, Southern Provinces in April
Saigon's latest hottest club is literally the entire city.
New Proposal to Move Tôn Đức Thắng Underground to Make Room for Walking Plaza
It's ambitious, to say the least.
After Initial Success, Saigon's Public Bike Scheme to Expand to 4 More Districts, Hanoi
Pedal power!
Saigon to Launch Investigation Into Rampant Sexual Harassment on Buses
In response to many online accounts from young Saigoneers recounting their traumatic experiences on local buses, the city has announced that it would launch an investigation into the matter.
Construction Department Requests $2.2m to Repair, Renovate Hồ Con Rùa
The plan calls for water-proofing the lake, fixing cracked walkways and adding a sprinkler system, as well as ornamental flowers and artistic lighting.
Hanoi Announces City's Fourth Pedestrian Zone in Sơn Tây Town
An 820-meter-long, multi-street pedestrian zone surrounding the Sơn Tây Old Fortress in suburban Hanoi is set to open in time for Reunification Day on April 30.
