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...
Buddhist Peace Activist Thích Nhất Hạnh Passes Away at 95
The Vietnamese Zen master passed away at age 95 after an influential life promoting mindfulness, compassion and nonviolence.
Sassy Tiger Statues in Bạc Liêu Get Makeover to Be Less Sassy, Turn Sullen Instead
‘Tis the season of peculiar animal statues.
Saigon Confirms First 3 Omicron Covid-19 Cases in the Community
Does the appearance of the highly transmissible variant in the community mean another wave of the pandemic for Saigon?
Food Bank Warehouse for Saigoneers in Need Opened in Saigon
The warehouse is aimed at streamlining the food distribution process between donors and Saigoneers in need.
Saigon Announces Plan to Give Poor Residents Smartphones to Aid Digitization
As more municipal administrative procedures migrate online, underprivileged citizens without smart devices are often left behind.
NPO Keep Hanoi Clean Prepares to Collect Plastic Waste After Kitchen God Day
Keep Hanoi Clean is preparing for its biggest event of the year: cleaning up Lễ cúng Ông Táo, or Kitchen God day.
Culture Ministry Asks Cities to Cancel Tết Fireworks to Minimize Covid-19 Risks
The Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism has requested relevant provincial and municipal authorities under its jurisdiction to cancel firework displays for the Lunar New Year to avoid a spike in CO...
Saigon Records Fewest Covid-19 Deaths in Over 5 Months
Only 21 people passed away from COVID-19 on January 6 in Saigon.
Murder Charge Announced for Woman Who Beat 8-Year-Old to Death
The Ho Chi Minh City Police Department announced yesterday that they are now investigating Nguyễn Võ Quỳnh Trang for murder in response to evidence that she beat her fiance's eight-year-old daughter t...
Year in Review: Saigoneer's Picks for Favorite Features (and More) of 2021
In 2021, it seems impossible to browse the news anywhere without coming across a COVID-19 update. While pandemic news is crucial to get people informed, we can all concur that reading grim information...
Mattress Company Fined VND137m for Half-Naked Santas on Hanoi Metro
A mattress company was fined VND137 million for its recent advertising stunt involving half-naked men showing off their abs on the Hanoi metro.
Vietnam Says No to Proposal to Import 37 Used Train Cars From Japan
Even though the plan to repurpose secondhand trains from Japan might be cost-effective, state officials deem them too old to be imported.
Vietnam to Build Nuclear Research Reactor With Help From Russia
With assistance from Russia, Vietnam will build a 10-megawatt nuclear reactor for researching medical treatments that could be the first step in eventually reviving moribund plans to build nuclear pow...
Xòe, a Thái Dance Tradition, Is Recognized as a UNESCO Intangible Cultural Heritage
Xòe, a distinctive performance art by members of the Thái ethnic minority, was the latest Vietnamese cultural tradition inscribed by UNESCO as an officially recognized Intangible Cultural Heritage.
Vietnam to Cut Quarantine for Vaccinated Passengers to 3 Days From Jan 1
Promising changes are on the horizon for those wishing to return to Vietnam.
Public Bike Service Finally Launches in Saigon After Week of Delay
After an unexplained delay, Saigon's first public bike rental system launched today.
UNICEF Report Reveals Harsh Realities for Women, Children, Ethnic Minorities
Over 70% of Vietnamese under the age of 15 experience verbal or physical abuse, according to a new UNICEF report.
Hoi An Signs Agreement With Four Paws to Cease Consumption of Dog, Cat Meats
The move is certainly a step in the right direction, though it remains to be seen which concrete steps local authorities will take to honor their promise.
Lego to Build First Carbon-Neutral Factory in Binh Duong
Vietnam is set to produce the beloved bricks as regional demand for the Danish toy rises.
Over 70% of Parents of Grade 1 Students Don't Support In-Person Classes
In-person learning for Saigon's Grade 1 students is set to resume on December 13 for two weeks as a trial program, but more than 70% of parents don't want their children to return to the classroom.
