A Merry Memory of a Mid-2000s Middle-Class Christmas in Saigon
As my palm felt the glossy wrapping paper for my Secret Santa gift, I was transported to my early childhood Christmases — filled with warmth, wonder, and the bubbling discomfort of class insecurities.
Viet Nam Tinh Hoa Emerges: A New Identity, The Same Excellence
“Our new branding is a more authentic reflection of who we are: rooted in Vietnam, yet drawing strength from NLCS (North London Collegiate School). While it may have been easier to remain as NLCS, our rebranding emphasizes that we’re evolving beyond a British school model to become something unique for this country. We are aiming to leave a tangible legacy for Vietnam,” explains Mr. John McEnhill, the newly appointed Head of Junior School at Vietnam Tinh Hoa (VNTH).
Watching Snowfall in 'Home Alone' Is My Saigon Christmas Tradition
Christmas is so globally celebrated that even in Saigon, as the coldest time of the year approaches, you can hear Christmas hymms echoing from homes in the alley, and spot houses adorned with Christmas trees, Santas, snowmen, regardless of their cultural relevance to Vietnamese culture. For me, one of the activities that truly embodies this global spirit of Christmas is watching Home Alone (1990).
‘Công tử Bạc Liêu’ Asks: ‘What Would You Do if You Won the Lottery?’
They say you don’t buy a lottery ticket because you think you’ll win; you buy one so that you can fantasize about winning.
For Hội An Residents, Learning to Live With Floods Is a Fact of Life
The water reached my shoulders, and when I stepped into the street I suddenly felt the current trying to pull me into its invisible grasp. A familiar feeling that set off an alarm inside my head: “Be careful! It looks like nothing, but don’t get caught in it.”
The Calming Quietude of an Early Morning Stroll Through D1
As a city that is perpetually either sweltering hot or halfway under water, Saigon weather rarely includes cool breezes or overcast mornings. And yet, over the past few weeks, the city has experienced a handful of chilly mornings and soft sunlight, a welcome change from the usual heat and humidity that often appears at sunrise and lasts throughout the day.
Cold War History With a Side of Nem Rán in Prague's Little Hanoi
Across English-speaking countries such as the US and Australia, the Vietnamese diaspora established close-knit “Little Saigon” towns whenever they settled down, founding large markets, starting financial services, and introducing southern fares like gỏi cuốn and bánh mì to the local population. Elsewhere in Europe, however, the Vietnamese community is often known as “Little Hanoi,” due to the regional makeup of the first wave of immigrants. Some, like Prague’s Little Hanoi, have flourished to the point of being a “city within a city,” boasting its own self-sufficient administrative services, schools, and housing.
Saigon's Next Top 5 Congested Streets Are Announced. Here Are the Winners.
Local streets are buckling under the pressure of Saigon's ever-increasing population density, here are the city's most frequently jammed roads, according to the municipal Department of Transportation.
Taxis, Ride-Hailing Cars Must Switch to Yellow License Plate, New Policy Says
In the future, car drivers for ride-hailing apps will have to get a new license plate in a whole new color.
Morning Stories Roundup: Runway Repairs, Pawnshop Fire, and Gold Price Hike
Stay connected with Saigoneer on Twitter and Instagram and like us on Facebook. Each morning, we select some of the most important stories from Saigon, the rest of Vietnam and beyond, and digest them...
[Photos] Inside a Ben Thanh Devoid of Tourists, Forlorn Kiosks and Mass Closures
Plump mangosteens, cheap iPhở shirts, freshly ground coffee, and paper cut-outs of city landmarks — there was a time when the northern gate of Ben Thanh Market was lined door-to-door with dynamic shop...
Foreign Students With Online-Only Courses May Need to Leave the US, ICE Says
A notice from the US' Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agency announced that if a university shifts to online-only education in response to the COVID-19 pandemic, non-citizen students would n...
Morning Stories Roundup: Blood Donations, 5G Tests, and New Health Minister
Stay connected with Saigoneer on Twitter and Instagram and like us on Facebook. Each morning, we select some of the most important stories from Saigon, the rest of Vietnam and beyond, and digest them...
Saigon Announces Large Natural Eco Park for Thu Thiem
Will this major green space project come to fruition in Thu Thiem?
Morning Stories Roundup: Vietnam Confirms 14 Imported Covid-19 Cases From Bangladesh
Stay connected with Saigoneer on Twitter and Instagram and like us on Facebook. Each morning, we select some of the most important stories from Saigon, the rest of Vietnam and beyond, and digest them...
Weekend Stories Roundup: Leaked Tests, Diphtheria Death, and Saigon Metro
Stay connected with Saigoneer on Twitter and Instagram and like us on Facebook. Each morning, we select some of the most important stories from Saigon, the rest of Vietnam and beyond, and digest them...
Morning Stories Roundup: Bird Nest Farms, Cost of Pandemic, and WB Aids
Stay connected with Saigoneer on Twitter and Instagram and like us on Facebook. Each morning, we select some of the most important stories from Saigon, the rest of Vietnam and beyond, and digest them...
Morning Stories Roundup: Inflation Control, Retail Industry, and Vinasun Losses
Stay connected with Saigoneer on Twitter and Instagram and like us on Facebook. Each morning, we select some of the most important stories from Saigon, the rest of Vietnam and beyond, and digest them...
Over 30m Workers in Vietnam Impacted by Pandemic: Labor Ministry
While Vietnam has thus far avoided serious public health impacts from the coronavirus pandemic, it has not escaped the economic ravages of the global emergency.
Vietnam Makes Preparations to Fly Patient 91 Back to UK on July 12
With steadily improving health, the British pilot might be able get home in less than two weeks.
Morning Stories Roundup: Elevated Road, Unemployment, and Central Vietnam Bushfires
Stay connected with Saigoneer on Twitter and Instagram and like us on Facebook. Each morning, we select some of the most important stories from Saigon, the rest of Vietnam and beyond, and digest them...
Japanese Brand Muji Announces Pop-up Store in Saigon
Following in the footsteps of fast-fashion clothing brand Uniqlo, MUJI will be the next major Japanese retailer to launch in Saigon in the near future.
To Evade Quarantine, They Tried to Swim From China to Vietnam
Border guards found two separate groups of four Vietnamese people attempting to enter Vietnam from China last week, after which all eight individuals were quarantined.
Morning Stories Roundup: Tan Son Nhat Runway to Close for Maintenance
Stay connected with Saigoneer on Twitter and Instagram and like us on Facebook. Each morning, we select some of the most important stories from Saigon, the rest of Vietnam and beyond, and digest them...
Weekend Stories Roundup: Open-Top Buses, Áo Dài Festival, and Cashew Export
Stay connected with Saigoneer on Twitter and Instagram and like us on Facebook. Each morning, we select some of the most important stories from Saigon, the rest of Vietnam and beyond, and digest them...
Morning Stories Roundup: New Textbooks, Canceled Bus Routes, and Repatriation
Stay connected with Saigoneer on Twitter and Instagram and like us on Facebook. Each morning, we select some of the most important stories from Saigon, the rest of Vietnam and beyond, and digest them...
Vietnam Proposes New Driver's License Class for Teenage Drivers
The draft amendment would require all drivers aged 16–18 to have a license to operate motorized scooters with an engine capacity of up to 50cc and electric scooters that travel no more than 50 ki...
Tay Ho Alley Grapples With Trash Problem Caused by Photo-Seeking Visitors
Just the latest example of people ruining the very the beauty of a spot that drew them for its beauty.