in Saigon

Into the Infernal Heat of One of Saigon's Last Remaining Forges

It's no exaggeration to say that working in a forge is akin to being in a fiery sauna.

Paul Christiansen

in Saigon

The Origin of the Strange Lights You See Before Landing in Saigon

What are those astonishingly bright lights seen from an airplane window when approaching Saigon at night? I’ve had visitors ask me this on the drive home from the airport, and the question appears on Reddit every few months. I remember being befuddled myself the first time I witnessed the patchwork radiance.

in Vietnam

My Mom’s Care Packages Remind Me That Home Can Fit Inside a Box of Food

“What do you guys crave? I’ll send some.”

in Vietnam

New 12,000-Year-Old Skeleton Breaks Record of Oldest Human Remains Found in Vietnam

After analysis, scientists believe that a 12,000-year-old set of human remains found in Ninh Bình belonged to a prehistoric man who died from infection after being struck by a quartz-tipped projectile.

in Saigon

As Saigon Moves Forward, Xích Lô Lag Behind as Nostalgic Remnants of a Past Era

Among Bùi Viện's assortment of xe ôm drivers and street food vendors, Bible-toting religious enthusiasts and other colorful personalities, 66-year-old Nghĩa stands out for his kind eyes and walrus-like mustache.

Khôi Phạm

in Vietnam

Wipha, Yagi and Luc-Binh: How Are Tropical Storms Named in the Pacific Region?

Wipha was the latest typhoon to batter Vietnam this year, sweeping through northern provinces like Hưng Yên, Ninh Bình, Nghệ An, and Thanh Hóa and causing dangerous floods. It was 2025’s third and probably will not be the last that Vietnam will have to endure this year.

Paul Christiansen

in Saigon

The Simple Pleasures of Having Your Hair Washed at the Hairdresser’s

I get my face shaved by sidewalk barbers; stop at every roving laminator I pass to have ticket stubs, photos, and doodles ...

Khôi Phạm

in Saigon

Letter to the People I Met as We Hid From the Rain Under a Bridge Together

“Do not be angry with the rain; it simply does not know how to fall upwards.”— Vladimir Nabokov.

Back Stories

in Roundups

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...

in Roundups

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...

in Roundups

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...

in Roundups

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...

in Vietnam

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.

in Vietnam

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.

in Roundups

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...

in Saigon

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.

in Vietnam

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.

in Roundups

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...

in Roundups

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...

in Roundups

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...

in Vietnam

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...

in Hanoi

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.

in Roundups

Morning Stories Roundup: HCMC Students Expected to Return for Next School Year on Sep 1

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...

in Vietnam

Vietnam Unlikely to Resume International Flights in July, Experts Say

Bad, but unsurprising, news for anyone abroad hoping to visit Vietnam in the next few months.

in Roundups

Morning Stories Roundup: Domestic Flight Routes, Lychees in Japan, and Can Gio

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...

in Roundups

Morning Stories Roundup: Da Lat Run, Samsung Test, and Diphtheria Outbreak

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...

in Saigon

PouYuen, Saigon's Biggest Employer, Lays Off 3,000 Workers, Citing Covid-19 Slump

Although Vietnam’s economy is not as badly hit as that of our neighbors, local companies are still struggling to recover from the slump brought about by the global pandemic.

in Roundups

Weekend Stories Roundup: Covid-19 Layoffs, Theme Park, and Bus Ads

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...