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.

in Hanoi

Hanoi's Bát Tràng Ceramic Village Turns Historic Craft Into Global Fame

Bát Tràng has been producing ceramics for over 700 years, but it’s the recent decades that interest me most: a period in which this small village has mirrored Vietnam’s rapid economic growth.

Back Stories

in Saigon

Saigon Begins Redesigning Park Project in Front of Opera House

When complete, the 1,300-square-meter area will feature trees, vegetation, grass and pathways for communal use.

in Vietnam

Morning Stories Roundup: IT Demand, New Hospital, and SIM Cards Restriction

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: Global Travel, Job Loss, and Flooded Streets

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: Industrial Production, Cable Car, and Case 91

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

Saigon, Hanoi Have Vietnam's Highest Numbers of Child Abuse Cases: Report

Recent statistics show that the number of child abuse cases reported has increased in the past few years.

in Roundups

Morning Stories Roundup: Vaccine Center, Air Monitoring Stations, and Airport Projects

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: Power Industry, Lychees, and Mekong Delta Subsidence

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

Tan Son Nhat to Close One Runway for Repairs Starting Next Month

One of the two runways at Saigon's international airport will be shut for six months so needed repairs can be performed, while a new terminal will be unveiled in three years. 

in Roundups

Morning Stories Roundup: Digital Entertainment, New Bridge, and Child Rights

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

Saigon Launches Citywide Tree Inspection After Falling Phượng Kills Student

In the near future, some students from Saigon’s public schools might witness the removal of their favorite canopy trees.

in Vietnam

Vietnam Reports Serious Spike in Waterway Accidents in First 5 Months of 2020

Vietnam has seen a dramatic rise in accidents, injuries and fatalities on its rivers in the first five months of the year.

in Roundups

Morning Stories Roundup: Football Award, Average Height, and Bus Subsidy

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: Dengue Fever, Traffic Projects, and Uprooted Tree

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

PM Endorses Plan to Merge 3 Saigon Districts Into New 'Silicon Valley' Town

The ambitious initiative is part of the city's desire to create the so-called "Vietnam's Silicon Valley."

in Roundups

Morning Stories Roundup: Exports to China, Covid-19 Case, and Free Haircuts

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

2nd Internet Cable Break in 10 Days Further Disrupts Vietnam's Connection

In other news, water is wet.

in Vietnam

Weekend Stories Roundup: Football Returns, End of Household Registration Books, and New Work Permits

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's People With Disabilities Face Many Challenges During Epidemic, Survey Shows

While life in Vietnam is slowly returning to normal, the COVID-19 epidemic has dealt a blow to the livelihood of many citizens, with people living with disabilities among the most heavily impacted.

in Vietnam

The Week in Focus: Coach Park's Academy, To Lich River, and Spike Lee Movie

Stay connected with Saigoneer on Twitter and Instagram and like us on Facebook. Each week, we digest the most important stories from the capital, the rest of Vietnam and beyo...

in Roundups

Morning Stories Roundup: Urban Green Space, Shrimp Export, and Foreign Experts

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...