Neighborhood Vibes and Modern Comforts Combine at Hotel Indigo Saigon The City
Staying in a local neighborhood means surrounding yourself with the sights, styles, routines, traditions, and history of a locale. Hotel Indigo Saigon The City, a new boutique lifestyle hotel, tells the stories of the iconic Ba Son area via its details, decor, atmosphere, and experiences, so checking in feels like taking part in a celebration of the city.
Uyên Đỗ in Arts & Culture
Strangevisuals Is an Archive of Daily Life on Postcards of Rice and Dó Papers
What are our memories made of?
Paul Christiansen in Loạt Soạt
Within the Shocking Brutality of Queer Novel 'Parallels' Rests Poignant Poetry
Parallels by Vũ Đình Giang shocked me. While I refrain from spoiling its plot, allow me to share my experience when reading this novel, as translated by Khải Q. Nguyễn, to better explain how the book jolted me from expectations and why the experience provides a unique and valuable addition to the array of Vietnamese novels translated into English.
‘129BPM’ Carries the Contemporary Hip-Hop Heartbeat From Vietnam to Malaysia
Under the shared heartbeat of “129BPM,” the dancers channeled their emotions through movement, navigating between individuality and collectivity both on and off stage. Extending beyond Vietnamese audiences, the piece has now been presented on an international platform at George Town Festival 2025 in Penang, Malaysia, marking a significant milestone for Vietnamese contemporary hip-hop performance on the international stage.
Trần Dần, the Literary Maverick Teaching Us How We Should and Can Be an Artist
In the mind of many Vietnamese readers, the name of writer Trần Dần has been inextricably linked with artistic experimentation and innovation. His poetic voice feels nothing like those of writers I learnt back in high school: there is something so different, refreshing and oddly contemporary about it. As I consider every page of his bulky posthumously published anthology Thơ (Poetry), I find his legacy remains inspirational even for contemporary readers — especially other young Vietnamese — on what it means to “be an artist.” This does not only entail one’s appreciation and production of Vietnamese art, but also their adoption of an artist’s mindset into daily life.
A Tribute to the Incredibly Eye-Catching, Organic Signage of Sa Đéc
Signs are like voices.
Linh Phạm in Travel
On a Walking Tour, Mulling Over the Glorious Past and Odious Present of Tô Lịch River
We began our journey in front of a bank where the street Trần Nhật Duật turned into Chợ Gạo.
In 1920s–1940s Paris, Vietnamese Artists Painted Through the Interwar Period as the 'Others'
How did Vietnamese artists navigate the complex tides of social and political changes, and mark their own position in the art world as the “Others” during interwar Paris — which was celebrated as the “City of Lights,” yet also a stage for both colonial propaganda and a ground for anti-colonial resistance?
At Tết Nguyên Tiêu, a Celebration of the Lunar Year's First Full Moon
Last Saturday, on the first full moon of the first lunar month, members of Saigon’s ethnic Chinese community celebrated Tet Nguyen Tieu, or the Lantern Festival.
Cambodia Is Losing Its Buddhist Monks to Modernization
Rocked by scandals, rapid modernization and a changing society, membership in Cambodia's Buddhist monkhood is on the decline.
#WeAreSaigoneer: Instagram Shots of the Week
From gritty apartment in District 5 to old-school 1960s music performance, this is what we saw through our lens this week.
Vietnam is Samuel L. Jackson's Favorite Country for Filming
Recently, legendary actor Samuel L. Jackson – star of the upcoming film Kong: Skull Island – took a little time out of his busy schedule fighting snakes and brewing beer&...
Le Brothers: Exploring Identity in Modern Vietnam
Artists Le Duc Hai and Le Ngoc Thanh – known professionally as the Le Brothers, fast-rising stars in Vietnam’s contemporary art scene – stumbled upon their collective name thanks to Starbucks.
[Video] Meet Lisha, Cambodia’s Badass Female Rapper
While Suboi is making headlines around the world as Vietnam’s “Queen of Hip-Hop”, Cambodia has a badass female rapper of its own representing our neighbor to the west.
[Photos/Video] This Vietnamese Artist Makes Delicate Artwork From Dandelions
Botanical artist Duy Anh Nhan Duc picked a rare medium to express his emotions while honoring for the plant kingdom: dandelions.
#WeAreSaigoneer: Instagram Shots of the Week
During the week-long holiday, our readers were really working their cameras. Here are six of our #wearesaigoneer favorites:
Saigoneer's Weekend Event Picks
Looking for something to do this weekend? Check out our favorite events happening around Saigon.
[Photos] A Slice of Traditional Tet in Hanoi Village
To celebrate this year’s Tet, an online collective of history buffs recently held a New Year festival in suburban Hanoi, complete with a variety of traditional Tet rituals and delicacies.
[Video] Saigon Artists Craft Beautiful, Handmade Lucky Money Envelopes
With the lunar new year just days away, everyone is scrambling to complete their last-minute Tet preparations, from getting a haircut to re-painting the house to stocking up on those ever-important lì...
#WeAreSaigoneer: Instagram Shots of the Week
From a poetic Da Lat sky to a shrine on Con Dao Island, this is what we saw through our lens this week.
Dana Filek-Gibson in Culture
The Story of Ông Táo, the Kitchen God Who Rides a Carp to Heaven
This evening, as Saigoneers continue their many Tet preparations and young revellers head out for a night on the town, Ong Tao is packing his bags for his annual trip to heaven.
Michael Tatarski in Literature
How Mekong Review Aims to Connect Southeast Asia Through Literature
First published in late 2015, The Mekong Review has quickly garnered a sterling reputation in a region short on quality print publications. Minh Bui Jones, its founder and editor, talks to Saigoneer a...
[Photos] Saigon's Oldest Street Artist Jazzes up the Hẻms of D4
For the last two years, a few remote hẻms in District 4 have slowly been covered in the city's most adorable graffiti.
[Photos] #WeAreSaigoneer: Instagram Shots of the Week
From Saigon's dingy hẻm to the serenity of life in Tam Giang Lagoon, this is what we saw through our lens this week.
Vietnamese Comic ‘Dia Nguc Mon’ Earns International MANGA Award
For the second year in a row, a Vietnamese comic has won one of Japan’s prestigious International MANGA Awards.
[Photos] Colors of Saigon: Xanh, Sạch, Đẹp
From its ambitions and its people to the general color palette of daily life, Saigon is a bold city.
#WeAreSaigoneer: Instagram Shots of the Week
From sunrise in the city to Mui Ne's magnificent sand dunes, this is what we saw through our lens this week.
Vietnam Unveils New Film Rating System
As of January 1, Vietnam’s new film rating system allows the local movie industry to screen adult content.
