in Travel

ACV Proposes Moving 90% of Saigon's Overseas Flights to Long Thành

The Airports Corporation of Vietnam (ACV) has proposed plans to transfer flight operations in Hồ Chí Minh City from Tân Sơ...

Khôi Phạm

in Culture

US Presidents, Russian Mascot, and Tintin: The Surprising History Behind Vietnam's Dog Names

As Vietnamese society progresses, dogs and cats’ role in our families have gradually elevated to worthy life companions instead of mere animal help in previous generations. While the archive of pet names today seems endless and every day you can easily bump into pets bearing hilariously human names, tasty food dishes, or glorious adjectives, the naming conventions of Vietnamese domestic animals in the past had recurring themes that directly correspond to the cultural and historical atmosphere of when they were coined.

Paul Christiansen

in Literature

5 Quixotic Books About Vietnam for When You're Craving a Little Quirky Read

There are too many good Vietnamese books to recommend, let alone read.

in Film & TV

Far From Vietnam: A 1967 French Anti-War Film Grapples With Its Own Contradictions

French cinema experienced a creative renaissance in the 1960s with arguably the most influential movement in its history...

in Loạt Soạt

'Making a Whore' Is Both Less and More Revealing Than Its Reputation Suggests

For the first time, Vũ Trọng Phụng’s novel Làm đĩ is available in English. Originally published in 1936, the novel has been translated by Đinh Ngọc Mai under the title Making a Whore and was released last year by Major Books, an independent publishing house dedicated to making Vietnamese literature more available for the English-speaking world.

Uyên Đỗ

in Culture

The Surprisingly Global History of Monobloc, the Chair Vietnam Loves and the West Despises

In 2024, The New York Times published a list of the 25 most iconic pieces of furniture from the past century, selected by a panel of designers, artists, and curators from the world's leading museums. Unexpectedly, the Monobloc, a plastic chair found in almost every corner of Vietnam and across the globe, had somehow secured a seat.

in Music & Arts

How Richie Fawcett's Saigon Sketches Illuminate a Decade of Change

It’s been hidden right there in the heart of Saigon for over half a decade. 

in Music & Arts

Water as a Metaphor for Trauma, Memories and Unspoken Histories in Quế’s Art

Through installations and animated films, Quế traces the flow of water as they move through personal memories and collective histories, carrying generational trauma amidst urbanization, and even natural disaster.

Back Arts & Culture

in Culture

[Photos] Inside Hue’s 'City of Ghosts'

During Hue's imperial days, emperors of the Nguyen dynasty spent an inordinate amount of time and energy building their tombs. Emperor Khai Dinh, for instance, led Vietnam for only nine years, but his...

in Culture

[Photos] Competition for Lucky Balls in Phu Tho Turns Into Mayhem

Every spring in northern Phu Tho Province, locals celebrate Phet Hien Quan, a unique traditional festival that is held on the 13th day of the Lunar New Year.

in Arts & Culture

Inside THE BOAT: Phnom Penh’s Floating Art Space

Last October, Phnom Penh's ambitious floating art center, THE BOAT, announced its plan to renovate a majestic but disused vessel docked where the Tonle Sap River meets the Mekong. Earlier this mo...

in Film & TV

Readers' Picks: 20 Best Films From the Year of the Goat

We asked both our readers and regular moviegoers at local alternative film venues like DeciBel and Saigon Outcast to weigh in on the top three films from the Year of the Goat. The results are in and A...

in Arts & Culture

Nuoc 2030: Inside Vietnam's Visually Stunning, Character-Driven Sci-Fi Flick

A wonderfully shot love story set in a water-logged dystopian world, Nuoc 2030 is the first Vietnamese sci-fi film produced to international standards. Filmmaker Nguyen Vo Nghiem Minh discusses t...

in Culture

[Photos] Photographer Captures the Last of Mongolia's Eagle Hunters

Ever since he saw a photo of Mongolian eagle hunters at 17, Palani Mohan had dreamed of documenting their story.

in Music & Arts

Vietnamese Comic Book Takes Prize at International MANGA Awards

Vietnamese comic book duo Phong Duong will take home a Silver Award at Japan's International MANGA Awards for the first volume of their series Long Than Tuong.

in Film & TV

'Skull Island' Begins Filming in Ninh Binh, 'Fast & Furious 8' May Be Next

If you're a Hollywood filmmaker, it appears Ninh Binh is the place to be these days.

in Culture

How Game Theory Explains Vietnam's Lack of Queues

You'll be hard-pressed to find a straight, orderly line in Vietnam. Sure, there are some rare places – the bank or perhaps the immigration counter at the airport – where you might find people queuing ...

in Film & TV

How Vietnamese Cinema Is Riding the Crest of the Korean Wave

2015 was quite a year for Vietnamese cinema. Take, for instance, Yellow Flowers on the Green Grass, the film adaptation of celebrated novelist Nguyen Nhat Anh's coming-of-age story: whether it was scr...

in Arts & Culture

Local LGBTQ Zine Launches Crowdfunding Campaign, Call for Submissions

Vănguard, Saigon’s first-ever queer zine, is calling upon LGBTQ Vietnamese artists to submit new work for its third edition, to be released later this year.

in Culture

Middle-Aged Japanese Man Dressed as Schoolgirl Visits Vietnam

We can all relate: you get home after a long day at the office, exhausted and ready to get out of your business casual. But when it comes to the standard after-work ensemble, Japanese cosplay photogra...

in Film & TV

Saigoneer’s Picks: 20 Best Films From the Year of the Goat

Life Itself, a film about the life of the late film critic Roger Ebert opens with one of his quotes: “We are born with a certain package. We are who we are [...], we are kind of stuck inside that pers...

Brian Letwin

in Culture

[Photos] Preview: Nguyen Hue Flower Street

Saigon’s celebrated flower street returns to Nguyen Hue Boulevard next week to ring in the Year of the Monkey.

in Film & TV

February Movies at Saigon’s Alternative Film Venues

This year's controversial awards season is drawing to an end. With the BAFTAs and the Oscars still to come, Saigon's February program includes two long-awaited biopics, one of the most revolutionary a...

in Culture

Vietnam's Hottest Tet Gift: Lucky Buddha Pears

Forget hoverboards and lightsabers: Vietnam's hottest gift this holiday season is the nature-defying Buddha-shaped pear.

in Music & Arts

Saigoneer’s December and January Art Picks

Between Christmas and Tet, everything slows down in Saigon's art world, but a few venues have still found time to put on new shows. Here is some of our favorite work from the holiday season's exhibiti...

Dana Filek-Gibson

in Film & TV

City of Mirrors: A Local Filmmaker's Crowdfunding Quest

For his first-ever feature film, Truong Minh Quy spent two months waiting around for it to rain.

in Culture

[Video] There Is Now a Vietnamese Cover of 'Hotline Bling'

Oh, YouTube. You have brought us such joy: from turtle sex to the “apparently” kid, countless bad lip readings to one Antoine Dodson, the entertainment never ends. And now, through the power...

in Arts & Culture

Cambodia's Stunning Angkor Panorama Museum...Built by North Koreans

Last month, Cambodia opened the doors to a brand-new Angkorian attraction.