How Vietnam's Muslims Celebrate Ramadan, Eid Al-Fitr in Mekong Delta's Châu Đốc
Islam is the fastest-growing religion in the world, yet Vietnamese Muslims represent as little as 0.1% of the country’s population. Most are ethnic Chăm, while a few are foreigners and a few converts. After traveling to Châu Đốc in An Giang Province, where the majority are located, I was mesmerized by the unique cultural mix this community represents.
Văn Tân in Culture
A Brief History of Ông Đồ, Vietnam’s Scholars Whose Calligraphy Is Highly Sought After
To say that Tết gathers together everything most beautiful in Vietnamese culture would not be an exaggeration. More than a threshold between the old year and the new, it is also a time when people feel they can return to, and relive, the traditional values that define them.
Paul Christiansen in Travel
From Dark to Dawn, an Early Morning at Hội An's Duy Hải Fish Market
At 3am, Hội An’s streets resemble dog-gnawed pork bones, licked clean of all scent and viscera. No light, no noise, no movement. But that’s the time you must venture out to witness the Duy Hải Fish Market in action.
Review: 'New Wave' Documentary Is a Surprisingly Personal Dissection of 1980s Nostalgia
Melodic synth-lines and steady electronic drums. Today, the signature sounds of new wave music feel perhaps a bit old and outdated. During its high point during the 1980s, however, new wave was hailed as music of the future.
On the Cusp of a Modern New Year, Reflections on a Simpler Tết Past
Every year, as the pages from my block calendar peel off, bringing me towards another Vietnamese New Year, my mind once again fills with nostalgia about an old Tết. Tết in my memory begins with my childhood in a small house nestled under a coconut grove on the outskirts of Bạc Liêu in the Mekong Delta. Those were days of hardship, yet my parents worked hard so that Tết could bloom magnificently for all of us.
A Damaged Masterpiece Reveals How Much We Take Our Cultural Heritage for Granted
A once-damaged national treasure remains on view as if nothing had happened, while other works are displayed with little context — what does this tell us about how art museums preserve Vietnam's cultural heritage and shape our art history narratives today?
In 'Đêm Giao Thừa' EP, a Đàn Tranh Artist Offers Novel Twists on Nostalgic Tết Sounds
Indie đàn tranh artist Brian Bùi has just released Đêm Giao Thừa, an EP containing energetic covers of three classic Tết songs and an original track that pays homage to styles from the 1960s and 1970s.
Khôi Phạm in Culture
Unraveling the Mystery Behind the 'Mùi Việt Kiều' of My Childhood
My favorite candy used to be Hershey’s Kisses. Wrapped in colorful, sparkling foil, these little nubs of decadence made me feel special as a child, not just because of their sugary sweetness, but also because, for much of Vietnam’s contemporary history, you could only enjoy them if you have relatives abroad.
Event Rewind: Melting Pot 7 Festival @ Saigon Outcast
Last weekend, Saigoneers young and old turned up at District 2's Saigon Outcast for another installment of the Melting Pot Festival, a two-day music and art event which raises money for local children...
Dana Filek-Gibson in Music & Arts
Inside Award-Winning Vietnamese Children's Book 'The First Journey'
A couple months back, we wrote about Phung Nguyen Quang and Huynh Kim Lien, a pair of Vietnamese children's book authors who took the top prize at this year's Asia-wide Scholastic Picture Book Award&n...
[Photos] 4 Vietnamese Mansions That Have Gone a Little Overboard
If you've wandered around Saigon's more upscale neighborhoods, it's possible that you've come across a house or two which fit this description: “nhà cao cửa rộng”. The Vietnamese saying – literally “t...
Graphic Designer Recreates Saigon's Colorful Concrete Tiles in New Book
When Giang Nguyen decided to hunt for old typography around Saigon, what began as a personal research project soon grew into an obsession with the city's old-school design.
[Photos] 13 Pictures of Vietnamese Locks in the Wild
When parking your bike for five minutes or simmering your broth for five hours, it’s hard to take stranger’s goodwill for granted. These photos show how some Vietnamese take the necessary steps for pr...
December Movies at Saigon's Alternative Film Venues
The awards season has officially started and for once, we welcome the razzle-dazzle that will come in the next three months, after a very dull summer, which was rescued only by independent cinema. The...
Event Rewind: Saigon Soul Pool Party @ The New World Hotel
As the Saigon rains yield to hot and dry weather, the time is right for the return of the Saigon Soul Pool Party.
Brian Letwin in Culture
[Photos] The Bike Blanket is Taking Hanoi by Storm
While Vietnamese people are well versed in sun protection gear, a new niche product has become an increasingly common sight on Hanoi’s roads – the bike blanket (think Snuggie for motorbikes).
Zelda Goes to the Gallery: In Opposite 2
Ngo Van Sac presents a fragmented and polarized reality in his latest solo exhibition In Opposite 2. Magic and reality, tradition and capitalism, nature and fabrication are the opposing elem...
[Video] This Animated MV Made by Local Artists Will Give You All the Feels
Animated with beautiful black and white watercolor illustrations, the music video for 00:00 not only provides a stimulating visual experience, but also shows off the creative skills of a group of youn...
[Video] Vietnamese Director’s Animated Film Makes Oscar Shortlist
Saigon-born, Paris-based director Nguyen Phuong Mai has struck gold with her professional cinematic debut. Her short film, My Home will compete with nine others for an Oscar nod this year.
Da Nang to Host First Southeast Asia Skateboarding Championships
Vietnam seems to play second fiddle to its more developed SE Asian neighbors when it comes to sporting events. In what is hopefully a signal of this trend’s reversal, the World Skateboarding Federatio...
Maison Kenji: Emerging Designers Push the Vision of Fashion in Vietnam
As one of the newest players in the town, Maison Kenji brings a Euro-Asian flare to Saigon’s fashion scene. These Japanese-inspired, modern and ethically conscious threads distinguish this new indepen...
Local Illustrator Recreates Famous Saigon Street Corners
In From Saigon, a series of colorful drawings, freelance illustrator and graphic designer Lys Bui manages to capture the charm of several well-known Saigon locales, including Tran Hung Dao, Nguyen Hue...
Drone Video Shows Off the Ruins, Salt Farms and Pristine Beaches of Central Vietnam
While many of the drone videos we post capture Vietnam’s cityscapes and well-known natural wonders, every now and then we find one focused on less-traveled locations.
[Photos] 5 Vietnamese Photographers Win at International Photo Contest
Last month, the Consultative Group to Assist the Poor (CGAP) announced the winners for their annual photo contest and five Vietnamese photographers found themselves in the top 27.
[Photos] Réhahn Returns With Another Stunning Photo Book
When we meet at a cafe nestled down the alley of 3A Station, Réhahn brings a copy of his second book with him. Based on its weight alone, you can tell how much work the Hoi An-based French photographe...
New King Kong Flick to Film in Son Doong Cave
Son Doong will soon be paid a visit by another of the world’s most exotic attractions (albeit a fictional one) – King Kong.
[Video] The Game Bored Kids Play in the Mekong Delta
Quick: what do you do with a wooden plank, a bicycle and a lot of free time?
[Video] In Case You Were Wondering What Vietnamese Prison Is Like
As a general rule, prison sucks. Anytime you're forced to wake up at a certain hour, go to sleep at a certain hour, eat cafeteria food and wear the same outfit as everyone else, life is not going your...
