All Aboard the Languorous 35-Hour Train From Hanoi to Saigon
The train connecting Vietnam’s largest cities takes 35 hours. Yet even after the first time I finished the trip, I was already coming up with excuses for why I needed to do it again. For me, the journey is much more than a chance for great views and time to reflect. It’s an exploration of life itself.
Short Film 'Mud Below, Sun Above' Reveals Daily Trials of Hanoi's Scrap Collectors
Đồng nát translates to “junk; broken materials,” but it is also a term used in northern Vietnam to describe the recycling workforce, 90% of whom are elderly women, that operate in a nation that produces 68,000 tons of solid waste every day.
Inside the Vivid, Soothing Art Realm of Vietnamese Illustration Artist Phuongsongdep
Using her keen observation and sensitive art intuition, Minh Phương creates a colorful realm through her brushstrokes, w...
Paul Christiansen in Culture
Learning to Ngồi Chồm Hổm Is a Simple Way for Anybody to Feel More Vietnamese
What is culture? For someone who writes for an arts and culture publication, you’d think I’d have a quick and clean answer, but the more I ruminate, the more I realize it comes down to a sloppy assemblage of habits, ephemera, and minutiae: eating preferences, holiday attire, styles of sneezes, methods for counting on one’s fingers, variety of fruits to gift and an endless string of social norms. Pile enough of these choices together, and you end up with a distinct culture.
Great Vietnam Resurrects Nguyễn-Era Fashion, One Traditional Costume at a Time
In the last four to five years, ancient Vietnamese costumes have gained more visibility, becoming a welcome sight among young locals thanks to the efforts to reproduce and promote historic fashion from a number of designers, brands, and interest groups that appreciate the country’s history and traditions.
In the Mekong Delta, Đồ Bộ Is Everything, Everywhere, All at Once
Despite its humble beginning as something worn just for convenience’s sake, đồ bộ has entered every minute of life in the Mekong Delta as a staple fashion choice that’s both flexible and colorful. Đồ bộ means “set outfit” in Vietnamese, a type of female casualwear made of soft, thin fabrics that often comes in a top and long bottom combo. They’re sometimes referred to as “Vietnamese pajamas,” but these comfortable sets can be worn at any time of the day and even outside, not just reserved for sleep like pajamas.
Nguyễn Đổng Chi's Classic Retelling of Vietnam's Fairy Tales, Now in English
Folklorist and anthropologist Nguyễn Đổng Chi dedicated decades to weaving a significant portion of Vietnam’s folklore tapestry. He collected, researched, and rewrote over 200 Vietnamese folktales from all corners of the country. His work, initially scattered across five volumes published individually and consecutively over 25 years, appeared as a complete anthology in 1982. Guided by a comprehensive treatise of Vietnamese folktale, Chi’s Kho tàng truyện cổ tích Việt Nam (Treasury of Vietnamese Folk Tales) might be daunting for readers drawn to Vietnamese folklore but disenchanted by rigorous academic discourse.
Kit Humphrey in Travel
In Thổ Hà Village, Rice Paper Spills Onto the Streets and Wraps Around Daily Life
A few hours after sunrise in the small village of Thổ Hà, Bắc Giang Province, alleyways morph into picturesque tunnels of drying rice paper, while ladies toast crackers over fire in the streets.
Saigoneer's June Art Picks
Two video installations from the 6th San Art Laboratory, a sculpture from one of Vietnam’s most prolific artists, photographs depicting life in Vietnam and the works from the latest Saigon Artbook are...
Authorities Considering Glass Cage for Ancient Hoi An Bridge
Hoi An’s beaches aren’t the only tourist attractions threatened by erosion. The town’s famous Chùa Cầu Bridge (aka the Japanese Bridge) is in poor condition, leading authorities to consider a number o...
Vietnamese Performance Artist Featured At The Artists’ Film International in London
Vietnamese pioneer performance artist, Tran Luong, continues to attract huge interest abroad. His video, Lập Lòe/Welts, is currently being shown at White Chapel in London (UK) as part of Artists’ Film...
July Movies At Saigon’s Alternative Film Venues
Dinosaurs, androids, socio-political documentaries and juicy indie films from around the world make up this month’s menu at Saigon’s alternative film venues.
[Video] 94-Year-Old Hanoi Woman Becomes “Internet Master”
94-year-old Hanoi resident, Le Thi, might not be churning out code or learning the finer points of InDesign, but for someone born in 1921, her computer skills are downright impressive.
[Video] Hanoi Police Hunt for Man for Allowing Dog to Drive Motorbike
Hanoi police are on the hunt for a man who let a dog drive his motorbike after a video of the incident surfaced online last week.
Esoteric And Reimagined Religious Rituals Lay The Ground For “Carne Vale” At Galerie Quynh
Greco-Roman ruins and imaginary masked characters set the stage for “Carne Vale,” the new exhibition by Nadege David and Sandrine Llouquet at Galerie Quynh.
[Video] The Sounds Of Saigon
Every city has a soundtrack and Saigon is no exception. There is no composer for this score, but rather a harmonious free-for-all composed of a seemingly infinite number of sounds, from ice melting in...
Saigoneer’s Recent Art Picks
The haunting installation by a Saigon-born writer/artist; a visual diary of Vietnamese portraits; a visual map of Saigon’s urban changes and the opening of the first urban gallery in town are among ou...
8 Places Where You Can Pick Up A Saigon Artbook
Missed out on the Saigon Artbook Party at the 3A Alternative Art Area? Fret not, for they are available at five locations around the city!
[Photos] 12 Rare Images of Saigon From Above
Back in 2009-2010, famous Vietnamese photographer, Gian Thanh Son, boarded a military helicopter and flew over Saigon, capturing some beautiful areal photos of the city.
54% Of Vietnamese Are Unhappy With Their Salaries: Survey
A recent survey conducted by recruitment firm VietnamWorks found that up to 54% of Vietnamese workers are unsatisfied with their salaries.
Event Rewind: Saigon Artbook Edition 5
The first 2015 edition of Saigon Artbook was released last Thursday at the 3A Alternative Art Area, attracting a crowd of more than 800 people.
A Guide To The Secret Sign Language Of Vietnamese Drivers
Drivers in every country seem to have their own set of signals to communicate with one another.
[Video] People Try Thuốc Lào for the First Time
Youtubers Trong Trắng recently conducted a bit of a science experiment, giving a group of Vietnamese 20-somethings their first experience with a tobacco bong (điếu cày).
[Video] Bún Riêu Chợ Nổi: A Life Spent Selling Bún Riêu In Can Tho’s Floating Market
This short documentary centers on Co Be, who sells soup to the busy workers at the Cai Rang floating market in Can Tho.
[Photos] Saigon Mechanics Unveil The “Mammoth”
A homage to the aesthetics of a classic vehicles, this customized bike, dubbed the “Mammoth,” has been getting a lot of attention for its elephantine look.
Hanoi Declares War On Public "Profanity"
Hanoi’s Deputy Chairman, Le Hong Son, has ordered relevant ministries to crack down on public profanities on the streets of the capital.
[Photos] The Origins Of Caodaism, Vietnam’s Hybrid Religion
Here’s a look at the early days of Caodaism, based on the writings of a French educated Vietnamese during the colonial period. This is all that is known about the author who was deported from Indochin...
[Photos] Behold: The Vietnamese Avengers
25-year-old artist, Nguyen Quang Huy, has put a Vietnamese twist on some of Marvel’s most popular characters.
