Amélie Huynh Le Maux in Music & Arts
The Wildlife Artist Who Paints the Beauty of Vietnam’s Endangered Nature
Dao Van Hoang, a self-taught painter, welcomed us into his studio at Le Petit Musée in Paris. Surrounded by watercolors of exotic plants and paintings of wild animals, he shared with us his life story. Or, how he fell in love with nature from a young age, continuously trained to become a recognized artist, and got involved in wildlife conservation.
Mầm in Music & Arts
Meet Cam, the Idiosyncratic Rapper Telling Stories Through Music
Born from the streets, rap/hip-hop often features confrontational lyrics and intense performances. But to Lê Văn Toàn, who goes by the stage name Cam, rap is like a canvas to bare his heart; chronicle the many stories that he has witnessed and imagined; and express the feelings that surface after watching a good film or book.
Saigoneer in Travel
[Photos] The Incredibly Eye-Catching, Organic Signage of Sa Đéc
Signs are like voices.
Trần Thị NgH in Literature
Short Story: 'Left-Eared' by Trần Thị NgH
'Left-Eared' (Người Thuận Tai Trái) is a short work of fiction originally written in Vietnamese by author Trần Thị NgH and translated with her assistance for Saigoneer.
Giang Phạm in Culture
[Photos] For a Tết Full of Rich Traditions, Head to Saigon's Hoa Community
Up until 2011, I thought that everybody in Saigon had the same Tet every year, with apricot flowers in the living room and bánh chưng or bánh tét on the altar, and family trips to the Nguyen Hue flower street and prayers to Buddha at pagodas.
Saigoneer in Travel
[Photos] A Stroll Through Eclectic Chợ Lớn
Until fairly recently, Chợ Lớn was its own city, long inhabited by người Hoa who carved out an economic hub along the banks of the Saigon River over 200 years ago.
Peter Walls in Travel
[Photos] Watching the Sunset From Fansipan, the Roof of Vietnam
Conquering Mount Fansipan’s 3,147 meters was once a feat reserved for those willing to take on the potential multi-day hike from Sapa to the summit and back.
Paul Christiansen in Literature
How DiaCritics Creates a Platform for Diverse Vietnamese Voices From Abroad
“Vietnamese communities can sometimes/often demand conformity and tradition of people in order to feel a part of things; I have always seen diaCRITICS as an opportunity to trouble the definitions, push the boundaries, to include the atypical voices and stories and viewpoints.”
Saigoneer in Culture
The 90-Year-Old Lumberjack Of Hanoi
Though nearly a century old, 90-year-old Hanoi man, Lê Văn Sâm still amazes people with his incredible health and work ethic. Every day for over 70 years, Sâm has cut and transported large trees to ma...
Lan Tran in Music & Arts
The Differences Between Girls In Saigon And Hanoi
These illustrations, created by blogger Mèo Lười show her view of the differences between girls in Sài Gòn and Hà Nội. From reactions to breakups to eating habits, one can view them as astute obs...
Saigoneer in Culture
[Video] Professional Vietnamese Tennis Players Trade In Rackets For Stools, Wine Bottles
Having mastered the tennis racket, a group of players in Saigon have decided to replace their normal frames with wine bottles, wooden chairs and even pieces of pattern tile.
Saigoneer in Culture
[Photos] Architecture Student Builds Sweet Custom Bike
This badass custom, motorcycle-scooter hybrid was not built by a professional mechanic, but rather a student at the Ho Chi Minh City University of Architecture.
Brian Letwin in Music & Arts
Saigoneer Presents: Photo Walk With Quinn Ryan Mattingly
We’re happy to announce the launch of Saigoneer Photo Walks with the goal of upping your photo game while exploring the city.
Dang Bui in Culture
August: The Month Of Damned Spirits
The 7th lunar month, which usually falls in mid-August, is celebrated by Buddhists all over the world as the Month of Ghosts. Known as Vu Lan month in Vietnam, it is marked by large religious celebrat...
Saigoneer in Music & Arts
[Photos] Man Creates Incredibly Detailed, Miniature Version Of Hue In Saigon
Ready to be impressed? Nguyen Thanh Tung who hails from Hue, but lives in Saigon, found a creative way to avoid homesickness – over 7 years, he created a 1,000 square meter model of his hometown, down...
Saigoneer in Music & Arts
New Book Shows Saigon’s Strong Contrasts Through Photos
Saigon is a city of contrasts so it’s fitting that a Vietnamese writer, Linh Cu and graphic designer, Mai Nguyen got together to create a photo book, Contrasts of Saigon.
Brian Letwin in Culture
[Video] Beware Of The Tobacco Bong (Điếu Cày)
The tobacco bong (điếu cày) is a popular companion for everyone from café-goers to parking attendants in Vietnam who are looking for a greater high than normal cigarettes provide, or simply a strong d...
Brian Letwin in Culture
[Video] This Is What Happens When Tourists Are Asked To Speak Vietnamese
A hard a time as expats in Vietnam have pronouncing the local language, after a while, most of us are able to learn the basics. But as we see in this video from Nguyen McHung, the language was not des...
Brian Letwin in Music & Arts
[Video] “Enter Pyongyang” Hyperlapse Offers A Look At Life In North Korea’s Capital
You may remember the Rob Whitworth’s award-winning film, Traffic in Frenetic HCMC, Vietnam (2012), a culmination of 10,000 RAW images and multiple shots which perfectly captured the energy and spirit ...
Saigoneer in Culture
CreativeDrinks #2 @ 3A Station
From the organizer: "Sure, everyone knows what a brand is. Coke, Pepsi, McDonald’s. But that buzzword is getting thrown around a whole lot in career and job search conversations these days, too. And y...
Zelda Rudzitsky in Music & Arts
Photographer Spotlight: Dinh Q. Lê
Photography has been, over the past 180 years, one of the most misjudged artistic mediums. Some consider it a way to simply record the surface of reality, indiscriminately used by the masses. After al...
Brian Letwin in Music & Arts
Event Rewind: Saigon Artbook Edition 4
After three successful releases of the Saigon Artbook, the team held a launch event at The Cube last Thursday to celebrate the 4th edition of the book that celebrates local artists.
Dang Bui in Literature
Where to Find Disappearing Old Books in Saigon
There is a German proverb – "Alle guten dinge sind drei" – which refers to the joy gained from one’s efforts. Living in the digital age, we are blessed – or cursed, depending on your point o...
Saigoneer in Culture
[Photos] Wealthy Yen Bai Man Builds Extravagant Mountain Tomb
Taking a page out of the book of the Egyptian Pharaohs, a Yen Bai man is constructing a massive, VND15 billion tomb on the side of a mountain.
Dang Bui in Film & TV
[Video] Local Students Make Impressive 3D Film On Retro Saigon
This local indie film, “Balloon” is worth 4 minutes of your eyes, ears and mind.
Brian Letwin in Music & Arts
Finger Food: Sushi Nail Art Is A Thing In Japan
Recently Nails have become a popular canvas for artistic expression, displaying everything from circuit boards to Grumpy Cat. But leave it Japan to take things to the next level.
Brian Letwin in Culture
[Video] A Day in the Life of a Saigon Street Masseur
You’ve no doubt heard ringing bottle caps, the calling card of Saigon’s street masseurs, outside your door in the evening hours. These men ride around the city till the morning light, hoping to put a ...
Saigoneer in Culture
[Photos] Optimus Prime Appears In Saigon In Motorbike Form
On the morning of August 3 at a coffee shop on Trần Phú Street (District 5), pedestrians were shocked to find a transformer disguised as a Yamaha Exciter.
