Paul Christiansen in Culture
On Loving the Saigon Zoo Despite Its Flaws
We’ve all wanted something we can’t have. Something we can see but can’t touch. Something dangled in front of us but just out of reach, like an especially succulent apple growing on a branch inches beyond a giraffe’s outstretched tongue.
Saigoneer in Music & Arts
Get to Know Vietnam's 54 Ethnic Groups via These Adorable Emojis
If only these adorable emojis existed back when we were toiling over our geography homework years ago.
Paul Christiansen in Film & TV
How Famed Filmmaker Việt Linh Built a Family Around Art
“The lonely sound of a lute cannot cure your pain. You need Tơ’s singing to bring you serenity.”
Paul Christiansen in Postcards
Saigon Postcard No. 25: Child's Play
Who builds Saigon's bridges?
Adrien Jean in Culture
[Photos] From Bamboo to Altar: The Life of an Incense Stick in Vietnam
Vietnamese see the process of burning incense as a sacred ritual said to provide a bridge between the visible life of human beings and the spiritual world of gods.
Hoang Hanh Phuong in Literature
Nguyễn Đức Sơn, Eccentric Poet and Pillar of Southern Literature, Passes Away at 83
On the morning of June 11, poet Nguyễn Đức Sơn, pseudonym Sao Trên Rừng (Star Over The Forest), passed away at the age of 83.
Saigoneer in Culture
[Video] The Homeless Saigon Man Who Built a Home for Rescue Dogs
In recent years, uproar over the consumption of dog meat has culminated in demands for a national ban on the controversial dish, which some consider a traditional delicacy while others claim it is unethical.
Jim Selkin in Travel
With No Foreign Visitors, Vietnam's Travel Sector Courts Domestic Tourists, but Is It Enough?
As the country slowly opens for tourism, are companies and people adequately prepared?
Brian Letwin in Travel
Russian Tourists are Abandoning Mui Ne
Mui Ne, long considered a haven for Russian tourists has been experiencing a drop in visitors from the Motherland as they seek out “easier accesses” destinations, reports Thanh Nien.
Dang Bui in Culture
Very Superstitious: 3 Popular Vietnamese Superstitions
As is the case in many cultures, superstition plays an important role in our society. It can dictate when to take a vacation, how to do business and even cure bad luck. In this monthly column, we take...
Brian Letwin in Music & Arts
[Video] Physically-Challenged Mekong Woman Paints with Her Feet
For those of us who possess little to no artistic talent, we know that creating anything more than a stick figure is a daunting task. That makes the work of 36-year-old Huynh Thi Xam incredibly i...
Brian Letwin in Music & Arts
4 Great Places to Buy Art Supplies in Saigon
Saigon-based design website, dxMAG recently made a great post about where to find art supplies in the city. Here are some shops where you can pick up sometimes hard-to-find tools for illustration, pai...
Dang Bui in Music & Arts
Vietnamese Man Covers his House with Antiques
Obsessed with antiques, a Vinh Tuong man, Nguyen Van Truong, collected 8,000 of them over 30 years and found an ingenious way to show off his collection - using them to coat the walls, gates and garde...
Dang Bui in Film & TV
Documentary on Vietnamese LGBT Singers Screened at French Film Festival
The Last Journey of Madame Phung – a film project from Nguyen Thi Tham that highlights a group of wandering LGBT Vietnamese singers, was recently screened at the 36th Cinéma du Réel Festival in Paris ...
Dang Bui in Culture
Saigon Urban Legends: Spirits, Curses and Sunken Ships at Thuan Kieu Plaza
Located in the heart of Saigon’s busy Chinatown, the three-unit, 33-story tower complex known as Thuan Kieu Plaza was an icon of prosperity when it was completed in 1990. During the day, it looks no d...
Brian Letwin in Culture
4 US States are Dominated by Vietnamese Speakers (Kind of)
While the Nguyens might be taking over Australia, the US claims a sizable Vietnamese population as well. Using census data, Slate created a revealing state-by-state map showing the most commonly used ...
Dang Bui in Travel
Escape From the Tourists: 5 of Vietnam’s Underrated Islands
You want to have a lazy holiday on a tranquil beach, but Nha Trang and Mui Ne is a bit too touristy for your taste. We’ve come up with a list islands that should offer some relief from the throngs of ...
Saigoneer in Culture
Pictionary Battle Night! @ deciBel
From the organizer: A night of networking and gaming where illustrators and creatives of Saigon can come together to battle it out for Pictionary glory!
Brian Letwin in Culture
[Photos] Vietnamese Motorbikes and the Things They Carry
With more than 37 million of them, Vietnam is truly the land of the motorbike (for now). As we see on a daily basis, they’re not only the preferred method of transportation for people, but also for th...
Brian Letwin in Culture
Ancient Village Regulations Uncovered in Hoi An
A 19th century draft of village rules and regulations has been discovered by a Vietnamese historian in Hoi An, the first of its kind, reports Vietnam News.
Dang Bui in Music & Arts
Event Rewind: Postiljonen
Last Sunday, Stockholm ‘dream pop’ trio, Postiljonen, swung by La Fenetre Soleil as part of their Asian tour.
Brian Letwin in Culture
[Video] Teaser: The Banditas of Hoi An
To avoid a dark complexion, many Vietnamese women wear body-encompassing garb when out about town. Some call them ‘ninjas’ and others ‘mummies.’ Sydney-based filmmaker, Kearon de Clouet, recently trav...
Saigoneer in Travel
NY Times: Here’s What You Should Do with 36 Hours in HCMC
The New York Times recently visited HCMC for one of their popular “36 Hours” columns where they present a list of recommendations for things to do and places to go if you're short on time.
Dang Bui in Music & Arts
Event Rewind: The Saigon Projects 5 Year Anniversary Party
There may have been a mixture of complexions and languages, but the crowd at The Saigon Projects 5 year anniversary party shared one love for the growth of graffiti art and underground hiphop in ...
Brian Letwin in Travel
Thailand Amends Controversial Border Procedures for Vietnamese Tourists
After public outcry from Vietnamese tourists and tourism officials, Thai customs authorities have announced that they will amend “offensive” signage and procedures requiring proof of funds at the...
Dang Bui in Culture
Vietnam's Fading Black Smile
Contrasting black and white is not a modern aesthetic. For a long time, it was a standard of grace for Vietnamese women for whom traditional beauty was judged by “white skin, black teeth.”
Brian Letwin in Culture
Made in Vietnam: Electric Chopper Bicycles
Looking to step up your bicycle game? Two mechanics in Nam Dinh Province have made their own electric chopper bicycle and the final product could only be described as baller.
Saigoneer in Culture
Fashion Show: A Midsummer Night's Dream @ OMG
This Thursday, Studio co will host a new fashion show - A Midsummer Night's Dream- featuring garments, jewellery and accessorise from its multi-cultural group of creative minds including La ...
