in Culture

At Phước Hải's Lễ Hội Nghinh Ông, Everything Every Whale All at Once

Phước Hải is a fishing township in the south of Vietnam, a short ride away from Vũng Tàu.

in Music & Arts

Bamboo Dance, Folk Tunes, and Fiery Guitar: The Spectable Behind Dzung's New Live EP

Following his critically acclaimed latest album "Dzanca," progressive metal guitarist Dzung is gearing up for the release of a special EP that chronicles his full live set at HOZO music festival taking place last December.

in In Plain Sight

Go Through Centuries of Ceramic History at Hanoi's Bát Tràng Museum

The Pottery Museum in Làng Gốm Bát Tràng (Bát Tràng Ceramics Village) showcases the cultural heritage of the village through its exhibits of the works of past and present artisans.

Thi Nguyễn

in Music & Arts

The Facetious Gender Politics of Gỗ Lim, Hanoi's Feminist Post-Punk Quintet

In an example of cruel irony, October 20 is when we celebrate annual Vietnam Women's Day, and also the anniversary of the passing of Mai Nga (commonly known as Nga Nhí), the lead singer of Gỗ Lim — a Hanoi-based female post-punk band that, albeit short-lived, struck a blow for women’s representation in rock and metal music in Vietnam in 2011 and 2012.

in In Plain Sight

The Unbearable Delight of Watching a Live Football Match at Hàng Đẫy Stadium

“The government sells it for VND100,000. Just give me VND150,000. Gate 3, right in the center.” 

Khôi Phạm

in Culture

What to See, Taste, and Do If You Have a Free Morning in Tân Định

There’s not much you’ll need to do to persuade me to drive, walk, crawl, scuttle or skate along the Nhiêu Lộc-Thị Nghè Canal — I adore its shaded, tree-lined pavements that much.

in Culture

I Grew up Among Ducks in the Mekong Delta. They Always Remind Me of Home.

On a recent ritual walk around my suburb, I was held up by the sight of a middle-aged man with his “fur kid.” I introduced myself and when he heard the word “Vietnam,” his eyes lit up and with a smile as he tumbled out the words: “The Mekong Delta. Ducks.”

Khôi Phạm

in Culture

What to See, Taste, and Do If You Have 3 Hours to Kill in Chợ Lớn

One of my favorite parts about being in a new city is dropping by any random neighborhood and just walking around until my feet get sore. Walking affords me the leisurely pace and multi-dimensional freedom to look up, look down, peek at things and places, and stop along the track to let my senses be pleasantly overwhelmed by the onslaught of urban quirks.

Back Arts & Culture

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...

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...

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 ...

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 ...

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.

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...

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 ...

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.

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 ...

in Culture

deciBel 2 Year Anniversary Party

It's finally time to celebrate our 2 years anniversary. 2 years of Music, Art, Cinema, drunk dance moves, yummy food and freaky meetings. deciBel wants to thank you guys for making this bar so awesom...

in Culture

Saigon Urban Legends: The Ghost of the Fine Arts Museum

The Ho Chi Minh Fine Arts Museum, an ornate, colonial-era building at 97 Pho Duc Chinh, District 1 stands elegantly and quietly in the less-traveled area of District 1. Beyond housing some of the...

Brian Letwin

in Culture

Teaser: Meet the Nguyễn's - Part 2

After moving to Vietnam, Richie Humphrey, in an attempt to improve his Vietnamese, started a video blog where he posted short, comedic videos. Last year, the Los Angeles, California native released a ...

in Literature

Book Box Vietnam: Encouraging People to Spread and Share the Written Word

Inspired by the Little Free Library project, a group of young Saigon residents has launched a book exchange project called Book Box – placing little boxes of free books in public places.