in Literature

Viet Thanh Nguyen Memoir 'A Man of Two Faces' Releases Today

A Man of Two Faces: A Memoir, a History, a Memorial, the new book by Pulitzer Prize-winner Viet Thanh Nguyen arrives from Grove City Press on October 3. 

in Music & Arts

How Richie Fawcett's Saigon Sketches Illuminate a Decade of Change

It’s been hidden right there in the heart of Saigon for over half a decade. 

in Culture

Phan Thiết's Vibrant Whale Worship Festival Reflects Vietnam's Rich Animist Traditions

Whale worship started from a folk belief harbored by fishermen seeking help from the gods to endure the arduous days spent at sea, but over time, it grew to become one of the most prominent spiritual practices of Vietnam’s fishing communities, especially in Phan Thiết. This reverence of whales reflects the people’s fervent passion for life, and a benevolent coastal culture that seeks harmony between mankind and nature.

Paul Christiansen

in In Plain Sight

Shrimp Fishing in Thanh Đa Is Fun Even When You Don't Catch Anything

If it weren’t for shrimps, developing taste buds would have been an outrageous waste of evolutionary time and resources. Truly, without the potential for boiled, grilled, fried, baked or even raw shrimp, I find little point to getting out of bed with my tongue still in my mouth.

Khôi Phạm

in Film & TV

Review: 'Bến Phà Xác Sống' Is the 2nd-Worst Movie I've Ever Watched. I'm Sad It's Over.

The day when the Saigoneer team organized a little get-together to watch Bến Phà Xác Sống in the cinema, I was running seriously late.

in Travel

In Gò Vấp, a 'Floating Temple' Stands the Test of Time and River Currents

On an isle amid the Vàm Thuật river in Gò Vấp District, Phù Châu Temple, colloquially known among locals as the “floating temple,” has welcomed religious practitioners looking for a serene quarter in fast-paced Hồ Chí Minh City for over three centuries.

in Culture

On the Hunt for One-of-a-Kind Treasures in Saigon's Thriving Thrift Shops

In the summer of 2021, Hương Nguyễn decided to pivot away from her office job and launch an online thrift store called Vintage Hearts. She was motivated by how difficult it was to find clothing in Saigon that reflected her personal style — what she used to describe as “inspired by foreign pop singers on Pinterest,” she tells me, but what is now known as “Y2K,” or “year two thousand.” 

in Arts & Culture

Ocean Vuong Brings Vietnamese Text, Original Photos to Helmut Lang Collection

Peter Do, the recently named Creative Director of the storied fashion brand Helmut Lang, enlisted writer Ocean Vuong to provide text and photos for his debut collection.

Back Arts & Culture

Brian Letwin

in Culture

[Interactive Chart] How Vietnamese Consume Media

We can assume a lot about Vietnamese media habits based on our daily observations. Cafés are packed smartphone and tablets users and when walking down a hem at night, nearly every family seems to be s...

Brian Letwin

in Culture

[Video] Things Vietnamese Moms Do

YouTuber, Richie Le, makes videos about the Vietnamese community in California. In one of his more recent videos, he takes on stereotypes of Vietnamese mothers. While it takes place in the US, the vid...

in Culture

American School of Vietnam Teacher Gets a $6,000 Haircut

In a refreshing alternative to stories about crazy things wealthy Vietnamese spend their money on, Michael Barrs, a teacher at The American School of Vietnam, promised his students that if they raised...

in Music & Arts

Zelda Goes to the Gallery: Art Basel Hong Kong

Last week, Art Basel Hong Kong proved itself worthy of its older siblings (Art Basel – Miami and Art Basel – Switzerland) and probably even bested them by becoming the meeting and merging point b...

in Culture

Neighbors - Celebrate Lesbians @ La Fenetre Soleil

From the organizer: Neighbors is a series of events with the purpose to help strengthen the bond and understanding in the LGBT community. Besides, Neighbors aims to transfer the accurate information a...

Brian Letwin

in Music & Arts

[Photos] Vietnamese Photographer Shoots Naomi Campbell for Harper’s Bazaar Cover

Global fashion icon, Naomi Campbell, is front and center on this month’s issue of Harper’s Bazaar Vietnam.

in Culture

Saigon Urban Legends: Haunted Tao Dan Park

Listed in UK travel guidebook Rough Guides as one of the most haunted places in the world, District 1’s Tao Dan Park is said to the home of young man's ghost.

in Culture

4 Traditional Trades That Are Quickly Disappearing in Hanoi

Last week we heard the story of the Saigon Post Office’s last letter writer, a trade that is unlikely to last much longer. But letter writing isn’t the only traditional occupation endangered by Vietna...

Brian Letwin

in Culture

[Photos] The Mud Wrestlers of Yen Vien Village

Every year between the 12th and 14th days of the fourth lunar month (May 10 - 12), the men of Yen Vien Village in Bac Giang Province partake in the a 3 hour “Ball Catching in Mud Festival.”

Brian Letwin

in Culture

15 Unusual Maps That Compare Vietnam and Other Countries

Maps are not only a great way to look back through time, but also to understand the world in its current state. Time-wasting site, Bored Panda, compiled a brilliant collection of maps that reveal some...

Brian Letwin

in Culture

Great Success! Tourist Celebrates After Crossing Saigon Street

Tourists are notoriously freaked out by the prospect of crossing the street in Vietnam, with many comparing it to the 1980s video game “Frogger.”

in Culture

The Cursed, Monk-less Phuc Quang Pagoda

Built in 1734 under the reign of King Long Duc III, Phuc Quang pagoda in Bac Giang Province has been mysteriously monk-less for nearly 300 years.

in Culture

The Last Letter Writer of the Saigon Post Office

As I travel through life, meeting new people, I sometimes get the feeling that some have a story to tell. When I discover such a person, I secretly feel special and cool to be one of the few who perce...

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 ...