Khôi Phạm

in Culture

An Homage to the Sounds of Saigon Past That Are Going Extinct

After someone or something reaches the end of their days, which aspects of their existence in the minds of those who remain would be the first to succumb to the erosive brush of time? Is it sight, smell, touch, taste, or sound?

in Travel

Chùa Một Cột in Thailand Reminds Me of the Familiar in an Unfamiliar Land

On my last full day in Khon Kaen, Thailand, I was on a mission to catch the sunset, although the cloudy and gloomy sky didn’t give me much hope. Instead, I randomly stumbled upon a gate with signs written in Vietnamese. Out of curiosity, I decided to walk in, and the farther I walked, the more clearly I spotted a familiar image from afar: a one-pillar pagoda standing right on the edge of the reservoir.

in In Plain Sight

I Grew up With Print Newspapers and Magazines. Now, They're Disappearing.

Print media was a crucial part of my childhood and a friend that opened a window into a vivid world of knowledge that was fascinatingly strange in the eyes of young me. But right at this moment when I hit the streets as an adult, the newspaper vendors of those days seem to have vanished, their colorful spread of magazines gone amid the busyness of today. A quiet transformation and farewell has begun.

Xuân Phương

in Culture

In Tây Hồ, an Artisan Community Holds Fast to Their Lotus Tea Traditions

Every sip of lotus tea encapsulates all the essences of the natural landscapes of Tây Hồ.

in Music & Arts

New Tarot Deck Uses Traditional Motifs, Legends and Folk Wisdom to 'Speak Vietnamese'

Tarot decks can feel written in a foreign language.

Paul Christiansen

in In Plain Sight

Pages of Passion Bookstore Epitomizes What It Means to Run a Passion Project

On the sixth floor of an old apartment building on Nguyễn Văn Tráng Street in District 1 stands  Pages of Passion , a...

Khôi Phạm

in Music & Arts

'Đây Ngồi Ráp Việt' Pixel Art Project Turns Vietnam's 63 Provinces, Cities Into Model Kits

How many of us can identify all 63 localities in the current administrative map of Vietnam? Who has been to all of them? Who can name all the 54 ethnicities of Vietnamese across the country? These are all surprisingly hard things to do considering the average citizen doesn’t travel to other provinces often, and if they do, few actually stray from popular tourist destinations.

Back Arts & Culture

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...

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...

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 ...

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...

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.

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...

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.

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 ...

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.

Brian Letwin

in Film & TV

[Video] Help Fund A New Documentary On Hanoi’s Zone 9

You’re probably familiar with Zone 9, a group of former factory buildings that were converted into shops, bars and art spaces early last year. But just as the complex was hitting its stride, all of it...

in Culture

Narrow The Gap: Increasing Access To Education In Vietnam

Founded to support local not-for-profit organizations, volunteers and donors to have an equal chance to contribute their time to improve ongoing social issues, Narrow the Gap Community Fund is LIN’s (...

Brian Letwin

in Culture

[Video] Day Dreamers: A Day in the Life of a Saigon Hipster

As Vietnam becomes increasingly connected to global trends, the country’s 20-somethings have embraced everything from rap to graffiti art.

in Culture

Startup Seeks To Change The Way You Experience Hanoi And Beyond

Soundwalk is a location-based audio tour: as you walk around the city, you hear sounds as you pass through the streets, presenting a fundamentally different urban experience.

in Music & Arts

[Video] "Memories Of Vietnam" Shows The Country Through A Poetic Lens

Earlier this yeah, Léo Bigiaoui and his friends traveled across Vietnam for a month, filming in Sapa, Hanoi, Cat Ba Island, Halong Bay, Hue, Hoi An and Phu Quoc.