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 Film & TV

Yersin Documentary To Premier In Hanoi, HCMC

To commemorate the 120-year anniversary of Alexandre Yersin’s discovery of the deadly Bacillus virus and a lifetime of devotion to science and humanity, the Swiss Embassy joined forces with filmmaker,...

in Culture

[Video] 2 Girls Crash While Attempting To Recreate Titanic Scene

We’ve all been there – you’re driving down the street, enjoying the fumes from the bus in front of you. Then you notice someone doing something totally unsafe and think to yourself - “Wow. I really ho...

in Culture

10 Incredible Churches in Nam Dinh

While they get the most attention, the Cathedrals in Saigon and Hanoi pale in comparison with Nam Dinh’s. Not only does the province boast this magnificent architectural specimen, but also a plethora ...

Brian Letwin

in Culture

[Photos] An Afternoon In Saigon’s Largest Cemetery

Blogger, Adam Young, recently took a walk through Saigon’s Binh Hung Hoa cemetery, once known as a hotbed for crime. Instead of forgoing his exploration due to this reputation, he grabbed his camera a...

in Culture

Hue’s Eunuch (Thái Giám) Graveyard

7 kilometers from Hue’s Imperial Citadel and hidden in a wooded area full of green pine trees one will find Duong Xuan hill. Sitting on its top is the Tu Hieu pagoda which is among the most historic a...

in Film & TV

5 Great Ways to Watch Independent Films in Saigon

I spent my childhood in a family that worshiped cinema, all sorts of films, from Disney cartoons, unsuitable films such as All that Jazz (way too early, I was 8 at the time), art films – Cinema Paradi...

Brian Letwin

in Music & Arts

[Video] 2 Foreigners Attempt to Cover “What Does the Pho Say”

In an exceptional example of a cover of a parody, this dude, who goes by the name of Ăn Đu Đủ, enlisted a friend to help him cover “What Does the Pho Say.”

in Culture

Mùng 5 Tháng 5 – Tet’s Little Brother

Yesterday was Mung 5 Thang 5 (Tet Doan Ngo) - a Vietnamese half-year Tet celebration which takes place on the fifth of lunar May (the fifth day of the fifth lunar month). We take a closer look at this...

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.