Paul Christiansen in Travel
'Chuyện Của Pao' Turned a Historic H'Mông Home in Hà Giang Into a Tourist Attraction
The photos don’t do it justice. That’s what you’ll often hear from people who visit Hà Giang to cruise its famed highway loop.
How Vietnam's Muslims Celebrate Ramadan, Eid Al-Fitr in Mekong Delta's Châu Đốc
Islam is the fastest-growing religion in the world, yet Vietnamese Muslims represent as little as 0.1% of the country’s population. Most are ethnic Chăm, while a few are foreigners and a few converts. After traveling to Châu Đốc in An Giang Province, where the majority are located, I was mesmerized by the unique cultural mix this community represents.
Văn Tân in Culture
A Brief History of Ông Đồ, Vietnam’s Scholars Whose Calligraphy Is Highly Sought After
To say that Tết gathers together everything most beautiful in Vietnamese culture would not be an exaggeration. More than a threshold between the old year and the new, it is also a time when people feel they can return to, and relive, the traditional values that define them.
Paul Christiansen in Travel
From Dark to Dawn, an Early Morning at Hội An's Duy Hải Fish Market
At 3am, Hội An’s streets resemble dog-gnawed pork bones, licked clean of all scent and viscera. No light, no noise, no movement. But that’s the time you must venture out to witness the Duy Hải Fish Market in action.
Review: 'New Wave' Documentary Is a Surprisingly Personal Dissection of 1980s Nostalgia
Melodic synth-lines and steady electronic drums. Today, the signature sounds of new wave music feel perhaps a bit old and outdated. During its high point during the 1980s, however, new wave was hailed as music of the future.
On the Cusp of a Modern New Year, Reflections on a Simpler Tết Past
Every year, as the pages from my block calendar peel off, bringing me towards another Vietnamese New Year, my mind once again fills with nostalgia about an old Tết. Tết in my memory begins with my childhood in a small house nestled under a coconut grove on the outskirts of Bạc Liêu in the Mekong Delta. Those were days of hardship, yet my parents worked hard so that Tết could bloom magnificently for all of us.
A Damaged Masterpiece Reveals How Much We Take Our Cultural Heritage for Granted
A once-damaged national treasure remains on view as if nothing had happened, while other works are displayed with little context — what does this tell us about how art museums preserve Vietnam's cultural heritage and shape our art history narratives today?
In 'Đêm Giao Thừa' EP, a Đàn Tranh Artist Offers Novel Twists on Nostalgic Tết Sounds
Indie đàn tranh artist Brian Bùi has just released Đêm Giao Thừa, an EP containing energetic covers of three classic Tết songs and an original track that pays homage to styles from the 1960s and 1970s.
A Brief History of Hunting in Vietnam Since the 19th Century
While hunting was probably popular among Vietnamese nobles before the arrival of the French, it was the colonialists who popularized big game hunting in the country when it was still a land of wildern...
Fashion Market @ The House Of Saigon
From the organizer: All about fashion, accessories, art and craft - calling brands, designers who want to exhibit and sell your products at our Fashion Market on Saturday and Sunday, July 12...
The Vietnamese Millionaires Of Angola
Wherever Vietnamese go, they strive and thrive. While the Vietnamese diaspora is best know for its success in North America, Europe and Australia, there is a small, but influential contingent in the ...
[Photos]: Vu Huu Nhung’s “Life” Exhibition
Vũ Hữu Nhung, an heir of Phù Lãng pottery experts, is holding an exhibition of his cutting-edge sculptural artwork in Hanoi.
[Photos] 1,600 Papier-Mâché Pandas Invade Asia
Artist Paulo Grangeon began making papier-mâché pandas back in 2008 to support World Wild Life Fund activities in Europe. While popular on his home continent, he had no idea the excitement they would ...
Vietnamese Model Organizes Fashion Show At NYC’s Tallest Building
Vietnamese model, Jessica Minh Anh, continues her quest to hold fashion shows at iconic locations. After erecting runways in places like the Grand Canyon and the Petronas Towers, Anh held a multicultu...
[Photos] Vietnam’s World Famous “Aquascapists”
Surprise fact: Vietnam is a perennial powerhouse when it comes to aquarium design.
Brian Letwin in Culture
This Is What Happened When A Woman Was Photoshopped In 25 Different Countries
We know that standards of beauty differ from country to country, but we never would have imagined that they fluctuated this much.
The Only Cross-Dressing Dance In Vietnam
Against the backdrop of Vietnamese gender sensitivities that are based on a feudally influenced culture, it is ironic that one of the country’s most unique dances, one that is over 1,000 years old, is...
Brian Letwin in Culture
[Video] This Japanese Kid Has Insane Yo-Yo Skills
Since I have trouble mastering even the simple things in life, watching this Japanese kid destroy gravity with his yo-yo makes me feel slightly depressed.
Trend: Vietnam’s Rich Show Off Their Wealth With Castles
Finding themselves with overflowing bank accounts, some of Vietnam’s wealthy are putting their money into real estate. But not only are they buying land, but building castles.
Local Graffiti Artists Want To Paint Saigon’s Old And Empty Walls
While in the West graffiti art is a form of anti-establishment expression, some artists in Vietnam are focusing on its visual elements, using it as a tool for beautification of city streets.
Saigon Urban Legends: Haunted 727 Tran Hung Dao
Located at 727 Tran Hung Dao, this District 5 dwelling was once called the President Building and housed hundreds of American soldiers. Commissioned by millionaire Nguyen Tan Doi, this building, which...
New Art Initiative In Saigon: Sao La
Here is a new addition in town that art lovers will welcome with open arms. Sao La is a non-profit initiative by the well-established Gallery Quynh, located on the ground floor of the HCMC Fine Art Mu...
[Video] Tuồng: Vietnam’s Disappearing Traditional Face Painting
Tuồng is a type of traditional folk performance which is characterized in part by the use of abstract face-painting. Performers hide their real faces under a piece of art, which symbolize their charac...
Da Nang’s Dragon Bridge Gets International Praise For Lighting Design
Da Nang's world famous bridge is back in the proverbial spotlight. After winning an international engineering award back in May, the central city’s Dragon Bridge was recently honored at the Internatio...
[Photos] Local Artist Creates Beautiful Aluminum And Wood Bird Sculptures
Interweaving the arts of sculpture and installation, Thai Nhat minh’s solo exhibition last year, “The Birds” captured feelings of captivity and yearning for freedom through his wooden and aluminum bir...
A Guide To Honking In Vietnam
Saigoneer contributor, Eric van der Vorst, created this playful list to help us decipher the meaning behind the symphony of honks and beeps that echo through Vietnam's roads and cities.
22 Head-Spinning Vietnamese Tongue Twisters
Due to its six tones, Vietnamese is far from the easiest language to learn. In case you wanted to further confound yourself, here's a list of 22 Vietnamese tongue twisters that will have even some Vie...
10 Incredible Photos Of Life On Hanoi's Train Tracks
Traffic in Vietnam is crazy but the train tracks that skirt through Hanoi’s residential areas reach levels of insanity.
