Neighborhood Vibes and Modern Comforts Combine at Hotel Indigo Saigon The City
Staying in a local neighborhood means surrounding yourself with the sights, styles, routines, traditions, and history of a locale. Hotel Indigo Saigon The City, a new boutique lifestyle hotel, tells the stories of the iconic Ba Son area via its details, decor, atmosphere, and experiences, so checking in feels like taking part in a celebration of the city.
Uyên Đỗ in Arts & Culture
Strangevisuals Is an Archive of Daily Life on Postcards of Rice and Dó Papers
What are our memories made of?
Paul Christiansen in Loạt Soạt
Within the Shocking Brutality of Queer Novel 'Parallels' Rests Poignant Poetry
Parallels by Vũ Đình Giang shocked me. While I refrain from spoiling its plot, allow me to share my experience when reading this novel, as translated by Khải Q. Nguyễn, to better explain how the book jolted me from expectations and why the experience provides a unique and valuable addition to the array of Vietnamese novels translated into English.
‘129BPM’ Carries the Contemporary Hip-Hop Heartbeat From Vietnam to Malaysia
Under the shared heartbeat of “129BPM,” the dancers channeled their emotions through movement, navigating between individuality and collectivity both on and off stage. Extending beyond Vietnamese audiences, the piece has now been presented on an international platform at George Town Festival 2025 in Penang, Malaysia, marking a significant milestone for Vietnamese contemporary hip-hop performance on the international stage.
Trần Dần, the Literary Maverick Teaching Us How We Should and Can Be an Artist
In the mind of many Vietnamese readers, the name of writer Trần Dần has been inextricably linked with artistic experimentation and innovation. His poetic voice feels nothing like those of writers I learnt back in high school: there is something so different, refreshing and oddly contemporary about it. As I consider every page of his bulky posthumously published anthology Thơ (Poetry), I find his legacy remains inspirational even for contemporary readers — especially other young Vietnamese — on what it means to “be an artist.” This does not only entail one’s appreciation and production of Vietnamese art, but also their adoption of an artist’s mindset into daily life.
A Tribute to the Incredibly Eye-Catching, Organic Signage of Sa Đéc
Signs are like voices.
Linh Phạm in Travel
On a Walking Tour, Mulling Over the Glorious Past and Odious Present of Tô Lịch River
We began our journey in front of a bank where the street Trần Nhật Duật turned into Chợ Gạo.
In 1920s–1940s Paris, Vietnamese Artists Painted Through the Interwar Period as the 'Others'
How did Vietnamese artists navigate the complex tides of social and political changes, and mark their own position in the art world as the “Others” during interwar Paris — which was celebrated as the “City of Lights,” yet also a stage for both colonial propaganda and a ground for anti-colonial resistance?
Indie Quintet Whee! Brings Their Eclectic Sounds to the Local Music Scene
Making their debut in the midst of the pandemic with a cryptically named album, Whee! offers listeners a down-to-earth and prismatic experience that draws from the musicians' harmonic bond.
Michael Tatarski in Film & TV
Meet the Vietnamese Creators of 'Centuries and Still,' a Short Decrying Anti-Asian Racism
How much history are you aware of?
What Is Hanoi to You? A New Art Competition Seeks Answers From Young Designers.
What is Hanoi to you? Is it the mesmerizing old architecture, the thousand-year legacy, the usual traffic craze, or a warm bowl of phở in the morning?
Paul Christiansen in Music & Arts
Born Into Traditional Craft, a Young Sculptor Finds Joy in Carving Pop Culture
“Even though they know deeply that it’s beautiful, they cannot feel it because it’s not familiar to them,” Duy Trần says of younger generations that gaze upon the traditional wood sculptures in his fa...
Michael Tatarski in Ton-sur-Ton
How Local Brand Re.socks Spins Discarded Plastic Bottles Into Comfy Socks
How much thought do you put into socks?
Đại Việt Kỳ Nhân: When Vietnam's Prolific History Meets Board Game
After copious exchanges with friends from abroad, Tô Quốc Nghị had a flash of realization: just like his friends’ countries, Vietnam has always had a wicked awesome history, but the dull, uninspiring ...
'Lòng Vòng Sài Gòn' Music Video Reminds Us of the Fantastical Magic of the City
There are certain things that we tend to take for granted in life. A standard routine, moments of simple contentment, and that one cơm tấm lady who’s always been at that street corner whenever you rea...
'Paris by Night' Host Nguyễn Ngọc Ngạn Announces Retirement Next Year
Come 2022, fans of the variety show Paris by Night will miss the dulcet tones and witty banter from its veteran host Nguyễn Ngọc Ngạn.
Vietnamese-American Actress Set to Star in 'How I Met Your Mother' Spinoff
Tien Tran, the Vietnamese-American actress, will join the main cast of How I Met Your Father, the sequel to CBS's long-running TV show How I Met Your Mother.
On the Other Side of the Window: a Peek into Different Worlds
[Illustrations] 20th Century Vietnam by Thang Trần Phềnh
Time for a bit of history.
Paul Christiansen in Music & Arts
Saigon Designer Envisages Classic Vietnamese Transportations With Some Pizzaz
What if your motorbike had rocket propulsion?
14-year-old Vietnamese Painter Earns $23K from NFT Painting
Xèo Chu, a 14-year-old Vietnamese artist, recently auctioned his first non-fungible token (NFT) painting on the platform Binance with the winning bid of US$22,899.
Mam in Quãng 8
The Flob, a Band of '6 People Playing Together'
The Flob — a band of six guys who are still in college — has chosen to turn the most memorable chapter of their lives into music.
It All Started With 100 Boxes of Cookies
Food is anything but apolitical.
Paul Christiansen in Loạt Soạt
Saigoneer Bookshelf: 'Luminous Nights' Explores the 20th Century Literary Landscape
Why haven’t some of Vietnam’s most famous early 20th-century short stories been translated into English?
Covid-19 Propanganda Posters Re-imagined as Đông Hồ Paintings
Sourcing inspiration from the traditional art of Đông Hồ, a group of young artists put a modern spin on classic paintings to deliver anti-pandemic messages through cheeky illustrations.
Phạm Gia Quý, the Gen Z Film Maker who Took on International Festivals
Phạm Gia Quý is a young filmmaker born and raised in Saigon and an alumnus of the prestigious Savannah College of Art and Design.
Paul Christiansen in Arts & Culture
[Illustrations] Mesmerizing Modern and Mythic Vietnam Re-Imagined
Saigoneer Podcast: Tourist Attractions & Who They're For; The Debate Over 'Essential' Goods
A new episode of the Saigoneer Podcast is now available!
