in Culture

At Phước Hải's Lễ Hội Nghinh Ông, Everything Every Whale All at Once

Phước Hải is a fishing township in the south of Vietnam, a short ride away from Vũng Tàu.

in Music & Arts

Bamboo Dance, Folk Tunes, and Fiery Guitar: The Spectable Behind Dzung's New Live EP

Following his critically acclaimed latest album "Dzanca," progressive metal guitarist Dzung is gearing up for the release of a special EP that chronicles his full live set at HOZO music festival taking place last December.

in In Plain Sight

Go Through Centuries of Ceramic History at Hanoi's Bát Tràng Museum

The Pottery Museum in Làng Gốm Bát Tràng (Bát Tràng Ceramics Village) showcases the cultural heritage of the village through its exhibits of the works of past and present artisans.

Thi Nguyễn

in Music & Arts

The Facetious Gender Politics of Gỗ Lim, Hanoi's Feminist Post-Punk Quintet

In an example of cruel irony, October 20 is when we celebrate annual Vietnam Women's Day, and also the anniversary of the passing of Mai Nga (commonly known as Nga Nhí), the lead singer of Gỗ Lim — a Hanoi-based female post-punk band that, albeit short-lived, struck a blow for women’s representation in rock and metal music in Vietnam in 2011 and 2012.

in In Plain Sight

The Unbearable Delight of Watching a Live Football Match at Hàng Đẫy Stadium

“The government sells it for VND100,000. Just give me VND150,000. Gate 3, right in the center.” 

Khôi Phạm

in Culture

What to See, Taste, and Do If You Have a Free Morning in Tân Định

There’s not much you’ll need to do to persuade me to drive, walk, crawl, scuttle or skate along the Nhiêu Lộc-Thị Nghè Canal — I adore its shaded, tree-lined pavements that much.

in Culture

I Grew up Among Ducks in the Mekong Delta. They Always Remind Me of Home.

On a recent ritual walk around my suburb, I was held up by the sight of a middle-aged man with his “fur kid.” I introduced myself and when he heard the word “Vietnam,” his eyes lit up and with a smile as he tumbled out the words: “The Mekong Delta. Ducks.”

Khôi Phạm

in Culture

What to See, Taste, and Do If You Have 3 Hours to Kill in Chợ Lớn

One of my favorite parts about being in a new city is dropping by any random neighborhood and just walking around until my feet get sore. Walking affords me the leisurely pace and multi-dimensional freedom to look up, look down, peek at things and places, and stop along the track to let my senses be pleasantly overwhelmed by the onslaught of urban quirks.

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in Literature

'My Father’s Bàng Tree': A Poem by Nguyễn Phan Quế Mai

This poem is featured in Volume 1 of In My Ear, Your Voice Still Flickering // Bên tai tôi, giọng người vẫn chờn vờn, a three-part, bilingual collection of works by more than 20 Vietnamese artists and...

in Quãng 8

The Trio of 7UPPERCUTS Exist for the Love of Punk and One Another

Founded in 2017, 7UPPPERCUTS signifies a new generation of musicians who are teeming with youthful and creative energy. 7UP’s music, filled with the rebellious spirit of punk rock, not only delivers h...

in Literature

Read Saigoneer's Literary Zine, Featuring 20 Works by Vietnamese Writers and Artists

In My Ear, Your Voice Still Flickering // Bên tai tôi, giọng người vẫn chờn vờn is a collection of work from twenty Vietnamese writers and artists released as part of the Miami Book Fair, one of ...

in Culture

How Châu Đốc's Chăm Muslim Community Celebrates Ramadan

Vietnam's recent four-day holiday coincided with observations of Ramadan this year.

in Culture

Here Are the Fabulous Finalists of Miss Universe's National Costume Design Competition

From feng shui to bánh tráng trộn, the chosen designers find their inspiration everywhere. 

in Literature

Đà Lạt-Born French Writer Linda Lê Passes Away at 58

Born in Đà Lạt in 1963, Linda Lê moved to France as an adolescent and went on to write numerous award-winning works of fiction in French.

in Film & TV

'Spring Roll Dream,' a Short Film by Vietnamese Director Mai Vu, Is Screening at Cannes Festival

A short film directed by a Vietnamese director will be screened as part of the upcoming Cannes Film Festival.

in Podcast

Saigoneer Podcast: A Look Back and a Farewell (for Now)

Sad times.

in Music & Arts

Thai Rapper Eats Mango Sticky Rice During Coachella Set, Wins Our Hearts

Maybe Suboi can eat a plate of cơm tấm during her next performance.

Paul Christiansen

in Loạt Soạt

Saigoneer Bookshelf: Ocean Vuong Asks Questions in 'Time Is a Mother'

Fame and poetry rarely go together.

in Music & Arts

Marvel at These Ceramic Boots Created by Legendary Bát Tràng Artisan Vũ Đức Thắng

"The Bát Tràng Ceramic Boots. An Inspiration from Italy" exhibition will feature 12 ceramic boots created by artisan Vũ Đức Thắng, who blended Italian fashion and Bát Tràng craft traditions.

in Music & Arts

Local Photographer Recreates Mai Trung Thứ Paintings in Fashion Shoot

In hopes of recreating the paintings of silk master Mai Trung Thứ, photographer Minh Sơn and his collaborators have done something extraordinary with this photo collection. The resulting works bear st...

in Music & Arts

Mythology, History, and Supernaturals Mingle in the World of 'Lĩnh Nam Chích Quái'

Lĩnh Nam Chích Quái was one of Vietnam’s first anthologies written in Hán characters in prose form. It’s a collection of 22 folk tales, mythologies, and legends surrounding the origin story of the Vie...

in Music & Arts

Japanese Mobile Game 'Fate Grand Order' Unveils Hai Bà Trưng as Playable Heroines

Time for all Vietnamese Masters to save their Saint Quartz.

in Culture

Handbook Project Empowers Local Communities to Write Their Own Cultural Narratives

“No one could sing our song but ourselves.” — Inrasra, Chăm poet and anthropologist.

in Music & Arts

Photography Exhibition Spotlights the Beauty and Perils of Vietnam's Mangrove Forests

Transcending the boundaries of a conventional art exhibition, “Midnight in the Mangroves - Đêm Trong Rừng Ngập Mặn” tackles the beauty and important environmental role of mangrove forests via the lang...

in Film & TV

Review: In 'Đêm Tối Rực Rỡ!,' Watch a Fraught Family Disintegrate During a Funeral

If a family is like a broken leg, does healing it require a more painful break? Đêm Tối Rực Rỡ! (The Brilliant Darkness!) grapples with this question by thrusting characters into a situation that expo...

in Film & TV

Netflix Announces Next 'Bridgerton' Season to Focus on Long-Lost Vietnamese Sister Hường Bridgerton

Steamy night rendezvous, sordid secrets, and stupendous wigs — historical smash hit Bridgerton returned last week with all the glitz and glam that made its first season one of the most-watched se...

Paul Christiansen

in Loạt Soạt

Saigoneer Bookshelf: The Instruction Manual of Phillips H92X Offers Something for Everyone

Engaging plot or strong characters? Fantastic escapism or insightful depictions of the real world? A sweeping epic across generations and nations, or a deep examination of a brief moment in time? What...

Michael Tatarski

in Film & TV

'Madame Pirate,' Short Film Based on History's Greatest Pirate, Screens at SXSW

Do you know who the world's greatest pirate is?