in Development

From the Ground up Into the Air: The Evolution of Bitexco in 25 Photos

Between Thủ Thiêm's ambitious new skyscrapers, the planned transformation of Thanh Đa Peninsula and a LEED-standard apart...

in Environment

The Global Waste Trade Fuels the Rise of Waste Colonialism in Southeast Asia

In August 2025, Malaysian campaigner Wong Pui Yi stood outside the UN headquarters in Geneva and made an appeal to Global North nations: “Stop treating the Global South as the rubbish bin for plastic waste you cannot handle.”

in Sports

Pedaling for a Purpose: The Coastal Cycling Challenge Bringing Homes to Quảng Ngãi

During February and March, a group of volunteers from Saigon spent five days cycling up the coast, starting in Thảo Điền and ending up in the mountainous district of Trà Bông, nestled deep in Quảng Ngãi Province.

Michael Tatarski

in Natural Selection

Voọc Cát Bà: The Endangered Primate of Karst Land

Imagine being born one color, and growing up into a very differently hued adult.

in Tech

Vietnamese Indie Studio Skrollcat Announces 'Hoa 2,' Sequel of 2021 Award-Winning Game

In 2021, the first Hoa title came out just in time to soothe our pandemic anxiety. Five years later, will Hoa 2 be up for the job in this new era of fuel crisis and global instability?

in Architecture

The Aesthetic Yet Functional Role of Shade in the Genome of Modernist Architecture

Since the mid-20th century, Vietnamese architecture has started to be made from industrial materials such as concrete, steel, glass, etc. This resulted in Vietnamese modernism, a branch of global modernism.

in Environment

Vietnam's Woolly Bat Is Being Hunted to Extinction to Be Halloween Decorations

With hues of orange and black on its wings and a furry, fluffy face, the painted woolly bat is a stunner. But its beauty has become a deadly liability. People want to hang the bats — dead and stuffed — on their walls, display them as collectibles and even set them in jewelry.

in Natural Selection

In Search of Ba Khía, the Mangrove Crab That Captures the Soul of Cà Mau

The tide is low tonight. The mud flats, enveloped in the mangrove forest’s darkness, are dotted with the sporadic flares of headlamps. On bundles of exposed mangrove roots, shadows cast by black crabs crowd out one another. In my hometown, we call them “ba khía.”

Back Society

in Education

The Winter Bazaar at International School Saigon Pearl Showcases the Power of the IB PYP

Kitten Survivor, Snowy Kingdom, Toilet Tower Defense and Snacks But Weird were just a few of the large games placed on the floor beside their designers: Year Three students at International School Sai...

in Environment

On the 12th Day of Christmas Saigoneer Gave to Me: 12 Bird Calls From Across Vietnam

Almost everywhere we go in the world, birdsong abounds.

Paul Christiansen

in Natural Selection

Crickets Are More Than Just Chirpy Reminders of Our Childhood

Cricket song. You read the words and immediately hear the chirping. That thrilling trill of strummed air. Humans have been hearing that quivering echo since we first came into existence. And over...

Paul Christiansen

in Environment

Floating Rice, Lục Bình Baskets and Dried Fish: How WWF-Viet Nam is Helping Save the Mekong Delta

For much of the country, the word flood conjures images of cataclysmic destruction and death. But in the Mekong Delta, it means life.

Văn Tân

in Tech

The People Building a Virtual Vietnam in the Pixelated World of Minecraft

Minecraft is now a modern classic world-building game allowing players to construct elaborate buildings using isometric cubes. Thanks to this endless stream of materials, one can theoretically build a...

in Education

Mangrove Planting Efforts Expanded to Include Shrimp Farms in the Mekong Delta

Mangrove forests protect against floods and storms, offer homes for wild animals and remove carbon dioxide from the atmosphere which is essential for combating global climate change. First appearing d...

in Education

The Power of First Impressions at Australian International School Saigon

What is an Open Day? An opportunity for prospective families to view a school’s facilities, meet members of the teaching and leadership teams, and learn about curriculums, admissions and career paths?...

in Education

Why the European International School Community Is Best Experienced in Person

“I think we do fun very well here,” explains Jo Roberts, the Deputy Head of School at European International School (EIS) in Saigon.

Oliver Newman

in Parks & Rec

In Đà Nẵng, a Close-Knit Surfing Community Rides the Waves

Đà Nẵng does not feel like a surf town. The gaudy beachside nightclubs are a far cry from the bohemian vibes of Hawaii or San Diego, and the coastline is more synonymous with basket boats than surfboa...

in Education

AISA Games Come to Saigon

Australian International School, Saigon (AIS Saigon) is set to host students from Australian International Schools across Asia this November, for the highly anticipated AISA Games 2023. 

Paul Christiansen

in Natural Selection

An Ode to Lục Bình, Vietnam's Invasive, Destructive, Beautiful Aquatic Jerk

Knotted gnarls of lush stems, leaves, vines; a verdant scrimmage of tangled plant matter kept afloat by buoyant bladders accented by pleats of pink petals that resemble the skirts of ballerinas trappe...

in Sports

Saigon Heat Wins Intracity Rivalry Over HCMC Wings, Closing Out VBA Regular Season

Families of fans filed into the “Fire Pan” on September 3, wearing red, white, and black jerseys. The atmosphere hums with anticipation.

Paul Christiansen

in Environment

Vignette: Local Ox Rampages Airport, Stops Flights, Gets Put in Museum in Huế

Name a famous buffalo.

Paul Christiansen

in Environment

Vignette: Behold Vietnam's Oldest Rock, a Memento Mori of Human Insignificance

While lamenting how long it had been since I’d last sent a postcard, a coworker at Saigoneer revealed that she is too young to have ever seen a stamp in person, let alone affixed one to a letter. The ...

in Parks & Rec

Tiny Tracks, Big Passion: Inside the Miniature World of Vietnam's Model Train Enthusiasts

“When you turn it on, the train is not only moving, but it can make sounds too. The sounds are so authentic that when I listen to it, I feel like I am sitting on a real train right now,” Minh Tú, a Sa...

in Architecture

A Delta Nest in Cao Lãnh Fit for a Solitary Poet

Who says a single person can't nest?

in Education

Australian International School Welcomes New Executive Principal

“The world is interconnected, companies work across countries and continents. Education today, therefore, has to prepare students to be global citizens: team players and team leaders, quietly confiden...

in Health

For Trans Vietnamese, Healthcare Providers Are Respectful, but Red Tape Still Hurts

Vietnam has been increasingly progressive in protecting and promoting LGBT rights. In November 2015, Vietnam made a big milestone when it granted individuals who have changed their gender the right to...

in Education

La Petite Ecole’s French Curriculum Benefits Families Well Beyond Saigon’s French Community

  “When you learn a language, you don’t just learn the language, you learn new attitudes, ways of thinking, culture and history,” explains Aline Nguyen, the Principal of La Petite Ecole Ho Chi M...

in Education

Empowered Secondary Students Personalize Their Curriculum Pathway at the British International School

The amount of international schools available in Ho Chi Minh City seems to be outnumbered only by the many acronyms prospective families must memorize to make sense of the differences in curriculum an...