in Architecture

In Hanoi, a Family Home Balances Commercial Hustle With Spiritual Haven

If many Vietnamese families often opt to reserve one room in their house plan for ancestor worship, this household in Hanoi decided to dedicate an entire backyard to their family altar.

Paul Christiansen

in Environment

An Homage to the Mekong Delta and Its Bag-Wearing Fruits

Rats, mice, mosquitos, snakes, centipedes, caterpillars, snails, beetles and slugs: the more fertile a region is, the more pests inhabit it.

in Tech

Grindr Once Again Names Vietnam Amongst Nations With Highest Percentage of Bottoms

Started by Spotify, Unwrapped has become one of tech companies’ favorite marketing campaigns in recent years; LinkedIn, Duolingo, and even Vietnam’s own Zalo are amongst some revelers of this trend in recent years. Last year, gay dating app Grindr continued the tradition with their own annual insights, and Vietnam managed to claim a spot in the roundup.

in Environment

On the 12th Day of Christmas Saigoneer Gave to Me: 12 Birdcalls 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 time, we’ve attached a variety of meanings to it and the creature that makes it.

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 anything in the game world if they have enough patience and attention to details.

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 surfboards. Look for it, however, and you’ll find a subculture of beach breaks, skate bowl surf shacks, board rental huts, and passionate surfers within a tight knit but welcoming community.

in Environment

As Infrastructure Lags Behind, Saigon's Poorest Hardest Hit by Worsening Flooding

In April this year, in the first downpour of southern Vietnam’s rainy season, the narrow rented room where Mã Thị Diệp and her children were staying in Hồ Chí Minh City was inundated by knee-high water.

Back Society

in Tech

Made-in-Vietnam Dating App Fika Secures $1.6m in Seed Funding

Created as a female-focused alternative to Tinder and Bumble, the dating app Fika recently got financial backing from international investors.

in Development

New Bridge Project Sparks Controversy Over 'Confusing' Indochina Design

Tran Hung Dao Bridge, an upcoming project across the Red River, has recently received mixed reviews around its Indochina-inspired design. 

in Sports

Ánh Viên, Vietnam's Most Decorated Swimmer, Wants to Resign From National Team

Citing a desire to spend more time with her family and a drop in her performance, Nguyễn Thị Ánh Viên reportedly reached the decision after returning from the Tokyo Olympics this past summer.&nbs...

Michael Tatarski

in Natural Selection

Chó: The Four National Breeds of Vietnamese Doggos

It’s an inarguable fact that dogs are the purest of animals.

in Architecture

[Photo] An Open-Air Cafe in Hoi An to Catch the Morning Sunlight

"I have nature and art and poetry, and if that is not enough, what is enough?” said renowned artist Vincent Willem van Gogh. Perhaps coffee should have been added to the list.

in Society

In Pre-Pandemic Central Vietnam, the Stages of Life Are in Full View Outside

The multiple stages of life are never far from view on the streets of Vietnam.

in Sports

[Video] The Fiery Spectacle of Vietnam's Professional Wrestling Scene

In skimpy shorts, menacing facepaint, and sometimes even impressive props, members of the Vietnam Pro Wrestling (VPW) club engage in energetic “battles” that incorporate flying acrobatics and dynamic ...

in Environment

Ná Nả: How a Grassroots Initiative Enriches the Lives of Ethnic Minorities

Khang A Tủa is attending university in Ho Chi Minh City, but he took the last semester off to run a project supporting people of the H’Mong ethnic minority.

in Tech

Vietnam Announces New App to Unify All Previous Covid-19 Apps

One app to rule them all.

in Tech

The Unexpected Lure of Watching Streamers Drive a Truck Across a Virtual Vietnam

As the months-long lockdown drags on — though with some light at the end of the tunnel — and with in-person programs being canceled or put on indefinite hiatus, demand for virtual entertainment has na...

Khôi Phạm

in Tech

Review: Vietnamese Indie Game 'Hoa' Is a Soothing Oasis in the Age of Anxiety

There is an exquisite but hard-to-name feeling that engulfs me every time I finish watching a particularly outstanding movie. It’s a lingering mixture of awe, fulfillment, wistfulness, anguish, contem...

in Society

In Lockdown, Saigoneers Draw Strength From an Unexpected Wealth of Support: Each Other

They largely didn't know each other, except for their flatmates. Then the COVID-19 outbreak began, and they got closer. They are now more accommodating, caring and loving.

in Society

How Hanoi Residents and Collectives Look out for the City's Most Vulnerable

“He was so happy to be given rice. And he didn’t have a smartphone or anything like that. I felt I had helped someone that really needed help, and I felt very happy about that.”

Paul Christiansen

in Natural Selection

Voi: From Hai Bà Trưng's Fearsome Companions to Tourism Servants

Does art need a purpose?

in Architecture

[Photos] D2's Okkio Cafe Is an Architectural Homage to Wong Kar-Wai

Today's architecture feature will be familiar to frequent visitors of Thao Dien.

Michael Tatarski

in Environment

A New Documentary Tells the Story of Ethical Elephant Tourism in Dak Lak

While some documentaries come together after years of planning and storyboarding, others happen almost by chance.

in Environment

UNESCO Recognizes Nui Chua, Kon Ha Nung as Vietnam's New Biosphere Reserves

They are in Ninh Thuan and Gia Lai.

in Health

Vietnamese Company Buys 50m Doses of Spanish Covid-19 Vaccine

Another vaccine will come to Vietnam in the future.

in Society

Love in the Time of Corona: Long-Distance Relationships When You're Just 1km Apart

In an ever-moving world, “long distance” has become a well-established concept in modern relationships. It’s easy to spot couples with one half living in a different time zone among our social circles...

in Society

Without Ride-Hailing, Public Buses, Saigon's Taxis Are Thrust Into the Frontline

Through the windows of a taxi cab making its way through deserted Ho Chi Minh City, the once-bustling Vietnamese metropolis is almost unrecognizable as empty street after empty street rolls by.