The Childhood of Côn Đảo's Baby Turtles Caught on Film
In July, I visited Côn Đảo National Park as part of a group of International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) sea turtle volunteers to see first-hand conservation efforts aimed at the local sea turtle population.
Ward off Your Monday Blues by Joining Me on Beginners' Skateboard Night
Usually in life, niche topics are commonly associated with unpleasant stigmas and misunderstandings — skateboarding in Vietnam is no exception. Once, I admittedly was influenced by such one-sided assumptions.
Pure Passion Turns Dark: The Unexpected Dangers of the Wild Turtle Trade
Seeking a companion during quarantine, Khánh*, a 25-year-old Hanoian, bought a baby turtle through a Facebook group.
Khôi Phạm in Natural Selection
A Case for the Sweet-and-Sour Tamarind as Saigon's Official Municipal Tree
What is the municipal tree of Saigon? In popular culture, Hanoi is perhaps intricately linked with the paralyzing but often romanticized aroma of hoa sữa, while just over a hundred kilometers to the east, Hải Phòng proudly brandishes the name “the city of red phượng flowers.” Đà Lạt has too many flower varieties to choose just one, and settles for “the city of a thousand flowers.” Down south, Bến Tre’s abundance of coconut trees is famous nationwide. Ask any Saigoneer this question, and you’re likely to get one of two answers: chò nâu (dipterocarp) or me (tamarind).
Requiem for a Bàng Tree That Was Cut Down in Front of My Home
Curiosity drove me downstairs into the downpour. Out of the corner of my eye, I spotted the municipal workers — clad in orange-and-green uniforms, their clothes soaked — gathering around a crane. Their attention was focused upward. Following their gaze, I looked up, and froze.
How the Ghosts of iPhones Past Haunt Vietnam's Low-Income Communities
The current e-waste crisis in Vietnam is one example of global environmental apartheid.
Keeping Cool in Thủ Đức With This Humble Abode’s Well-Ventilated Design
Thick multi-layer brick walls, shaded areas, water features, and natural ventilation allow this private home to stay cool amidst the city's stifling heat.
Saigon's VOH Radio Building, a Marvel of Architect Lê Văn Lắm's Modernist Intuition
In the middle of the 20th century, Vietnam grew to become one of the world’s prominent centers of modernist architecture. Saigon at the time was an economic and cultural heart of the region, with many official government structures constructed and designed in the style of modernist architecture. They were created with aesthetics and form in mind, laying the groundwork to usher in a new period of growth for Vietnamese creative independence.
[Infographic] A Guide to Petrol Prices in Vietnam and Southeast Asia
After months of cut-rate petrol prices, it’s no longer particularly cheap to fill up your tank in Vietnam. But are today’s prices higher than ever? Who sets petrol rates and what exactly are we paying...
Vietnamese Farmers Build Solar-Powered Boat
Four farmers in the Mekong Delta have successfully produced a solar-powered boat that can reach speeds of 20kph.
Did You Know Stopping In The Shade Can Get You Fined?
Driving in the scorching afternoon sun, many seek shelter under slivers of shade provided by trees and buildings. However, under Vietnamese law, doing so could result in fines of up to VND500,000.
70 New Species Discovered In Vietnam: WWF Report
According to a report released by the World Wide Fund for Nature (WWF) last week, 70 new species were found in Vietnam last year, many of which are at risk due to human activity.
Girders Installed On Saigon’s First Metro Line
If you’ve zipped along the North-South Highway in recent days, you’ve probably noticed a girder-laying machine doing its thing just off of Thao Dien Street.
Vietnam to Get 3 New Internet Cables
Following constant ruptures to the Asia-America Gateway (AAG), Vietnamese telecommunication firms and government agencies are planning to build three new cables to ensure that the country's internet u...
[Photos] Saigon House Recaptures City’s Fading Charm
The Saigon House (perhaps located in District 6 due to the presence of Chinese-style shrines out front), seeks to recreate the lost Vuong Hong Sen's dwellings that once dotted Saigon-Gia Dinh.
Vietnam Pushes Ahead With High-Speed Rail Line
While Saigon may soon be getting its eagerly awaited metro and BRT systems, a considerably larger infrastructure project is slowly gaining steam – a north-south high-speed railway.
TPP Deal Could Add 30% to Vietnam’s GDP
At a conference in Saigon last week, Charles H. Rivkin, the US Assistant Secretary of State for Economic and Business Affairs, said that if passed, the Trans Pacific Partnership (TPP) trade agreement ...
WB Approves US$124m Loan For Saigon Bus Rapid Transit System
With the approval of a US$124 million World Bank loan, it looks like things are finally coming together for Saigon’s bus rapid transit (BRT) system.
Vietnam Has Nowhere to Put Its Nuclear Waste
As Vietnam continues on its long, arduous path toward nuclear power, experts have highlighted the need for a sound nuclear waste disposal policy.
Hà Nội: CAPITAL City - Soul Of The Capital City
Saigoneer is proud to be the media sponsor of the Hà Nội: CAPITAL City photo book. Over the course of the next few weeks, we’ll be giving you an overview of the book's fantastic photos and stories. To...
[Photos] Pollution Kills Tens of Thousands of Fish in Saigon’s Revitalized Canal
Last Tuesday, residents living along Saigon’s Nhieu Loc-Thi Nghe canal woke up to the foul odor of dead fish.
Achieve Sushi Zen At This Minimalist D1 Japanese Restaurant
Local architecture firm, 07Beach, has become the go-to choice for many of Saigon’s best Japanese restaurants. After the completion of the minimalist 4P’s Bar and Ramen Bar Suzuki, the firm’s main...
Vietnamese Tech Firm Unleashes 'the Best Smartphone in the World'
Vietnamese tech company, Bkav has unveiled the Bphone, a smartphone that the firm’s CEO has ambitiously dubbed “the best smartphone in the world.”
Hà Nội: CAPITAL City - Urban Transport
Saigoneer is proud to be the media sponsor of the Hà Nội: CAPITAL City photo book. Over the course of the next few weeks, we’ll be giving you an overview of the book's fantastic photos and s...
[Video] What Happens When Vietnamese Try to Use a Condom for the First Time
You know sex education in Vietnam is lacking when a group of 20-somethings struggle mightily to unfurl a condom.
Nha Trang To Be “More Beautiful Than Hawaii," "More Developed Than Hong Kong": Official
Officials have big plans in store for Nha Trang, presenting an urban development plan that they claim would make the coastal city “more beautiful than Hawaii” and “more developed than Hong Kong.”
Report Finds 77% Decrease in Vietnamese Rhino Horn Buyers
It looks like the anti-rhino horn campaigns are finally paying off in Vietnam with a new report finding that there has been a 77% decrease in domestic buyers and a 66% drop in the number of people who...
[Photos] Inside Vietnam's Only Nuclear Reactor
Vietnam has operated a nuclear reactor on-and-off since 1963 when the Americans helped create the Da lat Nuclear Research Institute. There, a General Atomics-built TRIGA-Mark II reactor was installed ...
