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...
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.”
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.
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?
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.
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 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.”
The BVIS Alumni Story: How Identity Takes Students Further in a Diverse World
Since its first class proudly entered the world in 2014, British Vietnamese International School Ho Chi Minh City (BVIS HCMC) has provided a launchpad for more than 530 graduates to thrive in a divers...
Paul Christiansen in Natural Selection
Đà Lạt’s Indigenous Pine Trees, Tropical Miracles Threatened by Urbanization
“The shimmering pine trees stand in silence / Branches and leaves seem to have sunk silently. / How can one distinguish between reality and fantasy!”
Saigon Unveils Plan to Build 2 Pedestrian Bridges Over Tôn Đức Thắng Street
Tourists will soon lose one of their favorite “crossing Saigon streets is so crazy!” filming locations when two new pedestrian bridges connecting to Bạch Đằng Wharf are completed.
European International School Strengthens Global Pathways for Every Learner with Prestigious WASC Accreditation
The European International School Ho Chi Minh City (EIS) has officially been awarded accreditation by the Western Association of Schools and Colleges (WASC), one of the world’s most respected internat...
Inside Quảng Nam's School for Children From Ethnic Minorities, Designed by VTN Architects
Can a school protect against harsh climate conditions and foster productive academic and social activities in a sustainable and affordable way, while paying attention to the aesthetic values of the re...
Uyên Đỗ in Society
On Finding Packaged Existential Relief at Saigon's Convenience Stores
When running away from life’s many grievances, I often find myself at the convenience store.
On Moving Posters and Saigon, the City of Constant Movements and Migration
Each time I stop at a traffic light or visit a street food vendor, I can’t help looking around at nearby utility poles and naked patches of wall that are full of posters advertising moving services.
Khôi Phạm in Society
5 Iconic Teachers in Vietnam's Recent History Who Embody the Learning Spirit
Teachers are probably amongst the most influential figures in our lives, apart from our parents. Their roles are even more elevated in societies like Vietnam’s, where the remnants of Confucian princip...
Dream Big: AIS Saigon Opens New Scholarship Pathways for Tomorrow’s Global Citizens
What will the world look like when today’s students enter it as adults?
As Infrastructure Lags Behind, Saigon's Poorest Hardest Hit by Worsening Flooding
In April 2023, 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.
Why Girls Who Play Sport Go Further — How AIS Nurtures the Next Generation of Confident, Ambitious Students
Some of the world’s most successful women have one thing in common: participation in youth sports.
Khôi Phạm in Environment
What I Talk About When I Talk About Vietnam's Penguin Trashcans
Compared to the average Vietnamese, I might be thinking about trashcans a smidgen too much — not just any trashcan, but the infamous penguin-shaped trashcans that are ubiquitous at every corner of our...
Linh Phạm in Parks & Rec
House Dance Hanoi Teaches You How to Free the Body
I stood on the top floor of a building on Khâm Thiên Street, feeling grateful for the cold air. I came out here to take a break from the other side of the floor, which was divided into three rooms — t...
Inside Saigon's Grassroots Carton and Aluminum Recycling Plants
With plastics claiming many of the headlines worldwide and constituting a major issue in Vietnam, scant attention is being paid to other recyclable materials, namely cardboard and aluminum.
How Táo Xanh Forum Created a Safe Space for Gay Vietnamese Before Social Media
Before Vietnamese could hop on social media sites such as Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter to share our hot takes of the week, there was an era of past cybersphere when online forums were the crucial ...
Paul Christiansen in Environment
More than a Powerful Symbol: The Importance of Lotus for Mekong Delta Women and Ecosystems
Women in the Mekong Delta face numerous challenges, including limited access to educational opportunities and agricultural occupations threatened by the effects of climate change. A source of hope in ...
Minigolf Proves Putting is For Everyone, Particularly if Paired with Snacks and Beer
The Saigoneer team does not consist of golfers. Most of us would struggle to define a birdie, let alone achieve one. And yet, despite our lack of experience, golf proved to be the perfect afternoon ac...
Paul Christiansen in Environment
As Climate Change Threatens, Flood Waters Usher In Sustainable Opportunities for Communities in the Mekong Delta
The Mekong Delta is developing faster than Google Maps can keep up with. A stretch of road that was too narrow to accommodate cars and required a transition to motorbikes just six months ago was under...
Khôi Phạm in Natural Selection
10 Species of Lesser-Known Fruits to Get to Know Vietnam's Biodiversity
In the Vietnamese language, the word “cỏ” — meaning “grass” in the literal sense — is often used to signify that something is locally grown, no frills, and charmingly rustic; grassroots, if you will. ...
How Vietnamese Architecture Adopted Modernism and Made It Our Own
Ask a person on the street what Vietnam’s distinctive style of architecture is, and the answer you get might be traditional architecture, like the historic curves of northern Vietnam’s village temples...
