Paul Christiansen in Environment
The Overwhelming Presence of Nature's Most Inspiring Sound: Cát Tiên's Gibbon Call
What is your favorite sound?
Văn Tân in Natural Selection
Hoa Bưởi's Fleeting but Fragrant Season Teaches Us to Find Beauty in Impermanence
Every year during this time, I can’t help but hanker for a taste of sugarcane infused with hoa bưởi, or pomelo blossom. Only hoa bưởi’s tender aroma can accentuate the flavor of this humble snack several folds.
A Botanical Illustrator Captures Vietnam's Flora on Paper, One Species at a Time
When science and art commingle in a botanical illustration, it’s as if a magical world appears, where colors, brushstrokes, and lighting work together to not only replicate but also breathe life into nature’s best creations.
Lúa Ma, the Mekong's Ancient Wild Rice Varieties Holding Secrets to Climate Resilience
“It’s been so long I can barely remember. It’s delicious, fragrant, soft but not sticky,” says Trần Văn Lựa, 53, a farmer from Đồng Tháp Province, south-west Vietnam, recalling the taste of wild rice. As a child, he would harvest the grain during flood season, when wild rice flowers. Today, however, it is a rare sight.
Paul Christiansen in Natural Selection
Cầy Mực, the Fluffy Bearcat Whose Pee Really Smells Like Popcorn
Vietnam is home to a diverse range of species, from the elusive sao la to Hanoi's pungently fragrant hoa sữa. As an ode to the wondrous nature of the country, we're introducing a new article series, Natural Selection. Each article will feature a species of plant or animal native to Vietnam — starting with the laidback cầy mực (binturong).
As Saltwater Intrudes More of Mekong Delta, Durian Farmers Struggle to Stay Afloat
Nguyễn Văn Quại, 63, walked slowly on the muddy dirt path in his yard, his hands clasped behind his back. He stopped beside a tree split in half, its branches dipping into the stagnant water of a narrow moat, and gestured towards the rest of his leafless crop — their trunks yellow, their bark cracked and brittle.
Khôi Phạm in Tech
On Vietnam's Internet, You're a Mom, I'm a Mom, Everyone Is a Mom
I am a mom. Well, not in the most conventional meaning of the word — I am childless, and it’s still biologically impossible for men to give birth the last time I checked, but for most of my existence on the Vietnamese cybersphere, I have been using the designation “mẹ” amongst my closest friends.
Khôi Phạm in Architecture
On Phú Quý Island, a Curious Collection of Modernist Houses From Central Vietnam
From the 1960s towards the end of the 1970s, urban centers in southern Vietnam saw robust and widespread growth of modernist influences in architecture. Still, outside the usual foci of the movement like Saigon, Cần Thơ or Mỹ Tho, how has this unique form of vernacular architectural expression been transformed?
[Video] Stressed? Why Not Try Some Laughing Yoga?
There’s a famous phrase, “Laughter is the best medicine.” A group of Hanoians are putting this to the test and mixing it with another highly-touted health booster – yoga.
Brian Letwin in Development
Vietnam Set to Overtake China as World’s Counterfeit Goods Capital
Due to rising labor costs in China, many counterfeit goods manufacturers are moving their operations to Vietnam. As the country becomes increasingly intertwined with the global economy via free trade ...
Beautiful Photos of Saigon From Above
Camera-mounted drones are becoming increasingly popular in Saigon, capturing the city’s frenetic energy from the calm skies above.
Vietnam's Taxi-hailing App Market Heating Up
Vietnam is fast-becoming part of the global apps market. While mobile games like ‘Flappy Bird’ have garnered the most press, more utilitarian apps are becoming popular, especially the taxi-hailing var...
Vietnamese E-Commerce Grew by 314% Last Year
Experts have long forecast strong E-Commerce growth in Vietnam due to a booming internet population, but new statistics from the country’s E-Commerce and Information Technology Agency (VECITA) have su...
[Slideshow] Amazing Views from The Manor
The Manor Saigon is a luxury condominium apartment complex consisting of two high-rise 30-storey towers in Binh Thanh District. They are located within the midst of a seemingly endless maze of typical...
[Infographic] Vietnamese Obesity Rate Lowest in Southeast Asia
According to statistics collected by the World Health Organization in 2011, Vietnamese are the least overweight in SE Asia.
Future Saigon: The One Ho Chi Minh City
It’s been over a year since the row of old shop houses were torn down across from the Ben Thanh Market bus station to make way for The One Ho Chi Minh City. After a period of relative quiet, it looks ...
WHO Study: Vietnamese Women Outdrink Russian Men
Well, this is a bit of a shocker. While it’s no secret that Vietnam is one of Asia’s leading beer consumers, according to a recent WHO study, Vietnamese women outdrink Russian men.
Future Saigon: The German House
Earlier this week, Tuoi Tre reported that HCMC and the German General Consulate have agreed on a 99-year lease for a prime piece of real estate in the heart of downtown for the low, low price of VND1....
[Infographic] How Fast is Vietnam’s Internet Compared to Other ASEAN Nations?
Yes, we know that Vietnam’s 3G speeds are incredibly low (2G ½?) but how does the country’s internet speed compare to other ASEAN nations? According to a new infographic created by ASEAN DNA, slightly...
Vietnam has Emerged as Apple’s Hottest Market
With sales of Apple products in Vietnam tripling in the fiscal first half of this year, a rate 5 times faster than India, the tech giant is finally taking notice and recently “talked up” the potential...
[Video] Vietnamese Man Gets Shock of his Life When Plugging in Mobile Phone
Sure, mobile phones may give you brain cancer but the devices pose short term dangers as well. The guy in this video learned this the hard way when he went to plug in his mobile phone and got the shoc...
[Slideshow] Changes Over Time: How Saigon's Skyline has Evolved Since 2003
The 33 storey Saigon Trade Center was completed in 1997 and was the tallest building in Vietnam until the erection of the Bitexco Financial Tower in 2010. On the roof terrace of the building, there wa...
A Tale of Two Cities: HCMC and Rotterdam Team up to Battle Climate Change
Both HCMC and Rotterdam are port cities near a coast, surrounded by a river delta that is being affected by climate change with rising sea levels and an increase in severe storms. The two cities ...
A Complete(ish) Map of HCMC's Metro System
Saigoneer’s resident historian, Tim Doling, is not only enamored with Vietnamese history, but also the country’s railways, having published The Railways and Tramways of Việt Nam. As Saigon gears up fo...
[Slideshow] Vietcombank Tower Set to Emerge as Saigon’s 2nd Tallest Building
The next big addition to Saigon’s skyline, the Vietcombank Tower, has almost topped out and stands to become the city’s second tallest building after the Bitexco Tower.
New App Let’s You Share Wifi Passwords in Vietnam
Ever go into your phone’s wifi settings and wish you could access the dozens of networks the pop up? Well, there’s an app for that – WiFi Chua.
Asian Air Pollution Could Be Altering Global Weather Patterns
Air pollution may be posing a serious threat to global public health, but according to a new study, it may be responsible for freak weather patterns in North America, reports CNN.
Experts: Saigon has Lost 56% of its Historic Buildings in 10 Years
It’s no secret that Saigon has done little to protect its historic buildings in the face of rapid urban development. As a result, the city has lost 56% of its heritage buildings since 2004, according ...
