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 trapped inside music boxes: the water hyacinth.
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 fashions I wore in high school have come full circle and are once again in style. New slang terms initially baffle and then enrage me. I read popular music festival fliers without recognizing a single name.
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 Saigon-based model train aficionado, shares with me the satisfied feeling every time he gets a mini train to run.
A Delta Nest in Cao Lãnh Fit for a Solitary Poet
Who says a single person can't nest?
Learning to Coexist in Peace Is the First Step to Protect Vietnam's Last Remaining Elephants
A trail of enormous footprints, criss-crossing slabs of cracked concrete, lead to a battered ranger station in Vietnam’s Pù Mát National Park. Park staff say the wild Asian elephant that left the tracks is as friendly as it is lonely.
In Hanoi, Waacking Is Not Just a Dance, but a Home for Creativity and Gender Fluidity Too
“I get to express my madness.” That is what Trần Khánh Linh, also known as Lyna, says when asked why she has been waacking for the last 10 years. By day, Lyna is a jewelry and gemstone seller, but by night, she joins her friends at the Soul Waackers, a waacking group based in Hanoi, and practices a dance style that allows her a vibrant way to self-express.
Why Bitcoin Matters in Vietnam: Part 2
This is part 2 of a 3 part series on Bitcoin in Vietnam. You can read part 1 here. What is Bitcoin anyway and why does it matter?
Vietnam Mulls Destruction of Illegal Ivory, Rhino Horn and Tiger Bone
As Vietnam struggles to curtail the import of illegal wildlife products, officials with the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development say they are considering “crushing” confiscated rhino horn, el...
Saigoneer Exclusive: Interview with the Editor of the HCMC MEGA City Photo Book
The TP. Hồ Chí Minh: MEGA City photo book examines major themes relating to HCMC's rapid urban development. We sat down with one of the book's editors, Michael Waibel, and asked about how hi...
Why Bitcoin Matters in Vietnam - Part 1
In January, Marc Andreesen’s article, “Why Bitcoin Matters” went viral just as Vietnam’s Central Bank, among others, rejected the technology’s legitimacy. In order to move the conversation away f...
The Evolution of Can Gio – From Desert to UNESCO Biosphere Reserve
It's hard to associate Saigon with one of the biggest and most valuable mangrove forests in Vietnam, and yet it makes sense. The UNESCO Biosphere Reserve of Can Gio, part of the Ho Chi Minh City munic...
[Slideshow] A Morning on the Bitexco Tower's Helipad
Since it’s rarely (if ever) used for helicopters, the Bitexco Tower’s notoriously underutilized helicopter landing pad has become something of an urban legend. Last month, the editors of the TP. Hồ Ch...
Hoi An’s $4 Billion Casino Project Back on Track
As Vietnamese authorities continue to debate reducing gambling restrictions on locals, the long-stalled $4 billion casino project appears to be back on track with a US investor recently taking over th...
Behold: The Mekong Delta as Viewed from Space
This sweet image of the Mekong Delta is a composite of 3 pictures taken between January and November 2007 by Envisat, an Earth-observing satellite.
TechcampSaigon @RMIT
From the organizer: TechcampSaigon is a new evolution in the BarcampSaigon family. Our goal is to create an event that is the most innovative and high quality event in Vietnam around technology.
Hanoi's 7×18 House: Rethinking Urban Housing in Vietnam
Hanoi-based, AHL architects associates continues to develop designs for sustainable urban housing in Vietnam. Their latest project, the 7×18 house, was built with local materials while taking int...
Future Saigon: Renderings of Nguyen Cu Trinh Centre
There are big plans in the works to remake the intersection of Tran Dinh Xu, Nguyen Trai, Cong Quynh and Nguyen Cu Trinh in District 1.
Vietnam Targets 20,000 More PhDs by 2020
One of Vietnam’s many 2020 goals includes producing 20,000 additional PhD holders; one that many doubt is attainable, according to VietNamNet.
Brian Letwin in Sports
Vietnamese Football Team Ranked 1st in SE Asia
Vietnam has recaptured 1st place in the SE Asian FIFA rankings which were announced last week. While we applaud the team’s accomplishment, there’s still some room for improvement - they are ranked 17t...
“Meandering Through the City” Exhibition - Urban Development in Hồ Chí Minh City and Lyon
From the organizer: In the framework of cooperation between the Rhône Alpes region, Greater Lyon and Hồ Chí Minh City, an exhibition featuring urban mutations in the two metropolises will be held fro...
This Vietnamese Education Startup Is Using Google Glass to Teach English
According to TechinAsia, Topica, “one of Vietnam’s most successful online learning platforms” has launched new program, Topmito, which employs Google Glass help improve the English speaking skills of ...
These Are Probably the Sexiest Electric Bikes We’ve Ever Seen
Electric bikes are typically function-focused, with aesthetics being an afterthought. But in China, the capital of electric bikes, a new startup is seeking to change the perception of what electric bi...
TP. Hồ Chí Minh: MEGA City - The Soul of the Mega City
Saigoneer is proud to be the media sponsor of the TP. Hồ Chí Minh: MEGA City photo book. Over the course of the next few weeks, we’ll be giving you an overview of the book's fantastic photos. Tod...
Dong Nguyen: ‘Flappy Bird’ May Fly Again
Rolling Stone recently secured an interview with elusive ‘Flappy Bird’ maker, Dong Nguyen. In the long article, which is well worth reading in its entirety, Nguyen hinted that his epically popular gam...
Future Saigon: Renderings of Lavenue Crown
You may have noticed the quiet parking lot next to Diamond Plaza in District 1 that seems destined to become something more. This is the site of the proposed Lavenue Crown, one of the many victims of ...
TP. Hồ Chí Minh: MEGA City - Urban Transport in the Mega City
Saigoneer is proud to be the media sponsor of the TP. Hồ Chí Minh: MEGA City photo book. Over the course of the next few weeks, we’ll be giving you an overview of the book's fantastic photos. Tod...
