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

Brian Letwin

in Development

Webinar: How to Setup a Business in Vietnam

Viewed as the land of opportunity for those coming from countries with sagging economies, It's not uncommon to find foreigners who want to open a business in Vietnam. But with so many regulations and ...

Brian Letwin

in Development

Serious Flaws Plague Vietnam’s Higher Education System

Thanh Nien recently published a very well-written and well-researched article about the state of higher education in Vietnam. From numerous interviews with education professionals, it’s abundantly cle...

Brian Letwin

in Development

Saigon to Implement Bus Rapid Transit System

Transit authorities recently conducted feasibility studies for the Saigon’s Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) system and hope to complete the project by 2017. Duong Hong Thanh, Deputy Director of the City Depa...

Brian Letwin

in Environment

Campaign Launched to End Vietnamese Demand for Rhino Horn

Well, better late than never, we suppose.  While rhinos have completely disappeared in Vietnam due to poaching, many Vietnamese are still buying and consuming illegal rhino horn for supposed hea...

Brian Letwin

in Development

Slow Going for Vietnam’s First Nuclear Plant

Vietnamese planners and their Russian counterparts are rushing to complete the first stages of Vietnam’s first nuclear power plant. While construction is scheduled to begin in 2014, slow land clearanc...

Brian Letwin

in Development

Saigon Bridge 2 Set to Open in November

If your commute takes you over the Saigon Bridge, you may have noticed a massive concrete frame rising next to it. This is Saigon Bridge 2 which, when completed, will ease congestion on Highway 1.

Brian Letwin

in Tech

Vietnamese News Sites Targeted by Hackers

As some may have noticed, over the past two weeks, many Vietnamese news sites have been slow or inaccessible. Hacker Vietnam Online (HVA) has announced that they have found the source of the constant ...

in Environment

Vietnam’s Youth Environmental Movement Takes off

At a ceremony to mark World Environment Day on June 5, Vietnam’s deputy prime minister, Nguyen Thien Nhan, added a sober warning that his country is facing grave environmental problems, and called on ...

Brian Letwin

in Development

Interview with HCMC MEGA City Organizer - Part 2

Dr. Michael Waibel, along with Hilbert Henning, have launched the TP. Ho Chi Minh - MEGA City project to visually document Saigon’s rapid urban development. The project is currently being assembled an...

Brian Letwin

in Health

Ministry Proposes Nonsensical Fines for Psychological Abuse

Well this is…something. The Ministry of Public Security is considering levying fines up to VND2 million for domestic psychological abuse. Under the proposed legislation, acts of domestic psychologic...

Brian Letwin

in Tech

Driven to Distraction: New Motorbike First to Use iPhone as a Dashboard

Japanese startup, Terra Motors, is releasing two new motorbikes to take advantage of Asia’s iPhone addiction. Oh, and they’re electric too so they’re good for the environment and stuff.

Brian Letwin

in Development

Poor Logistics Threaten Vietnamese Exports

Even as Vietnam’s exports reached US$114.6 in 2012, a key factor in the country’s economic growth, high logistics costs are limiting the profits and development of the industry. According to Thanh Ni...

Brian Letwin

in Tech

Why Vietnam is on Apple's Shit List

Apple is arguably the most influential luxury brand in Vietnam. When it comes to status, having the Apple logo on the back of your phone can make or break you. The brand is also one of the most copied...

in Tech

Logging Into Facebook in Vietnam - The Elegant Solution

For many of us, words like DNS, proxy and VPN are familiar due to the difficulties of logging into Facebook from inside Vietnam. At Saigoneer, we are aware of this problem and have found a few s...

Brian Letwin

in Tech

The Collapse of the Vietnamese Gaming Industry

“It’s becoming unbearable,” said VNG CEO, Le Hong Minh when discussing the current state of the Vietnamese gaming industry. Since the Ministry of Information and Communication stopped issuing license...

Brian Letwin

in Development

Saigon’s New Airport to Cost $4 – 5.6 Billion

Yesterday, the Transport Ministry held a seminar on the development plan for Long Thanh International Airport which is set to replace Tan Son Nhat by 2020, TuoiTre reports. With a total investment of ...

Brian Letwin

in Health

Beware of Fake Beer in Saigon

After words of caution from Oi Magazine about fake alcohol in Saigon, a Thanh Nien expose has revealed that beer is also being counterfeited as well. In an alley in Tan Binh district, a Thanh Nien re...

Brian Letwin

in Development

The Sad Story of Da Lat’s Disappearing Pine Trees

Known as “the city of a thousand pine trees,” unregulated deforestation and development have taken their toll on Da Lat’s forests and pine tree population. There was once a time when many of Da Lat’s...

Brian Letwin

in Development

Vietnam May Embrace Cars After All

Japanese companies, some of Vietnam’s largest investors, are playing an interesting game these days. For the most part, Japan has taken on the role of older brother to Vietnam, supporting the develop...

Brian Letwin

in Health

Chile to Assist Vietnam in Growing Quinoa

Rice has certainly cornered the market in Vietnam but a new pilot program conducted by Chile's Institute for Agricultural Research and Hanoi University of Agriculture hopes to add quinoa to the countr...