in Parks & Rec

How a Dance Project Is Reframing Deaf Identity in Saigon via Movement Art

Lắng Nghe Điểm Chạm is a project aiming to expand exposure opportunities and application potentials of performing arts into the life of marginalized and minority communities of Vietnam.

in Environment

I Saw the World's Most Handsome Bird Right in Vietnam's Hidden Backyard

Everywhere I go in Vietnam, I keep my eyes peeled for the incredible birds that call this country home. Sometimes I don’t even realize that I’m doing it. I scan the horizon above low hills for migratory hawks. I stare into breaks in the foliage for passing buttonquail. I peer into rice paddies, fingers crossed for a cryptic snipe. And, of course, there’s Facebook. I refresh Facebook over and over again, waiting for the arrival of the mandarin duck. Its scientific name is Aix galericulata, which one assumes means “prettiest goddamn duck in the world.”

Khôi Phạm

in Natural Selection

The Rise and Fall of Phượng Vĩ, the Summer Icon of Our Teenage Dreams

I was a teenage cliché. No matter how much I try to rack my brain to find any other personal connection to the incandescently red tree that is phượng vĩ, I keep going back to my middle school crush and that one tree in the front yard of our school.

Paul Christiansen

in Natural Selection

The Reason to Cry for Cu Li, Vietnam's Deeply Misunderstood Primate

A drop of the animal’s blood renders the soil barren; entire mountains can crumble and collapse where it landed. Be wary of this slow wayfarer of the forest, for if you catch sight of its glowing eyes in the distant darkness, your trip is doomed and should be abandoned immediately. And if someone brings one back to the village, make all efforts to return it to the jungle, lest you invite sorrow and ruin into your home. Don’t let its meagre stature, a mere 500 grams, and slow, cuddly demeanor confuse you; the cu li guards the gates to hell.

in Environment

The Hunt for Vietnam's Dinosaurs Has Found Nothing Yet, but There Is Hope

Why aren’t there any Vietnamese dinosaurs?

in Parks & Rec

In Hanoi, Waacking Is Not Just a Dance, but a Home for Creativity, 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.

Uyên Đỗ

in Tech

There's a Cordial Vietnamese Greeting That Has Been Floating in Space Since 1977

At this very moment, while you're reading these lines, a silver “bird” of human design is hurtling away from the Sun at roughly 60,000 kilometers per hour, slipping past the boundaries of our solar cradle and into the endless quiet of the cosmos.

Paul Christiansen

in Environment

How a Self-Taught Documentarian Spreads His Boundless Enthusiasm for Vietnam's Nature

Why “Sticky Discovery”? This was the first question I asked during my interview with the man behind the YouTube series of...

Back Society

Paul Christiansen

in Natural Selection

Cá Chuồn: The Fish That Dreams Beyond Its Realm

Insects, pterosaurs, birds, and bats: flight evolved on Earth independently four times, so why do you think it’s so unlikely that you’ll find love again?

in Architecture

Tản Mạn Kiến Trúc Propels the Architecture Discourse Into the Age of Social Media

Architecture Excursions - Tản Mạn Kiến Trúc is a grassroots media project founded by a group of young Vietnamese who share a simple goal: to shed light on Vietnam’s vast and often undiscussed architec...

in Parks & Rec

Seeking Solace in the Fantastical Adventures of Dungeons and Dragons

Contrary to popular belief, Dungeons and Dragons isn’t just a geeky hobby, to me, it's a form of “group therapy” that is slowly taking shape in Vietnam, bringing fun and memorable bonding moments to t...

in Architecture

[Photos] A Vegetarian Restaurant in Hanoi Conceived Like an Art Space

Has an art exhibition ever made you hungry?

in Education

How Foreign Families Continued to Thrive During Lockdown at British Vietnamese International School (BVIS)

“The more diverse you are, the richer your life becomes,” explains Sun-hwa Kwon, whose daughter, So-yul, is in her fifth year at Hanoi’s British Vietnamese International School.

in Development

Saigon's Infamous 'Ghost Tower' Has a New Developer

Saigon's most notorious ghost tower appears to have a new lease on life.

in Sports

Netizens Angered After AFF YouTube Livestream Mutes Vietnam's National Anthem

A faux pas relating to the national anthem before a football match yesterday has angered millions of Vietnamese fans.

in Architecture

[Photos] This Petite Abode Brings Adaptability and Comfort to the Forefront

Big, spacious homes certainly have their appeal, but sometimes all you need is a cozy little abode.

in Health

Health Ministry Orders Plans for 3rd Vaccine Shots as Covid-19 Cases Surge

As Vietnam grapples with a resurgence of the novel coronavirus, officials have been asked to plan for booster shots.

in Architecture

[Photos] Đen Đá's Phù Đổng Outlet Sets Itself Apart in a Busy Roundabout

If one is looking for upside in the proliferation of cafe chains across Saigon, we would argue that the more locations there are, the more chances there are for architects to get more creative than yo...

Uyên Đỗ

in Natural Selection

Bồ Kết: When Nature Dreams of Bubbles and Silky Hair

The first memory I have of bồ kết was when it was concocted into something completely different from its unassuming, modest self.

in Parks & Rec

In a Schoolyard, a Close-Knit Community Spearheads Saigon's Archery Scene

Laser-focused gazes, shiny bows, colorful targets, and looking cool as hell: these are the components of a picture-perfect post one might find on the Instagram of any budding archer. But social media ...

in Society

Meet the High School Students Leading the Fight Against Hanoi’s Food Waste

High school pupils are perhaps not who you’d expect to see running an established volunteer organization in a capital city. When it comes to tackling food waste and shortages, however, a group of youn...

in Education

How International School Saigon Pearl Ensures Student Safety

When sending their children to school, parents must be confident that they are physically, emotionally and mentally safe.

in Architecture

Local Architecture Projects Win Awards at 2021 Architecture MasterPrize

The winning designs include family homes, a health center, office buildings, and hotels built across Vietnam.

Uyên Đỗ

in Environment

A Factory Where 'Dead Plastics' Are Reborn as Contemporary Furniture

Saigoneer arrived at PLASTICPeople’s factory on a Friday afternoon after a long-winded ride on National Highway 1A. The sides of the road we took there were casually strewn with unpruned bushes, depos...

in Architecture

[Photos] VTN's Stunning Bamboo Restaurant on the Edge of Cúc Phương National Park

Floating on emerald water amid lush foliage-covered hilltops, the structure could pass for the setting of a fantasy novel.

in Education

How Students at The British International School HCMC are Preparing to Transition Back to In-School Learning

In recent weeks, Saigon has experienced a return to relative normality in many regards, and schools may soon resume in-person classes.

in Health

Online Study, School Fees Most Affect Student Mental Health During Pandemic, Study Says

It has been a disruptive two years for Vietnamese students due to lockdown regulations, so it’s unsurprising that many are struggling with their mental well-being.

in Tech

Tiki Receives $258m in New Investments for Further Growth

The funding pushes the company close to unicorn status.