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.
Hanoi Unveils Design for New Floating Opera House Near West Lake
Hanoi is planning to build a 13,000 square-meter floating theater near West Lake with a capacity of around 3,500 seats.
[Photos] A House in Sơn La Cocoons Its Residents Around a Quiet Courtyard
In many up-and-coming urban areas in Vietnam, empty plots of land are sectioned off and sold as narrow puzzle pieces that will eventually become towering tube houses facing the chaos of arterial stree...
How Exotic Pole Dance Challenges Both Personal Limits and Gender Stereotypes
Flashing flares of neon lights hug the body of a dancer who’s spinning around a pole in the raucous thrum of music and sensuous gasps. In the mind of the average Vietnamese, pole dancing is often asso...
In Đà Lạt, Greenhouses Revolutionize Farming, but at What Environmental Cost?
Plastic greenhouses in the city of Đà Lạt may protect farmers from the impacts of erratic weather, but the environmental toll of agri-plastics is building in the agriculture-dependent region.
[Photos] This Buôn Ma Thuột House Is a Cottagecore Dreamland
In recent years, the Central Highlands has slowly become one of the most sought-after regions in Vietnam for young people to travel and live in.
Scuba Diving at Nha Trang Island Temporarily Banned Due to Poor Coral Health
Hòn Mun, a 5-square-kilometer square island about 10 kilometers off the coast of Nha Trang, will be closed to swimmers and divers indefinitely to protect the area's severely damaged coral.
Due to Bidding Red Tape, Pasteur Institute HCMC Runs Out of Vaccines
Saigoneers wishing to inoculate themselves or their children have recently been turned away at the Pasteur Institute in HCMC as the institute struggles to secure its vaccine supplies.
Đom Đóm: Why the Light Is Going Out for Fireflies in Vietnam
Much like their brief existence on Earth, once-common fireflies are quickly disappearing from Vietnam’s natural and oral histories.
In Ninh Thuận, a Bamboo Scientist Builds the 'Great Green Wall' to Protect the Soil
In Ninh Thuận Province, not far from the South-Central Coast, Dr. Diệp Thị Mỹ Hạnh, a botanist, is growing a "wall" of bamboo.
Vietnamese Students Win Earth Prize for Dragon Fruit Peel Biodegradable Sanitary Pads
A trio of Vietnamese high schoolers claimed the top prize in the environmental awareness competition The Earth Prize 2022 thanks to their project which turned dragon fruit peels into biodegradabl...
Award-Winning Children's Book on Conservation to Release Sequel Tomorrow
Saving H'non: Chang and the Elephants, a sequel to the critically acclaimed children’s book by Trang Nguyễn, is scheduled to hit shelves on June 11 following the success of Saving Sorya: Chang and the...
Lê Xuân Ái, Vietnam's Dedicated Turtle Conservationist, Passes Away at 63
Last week, Lê Xuân Ái, the former director of Côn Đảo National Park, passed away at the age of 63 after years of battling cancer. He had made great contributions to the revival and preservation of sea...
Left Foot Brake, Right Foot Gas: Hanoi's Go-Kart Track Is Fast and Glorious
Moments before the engine started, I became aware of the fact that just a few centimeters of metal and plastic separated my butt and the asphalt.
Hanoi, Home to 51% of Vietnam's Captive Bears, Remains Bile-Farming Hot Spot
Hanoi has more than half of Vietnam's registered captive bears, which makes the capital the biggest, and the last, hot spot of bear bile farming in the country.
Here's What a Night of Post-Football Đi Bão Looks Like in Saigon and Hanoi
In Vietnam, the dynamic between football and đi bão is not much different from monsoon rain and garden mushrooms.
With 205 Gold Medals, Vietnam Finishes 1st at SEA Games, Breaking Previous Record
The closing ceremony, which took place last night, May 23, officially marked the end of this year’s Southeast Asian Games (SEA Games).
Vietnam Wins Gold Medals in Men's and Women's Football at SEA Games
After a gold medal in men’s football last night, Vietnam ended the SEA Games 2021 with a historic medal haul and successfully defended our reign in both men’s and women’s football.
Saigon Climber Becomes First Vietnamese Woman to Reach Mount Everest
To date, only four Vietnamese are reported to have successfully reached the tallest point on Earth.
Game Concept 'Vệ Thần' Crafts a Magical Realm From Vietnam's Wealth of Folklore
The recent renaissance in Vietnam's game-making market has been strongly driven by independent studios delivering highly acclaimed and anticipated productions.
VTN Architects Win Asia's Most Influential Designer Award
Võ Trọng Nghĩa, founder of the prolific namesake architecture firm, VTN Architects, has racked up several awards this year, including the Asia's Most Influential Designer Award at the 2021 Designer of...
