Charles Phan's Bánh Mì Is Not Here to Take You Down Memory Lane
“Charles Phan had more impact on Vietnamese food than any other chef in the country.” — Michael Bauer, San Francisco Chronicle.
Requiem for a Bàng Tree That Was Cut Down in Front of My Home
Curiosity drove me downstairs into the downpour. Out of the corner of my eye, I spotted the municipal workers — clad in orange-and-green uniforms, their clothes soaked — gathering around a crane. Thei...
From Vintage Album Covers to 'Bolero,' a Set of 6 Typefaces for Nostalgic Souls
If you’ve paid attention to shop signs and brand visuals across Vietnam’s cybersphere, you’ve probably come across one of Nguyễn Thế Mạnh's typefaces.
Khôi Phạm in Travel
Train to Biên Hòa: A Day Trip Into Suburbia From Saigon
When Saigoneer first announced a few weeks ago that Vietnam’s railway network would be the centerpiece of our next themed article series, a number of readers joked in the comment section that who in t...
Hẻm Gems: Dì Út Tells Her Family's Indian-Vietnamese Story via Tasty Bò Kho
The arrival of the rainy season in Saigon has left me craving for hot meals to beat the cold, damp weather. I was on my way home from work in the aftermath of a bout of rain one day and found myself i...
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 trac...
At Culinary Frank's Cozy Saigon Cafe, YouTube Food Comes to Life on the Plate
“Every restaurant is a miniature society,” says Phương Phạm (Frank Phạm), a Melbourne-based Vietnamese chef and famous YouTube food blogger who recently returned to Saigon to open his passion project,...
The Hanoian Artisan Carving Intricate Reliefs From Leather to Make Book Covers
The enduring pages in our history deserve book covers that match their significance.
Bình Dương Gang Drives Car, Steals Mooncakes, Eats Almost Everything Before Arrest
If you ever feel overwhelmed by mooncake gifts this Trung Thu, remember that there are underprivileged others who might have to resort to driving their car to steal bánh Trung Thu.
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.
Hẻm Gems: Cô Thủy and 25 Years of Breakfast Bò Né in D4
Historically, District 4 has been known for snail and barbecue restaurants. As a long-term resident, I suggest it should also be famous for having the most delicious bò né place as Bò Né Thanh Tuyền d...
2 Flights to Bring Vietnamese Evacuees Back From Ukraine This Week
Russia's invasion of Ukraine has created an enormous refugee crisis, with many Vietnamese fleeing to neighboring countries.
High-End Graphics Cards Stolen in California Appear in Vietnam
Paging the Fast & Furious screenwriters.
Nano Covax Vaccine Provides 92% Protection Against Severe Covid-19
A domestic vaccine may still see the light of day.
A Feast for Your Eyes, Ears and Soul in Culinary Frank's ASMR Cooking
Based in Melbourne, a Vietnamese chef-turned-YouTuber has been cooking up a delicious storm of homey dishes and global cuisines imbued with ASMR, inspiring home cooks to go on culinary adventures in t...
Paul Christiansen in Food Culture
How a Vietnamese Food Stylist Puts 'the Bling Bling' on Bánh Chưng
“When people know what they are doing, they bring food to life,” says Thu Pham Buser, a New York-based food stylist of her profession.
UNICEF Report Reveals Harsh Realities for Women, Children, Ethnic Minorities
Over 70% of Vietnamese under the age of 15 experience verbal or physical abuse, according to a new UNICEF report.
A Typographic Tribute to Áo Dài in This Elegant New Typeface
Đạt Đỗ, a graphic designer based in Ho Chi Minh City, is embracing local culture through the release of a brand-new typeface, Vén.
Felled Heritage Trees on Nguyen Binh Khiem Cause Outrage Among Saigoneers
Over the weekend, some Saigoneers were shocked to see images surfacing online showing city maintenance workers chopping down heritage trees along Nguyen Binh Khiem Street.
Thief Breaks Into Anti-Theft Device Store in Binh Duong
In a sweet stroke of irony, a security equipment shop in Binh Duong Province couldn’t stop a criminal from infiltrating their own stronghold.
Praying for Good Weather, Bac Giang-Style
My friends said that they were going to a festival which happens every four years, and that it would be great for photographs. I knew nothing more.
5ha of Coastal Protection Forest Destroyed by Solar Power Project: 'It Was an Accident'
While carrying out site clearance for a solar power project in Binh Dinh Province, workers unlawfully destroyed a large swath of local coastal protection forest.
A New Generation of Vietnamese Chefs Is Shaking Things up in Prague
Triệu Thị Chơi, Cookbook Author Extraordinaire, Passes Away Due to Covid-19
Growing up in the 1990s, many Saigoneers must have gotten used to the sight of Triệu Thị Chơi’s name embossed in the author position of many cookbooks.
Christine Ha Writes New Food Stories From Her Parents' Culinary Heritage
“I was in a creative writing program for grad school at the time, and I thought, as an artist, going on MasterChef would give me something to write about.”
Fantastic Beasts of Vietnam's Mythology Reimagined by Local Student Project
Drawing from Vietnam’s myths and legends, a young artist has created a series of illustrations of figures that pay tribute to the country’s supernatural beliefs.
Vietnamese Modders Create Drivable VinFast Car in Grand Theft Auto V
Curious about VinFast’s vehicles but can’t afford one? Well, now you can (kind of) drive around one of these flagship cars in Grand Theft Auto V (GTA V).
Vietnam's Plan to Plant 1 Billion Trees by 2025 Gains Clarity
Here's hoping for a greener future.
Phu Quoc Arrests Local Man for Repeatedly Destroying Forest in National Park
Despite previous warnings, the man repeatedly committed major acts of deforestation over the span of more than a decade.
Vietnam PM Approves Disaster Aid of $4.3m, 1,000 Tons of Rice for Worst-Hit Provinces
After days of being battered by adverse weather conditions, provinces in central Vietnam need all the help they can get, financial and otherwise.
7 Jailed for 32 Years in Total for Poisoning Pine Trees in Lam Dong
Good.
Vietnamese Influencer Sparks Outrage for Sitting on Coral Reefs in Phu Quoc
Maritime tourism in Vietnam is developing fast, but for a lot of domestic tourists, conservation education in the country is lagging behind.
Brian Letwin in Film & TV
[Videos] A 'Stranger Things'-Esque Hanoi Through the Lens of a VFX Artist
Narrow alleys have long been a defining characteristic of Vietnam’s cities, with many tracing their origins to the rice patty embankments that once crisscrossed an agricultural landscape.
Brian Letwin in Music & Arts
[Videos] A 'Stranger Things'-Esque Vietnam Through the Lens of a VFX Artist
Narrow alleys have long been a defining characteristic of Vietnam’s cities, with many tracing their origins to the rice patty embankments that once crisscrossed an agricultural landscape.
Gym-Booking Startup WeFit Declares Bankruptcy After 4 Years in Operation
The COVID-19 epidemic in Vietnam has claimed another victim: fitness and beauty startup WeWow.
[Video] Hanoi Studio Turns Local Student's Drawings Into Kickass Earth Day Animation
Don’t you wish that every time 10-year-old you came up with a kickass comic, a team of veteran artists would step in to turn it into a professional animated short?
Thua Thien-Hue Plans to Build 157-Hectare Bird Sanctuary
The 157-hectare bird sanctuary 15 kilometers outside of Hue aims to attract wild birds back to their natural habitat.
29 Letters. 29 Artists. A Cultural Journey Across Vietnam's History and Geography.
“Quoc Tu” features a plethora of images familiar to Vietnamese, from folk games and legends to more recent cultural artifacts such as the Flappy Bird game or Da Nang’s famous golden bridge.
Vietnam's Buddhist Temples, Now in Typographical Form
Rendered under the elaborate, rotund graphemes of Den typeface, every sentence becomes a slice of street scenery.
EF Ranks Vietnam's English Proficiency 52nd Out of 100 in 2019
EF's English Proficiency Index reports that between 2011 and 2014, Vietnamese English skills improved from 'very low' to 'low,' and then reached 'moderate' proficiency in 2015, a level it held until t...
Khoi Pham in Saigon Hẻm Gems
Hẻm Gems: The Unbearable Lightness of Eating Bò Lá Lốt Alone
There are certain activities that are best not undertaken alone: karaoke, barbeque, watching football and feasting on ốc. The consensus, however, is still out on bò nướng lá lốt mỡ chài, so I decided ...
Khoi Pham in Arts & Culture
[Illustrations] An Illustrated Alphabet of Vietnam's Tropical Fruits
Varying climate patterns and geographical topography have bestowed Vietnam with an impressive biodiversity. From temperate fare hailing from the Central Highlands like avocados, coffee and strawberrie...
Vietnamese Lifestyle Startup WeFit Secures $1m in Funding
The startup was launched in late 2016.
A Brief History of Saigon's Now-Defunct Thu Thiem Ferry Service
While the Thu Thiem Bridge and Thu Thiem Tunnel allow easy access to the District 2 peninsula from nearby districts, for decades past Saigoneers had to rely on the Thu Thiem Ferry to cross the river.
Khoi Pham in Arts & Culture
Retro Typeface 'Cotdien' Is an Homage to Vietnam's Old Hand-Drawn Signage
Vietnam’s sense of aesthetics is going through a retro revolution: from niche cafes playing nhạc vàng and an upcoming feature-length film on áo dài artisans to retrofitted album covers of to...
Brian Letwin in Saigon
The Story of Saigon’s Opium Refinery
Many of you have probably enjoyed a meal in the courtyard at 74 Hai Ba Trung, which currently houses a number of high-end restaurants such as Vasco’s, Hanayuki, Annz and The Refinery; the latter being...
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...
