From Abroad to My Favorite Bún Riêu: A Brief History of Trứng Vịt Lộn
I pride myself on being a child of Hanoi, but only after nearly 20 years, did I realize that trứng vịt lộn is not exactly an authentic topping in Hanoi-style bún riêu.
A World in Turmoil via Mahdi Abdullah’s Exhibition 'Memory and Body Mythology'
How does an artist turn haunting memories into powerful artworks that speak for himself and on behalf of countless lives? Mahdi Abdullah’s paintings serve as social commentary on the realities that th...
Vietnam, Southeast Asian Nations Burst Into the Solar Energy Landscape
Sunny Southeast Asia has made significant strides in solar energy, with solar farm capacity exceeding 20GW across ASEAN countries. Despite this rapid growth and ambitious renewable goals, nations in t...
Gỏi Đu Đủ Reflects the Mekong Region's Culinary and Cultural Wisdoms
As the cicadas begin to sing in the tamarind canopies along Pasteur Street after the first monsoon rain, vivid scenes from my formative years flash by in my mind. My cheeks became flushed and my eyes ...
Chris Humphrey in Travel
The Majesty of Crossing Myanmar on Colonial-Era Trains
Whether on the slow train carving its way through the Shan Hills near Kalaw, the Mandalay to Yangon Express, or the 4am train to Hsipaw that crosses the great Goteik Viaduct, traversing Myanmar on gri...
Pride Fest, Cambodia's Most Ambitious LGBT Event to Date, Is Coming This Week
On a steamy evening in downtown Phnom Penh, Rebecca Chan takes the stage. The crowd — mostly Cambodian millennials and Gen Z's — is riled up from previous performances, but Chan’s composure tames thei...
What to See in a Landlocked Country? How a Detour to Laos Made My Heart Feel Full.
Editor's note: This essay by Alex Tran won 1st place in the Editor's Choice category of Saigoneer's first-ever essay writing competition, "2 Years of Memories," in collaboration with Urbanist Travel. ...
A Singaporean-Vietnamese Couple Refreshes Hakka Offal Soup With Trứng Cuộn
When my mother, a native of Singapore’s oft-visited Chinatown, described a pork offal soup stall with meatballs that “tasted suspiciously like that vermicelli dish we had in Huế back in 2013,” I knew ...
Khôi Phạm in Saigon Hẻm Gems
Hẻm Gems: Indonesia's Ayam Penyet Is a Smashing Celebration of Spices
The most straightforward definition by which to explain ayam penyet to the Vietnamese layperson is perhaps “cơm gà Indo.” It’s technically not wrong: the dish has rice and chicken, and originates from...
Hẻm Gems: A Thai Feast on a Hẻm Pavement, With Vietnamese Fusion Twists
While Thailand and Vietnam have long been perpetual rivals in the football arena, at this streetside Hẻm Gem, the two cultures forge a harmonious relationship.
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.
Thai Rapper Eats Mango Sticky Rice During Coachella Set, Wins Our Hearts
Maybe Suboi can eat a plate of cơm tấm during her next performance.
In Thailand, Selling Unripe Sầu Riêng Could Land You in Jail
Harvesting durians before they are ripe in Thailand can land a first-time offender in jail for up to three years, while recidivists face even stricter sentences.
FLC Group to Help Build $5bn Railway From Vientiane to Hà Tĩnh
All aboard!
Alleged SEA Games Branding Designs Draw Criticism for Numerous Typos
The 31st Southeast Asian Games (SEA Games), set to take place in two months, have faced a number of hurdles since it was announced years ago.
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.
A Vietnam Representative Won Miss Grand International for the First Time
Nguyễn Thúc Thùy Tiên has become the first Vietnam representative to win the crown at Miss Grand International.
Ánh Viên, Vietnam's Most Decorated Swimmer, Wants to Resign From National Team
Citing a desire to spend more time with her family and a drop in her performance, Nguyễn Thị Ánh Viên reportedly reached the decision after returning from the Tokyo Olympics this past summer.&nbs...
Vietnam Pushes for Mutual Recognition of 'Vaccine Passports' With Some Nations
Vaccine passports may soon become part of a “new normal” as more Vietnamese are getting their two shots.
Chris Humphrey in Asia
Inside Cambodia's Floating Village, Where 40% of People Are Ethnic Vietnamese
Chong Kneas floating village, only 15 kilometers south of Siem Reap, is one of hundreds that line Tonle Sap Lake. Tens of thousands of families live in these clustered homes, around 40% of whom are Vi...
Disney to Stop Airing Disney Channel, Fox, Channel V in Vietnam From October
Devastating news for children.
US Vice President Kamala Harris to Visit Vietnam This Month in First Asia Trip
She will become the first sitting US Vice President to visit Vietnam.
[Photos] Travel to a Bustling Singapore in 1979 Through Doi Kuro's Lens
While some Southeast Asian cities were completely unrecognizable from their current self in 1979, Singapore at that time was already on its way to becoming the region's most developed location.
[Photos] A Dynamic Bangkok in 1984 via the Lens of Photographer Doi Kuro
Before the days of mega-malls and the Skytrain, Bangkok was still plenty busy.
Michael Tatarski in Saigon Hẻm Gems
Hẻm Gems: The Pandemic Kept Her in Vietnam, so She Opened a Thai Eatery
One of the joys of Saigon's F&B scene recently has been the expansion of international cuisine beyond the city center.
Khoi Pham in Saigon Hẻm Gems
Hẻm Gems: A Nasi Lemak in Saigon That Evokes Memories of Hawker Centers
As I gaze at the glorious eight-dish Malaysian banquet on our table at Makiucha, perfectly spaced by our photographer, popping with colors and wafting off aromas of rich spices, it becomes apparent to...
On the Gentle Train Ride in a Myanmar From Another Era
Since the shocking coup d’état in Myanmar on February 1 and the detention of Aung San Suu Kyi, the world has watched helplessly while the military junta brutally cracks down on peaceful protesters try...
Indonesian Farming Game Raises Over $1.4m in Fundraising Campaign
Imagine if The Sims included social justice issues instead of the ability to ignite your home in a wicker furniture inferno.
Thailand Reopens for Tourists From 56 Countries, Albeit With Compulsory Quarantine
It is not confirmed yet whether Vietnam is part of the list of countries eligible for the scheme.
Vietnam, Singapore Agree to Create Travel Bubble Next Year
Don't get your tourism hopes up though.
World's Largest Trade Bloc Created During Vietnam-Led ASEAN Summit
Vietnam is now part of the world's largest trade bloc.
Vietnam Ranked 2nd in ASEAN in Efforts to Reduce Inequality: Report
Only Thailand rated higher than Vietnam in the region.
In 88Rising's Concert, Asian Artists, Including Suboi, Sing From the Comfort of Home
Last week, 88Rising put together a reimagined concert experience during the global pandemic.
Singapore to Introduce Vietnamese Language to School Curriculum
Singapore's Ministry of Education (MoE) will introduce Vietnamese and Thai studies alongside increased attention to Malay and Chinese.
A Bún Đậu Mắm Tôm in Singapore That Tastes (and Smells) Just Like Home
Joo Chiat, a neighborhood in the eastern realms of Singapore, is hardly a forgettable area.
Michael Tatarski in Music & Arts
Art Platform S.E.A. Focus Brings Together 20 Galleries From Vietnam, Asia
In its second year, the art platform brought together 20 galleries from across Asia and beyond, highlighting a diverse range of contemporary Asian artists in one space.
To Combat Bullying, Cambodia to Teach LGBTQ Issues in School Syllabus
The new lessons are aimed at ending discrimination against, and bullying of, LGBTQ people in the country.
2 Fans Fly to the Philippines With 60kg of Food for Vietnam's Female Football Team
Wholesome.
Thi Nguyen in Saigon Hẻm Gems
Hẻm Gems: Krua Thai's Raw Seafood Salad Is Not for the Faint-Hearted
The first role I ever took in my home kitchen was to prepare sweet fish sauce with chili and garlic to pour over rice and noodles. As simple as this may sound, I still can’t master the art after years...
Chả Lụa Fit for a Kingdom: How Thailand Fell in Love With Vietnamese Ham
Instead of sunny Saigon, I found myself yet again in relentlessly sunny Bangkok. I had a convenient excuse though: attending a close friend’s wedding.
Michael Tatarski in Music & Arts
Here's a Thiên Long Ballpoint Pen, Now Make Art With It
Nomer Adona has lived in Vietnam since 1994, a 25-year journey (so far) that has taken him from working as an architect with the Malaysian government to the halls of international schools.
Hẻm Gems: Tried-and-True Singaporean-Style Hainanese Chicken Rice in D4
Every foodie who has visited the island-nation of Singapore has probably heard about about a local specialty known as Hainanese chicken rice. With a Michelin star and Michelin Bib Gourmand title, ...
Michael Tatarski in Music & Arts
[Video] Saigon-Based Directors Feature Abandoned Hue Waterpark in New Music Video
A small boat reaches shore and an adventure begins at the wild, abandoned Ho Thuy Tien Waterpark outside of Hue.
Michael Tatarski in Literature
How Mekong Review Aims to Connect Southeast Asia Through Literature
First published in late 2015, The Mekong Review has quickly garnered a sterling reputation in a region short on quality print publications. Minh Bui Jones, its founder and editor, talks to Saigoneer a...
Amid Its Aging Public Spaces, Yangon Just Opened a Community Skate Park
If you had to pick any Southeast Asian country to house a public skate park, Myanmar might not be your first guess. In Yangon, its biggest city, horse-drawn carts still travel the betel-stained street...
Brian Letwin in Travel
[Updated] Vietnam Moves Closer to Joint Visas with Thailand, Cambodia, ASEAN
[Update Below] After years of discussion, Vietnamese, Thai and Cambodian foreign relations authorities are getting closer to a joint visa agreement.
