Vietnam's Trendiest Way to Flaunt Your Social Status Is a Meme Lychee Tea
Lychee tea can be found anywhere and anytime around Saigon, from street stalls to artisanal cafes. Averaging VND20,000–50,000, it’s a popular choice among Vietnamese youths. However, Thái Công Cafe pr...
Khôi Phạm in Music & Arts
The 1st Vietnamese Song With 1bn Views on YouTube Is About Ducks
It’s not Hoàng Thùy Linh’s catchy dance track ‘See Tình’ or the crossover Mekong Delta hit ‘Con gái miền Tây,’ the first Vietnamese song to amass one billion — or bill-ion, if you will — on YouTube is...
A Visit to Vụn Art, Where Disabled Artisans Turn Fabric Scraps Into Artworks
Fabric scraps, often considered industrial waste, are “revived” by members of Vụn Art cooperative by turning them into intricate silk artworks.
Galuocad's Artworks Create a Universe of Very-Vietnamese Whimsy
Staying in one place for an extended period can lead to what's known as the "boiled frog effect."
Sparkling Oysters: Champagne Meets Caviar at Social Club Restaurant
Caviar, oysters and Veuve Clicquot champagne are all special on their own, but imagine them combined in one luxurious mouthful.
Something About Xe (Đạp): Olivier Flora's Knack for Fun, Flamboyant Remixes
The saxophone riff in ‘Careless Whispers’ is not only instantly recognizable due the popularity of the original song by George Michael but has since become an internet fixture — a classic meme.
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 a...
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...
Society Cafe's Cơm Xá Xíu Fine-Tunes a Cantonese Classic With New Techniques
Inspired by a Cantonese classic, Society Cafe & Dining’s char siu pork is carefully seasoned and prepared over two days, while the accompanying daikon and radish were pickled from scratch. Put togethe...
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,...
Losing Myself (and My Work Stress) in the Wacky World of Jazz Dance
Since I started my foray into jazz dance, the most common question I’ve gotten has been “What, you can dance to jazz?”
Linh Phạm in Hanoi
Be Gay, Do Pride: Hanoi Pride Week Ends on Cheery Notes Last Sunday
Last Sunday, Hanoi Pride Week 2022 came to a conclusion with thousands of people joining in the festivities.
Hanoi Starts Revoking Operating Licenses of Cafes on 'Train Street' This Week
Hanoi is shutting down its infamous "Train Street" starting this weekend.
From the Lab of Forever Wheelchair, Hope for Vietnam's Handicapped Animals
The ability to roam and frolic around is essential for our canine and feline companions' well-being, but too often, it can become a privilege for cats and dogs living with disability and immobility fr...
Health Ministry Stresses 'LGBT Is Not a Disease' in Response to Rise in 'Gay Cure' Clinics
Vietnam’s Ministry of Health recently issued an official dispatch stressing that homosexuality is not a disease.
From Commercial Releases to Heartfelt Docs: A Brief History of Vietnam's Notable Queer Films
Personally honest, socially important and commercially sexy, modern movies about gay and transgender people are among the better works of contemporary Vietnamese cinema.
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.
Photography Project Shows Hanoi Through the Eyes of Migrant Workers
Some came from the mountains, some were born near the sea — all have come to Hanoi to make a living. They are the migrant workers of this city, yet to them Hanoi is more than just a place to work. Thr...
New Survey Ranks Vietnam 1st of 39 in Gender Equality at Home, Work
If you say so.
Vietnam's Virtual YouTubers and the Surprising Bond of Anonymous Friendship
Vtubers have been taking the global streaming industry by storm for several years now, with millions of fans that span the globe, even in Vietnam. Yet despite this obvious popularity, local Vtubers ca...
Sassy Tiger Statues in Bạc Liêu Get Makeover to Be Less Sassy, Turn Sullen Instead
‘Tis the season of peculiar animal statues.
'In Art We Trust,' a Propaganda Art Exhibition for Gender Equality
Last weekend, Heritage Space and Ơ Kìa Hà Nội held the exhibition “In Art We Trust” — a collection of propaganda art on gender equality — at the Goethe Institute.
Vietnam's Undersea Internet Cables Break on Average 10 Times Annually, Experts Say
Vietnam’s internet is inconsistent, but very affordable when compared with regional peers, according to experts at the recent Vietnam Internet Day 2021 conference.
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...
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...
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.
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...
Bars, Cinemas, Ride-Hailing Return to Saigon in Low-Risk Districts
Many previously suspended activities are allowed again in Saigon depending on their district’s COVID-19 risk assessment.
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...
Meet Little Peanut, the Star of Hanoi's Experimental Puppetry Performances
Last year, on a fine autumn day, I was lucky to witness Little Peanut taking her first steps in the attic-cum-rehearsal-studio of the Hanoi based experimental theater group Mắt Trần Ensemble.
Chris Humphrey in Society
Q&A: Blue Dragon Co-CEO Skye Maconachie on How the Pandemic Affects Vietnam's Most Vulnerable
Saigoneer talks to Skye Maconachie, Co-CEO of Blue Dragon Children’s Foundation, a respected, Hanoi-based NGO known for rescuing victims of human trafficking and supporting street kids in the capital....
Michael Tatarski in Society
How Social ChangeMakers Brings People Together to Create a Better Future
In this pandemic era, sometimes we need a little help connecting with other people.
Hanoi Allows Restaurants, Cafes to Reopen at 50% Capacity
Starting today, patrons can visit their favorite restaurants and cafes again.
Made-in-Vietnam Dating App Fika Secures $1.6m in Seed Funding
Created as a female-focused alternative to Tinder and Bumble, the dating app Fika recently got financial backing from international investors.
Ná Nả: How a Grassroots Initiative Enriches the Lives of Ethnic Minorities
Khang A Tủa is attending university in Ho Chi Minh City, but he took the last semester off to run a project supporting people of the H’Mong ethnic minority.
The Unexpected Lure of Watching Streamers Drive a Truck Across a Virtual Vietnam
As the months-long lockdown drags on — though with some light at the end of the tunnel — and with in-person programs being canceled or put on indefinite hiatus, demand for virtual entertainment has na...
In Lockdown, Saigoneers Draw Strength From an Unexpected Wealth of Support: Each Other
They largely didn't know each other, except for their flatmates. Then the COVID-19 outbreak began, and they got closer. They are now more accommodating, caring and loving.
How Hanoi Residents and Collectives Look out for the City's Most Vulnerable
“He was so happy to be given rice. And he didn’t have a smartphone or anything like that. I felt I had helped someone that really needed help, and I felt very happy about that.”
Hanoi Eases Lockdown Restrictions, Reopens Malls, Barbershops
Starting at 6am today, Hanoi began applying social distancing rules under the previous Directive 15, allowing various shops to reopen and businesses to function at 50% capacity.
19 Districts in Hanoi Allowed to Reopen Shops, Takeaway Service
Starting at noon today, districts with no new COVID-19 community transmission cases since September 6 are allowed to reopen various businesses and restaurants.
Saigon to Resume Shipping Across Districts From September 16
After weeks of being banned, Saigon will soon allow shippers to deliver citywide.
95% of Hanoi's Residents Over Age 18 Have Received At Least One Dose of a Covid Vaccine
According to Vietnam’s COVID-19 Vaccination Portal, about 95% of resident Hanoians aged 18 or above have received at least one dose of a Covid vaccine. On Sunday alone, the city administered 573,829 ...
Saigon's Lockdown to Be Extended, Likely Until End of Month
Hopefully you hadn't gotten too excited about September 15.
Who's Eligible for 'Vaccine Green Pass' and What Activities Are Passholders Allowed?
Fully vaccinated Saigoneers might be able to enjoy more freedom of movement in the future.
Michael Tatarski in Film & TV
Meet the Vietnamese Creators of 'Centuries and Still,' a Short Decrying Anti-Asian Racism
How much history are you aware of?
Stricter Lockdown Begins for Saigon at Midnight
Stay safe out there, Saigoneers.
Saigon Police Asked to Facilitate Transport to Airport
That's nice of them.
Air Pollution is Robbing Hanoians of Roughly 80,000 Years of Life
Due to PM2.5 exposure, Hanoi has suffered 2,855 premature deaths, accumulating to 79,933 years of life lost.
As National Cases Surpass 100,000, Saigon Imposes Night Curfew, Restricts Movements
With daily new cases in the thousands, Saigon has imposed additional levels of movement restrictions on top of the most severe lockdown since the pandemic began.
A New Baby Giraffe Was Born at the Saigon Zoo. You Can Help Name Her.
Will this attempt at another public naming contest go wrong or remain wholesome this time?
Q&A: Activist Lương Thế Huy and the Journey to Advocate for Gender Equality
“I am a social activist,” Lương Thế Huy says when asked to introduce himself to Saigoneer. It is hard to imagine a different answer, or Huy in a different role, when he has spent a decade pursuin...
Saigon Has Imposed Over $50,000 in Fines so Far to Enforce Lockdown Rules
Huge amounts of fines have been levied since Directive 16 went into effect in Ho Chi Minh City.
Amid Worsening Outbreaks Elsewhere, Hanoi Pauses Its Reopening Roadmap
Bia hơi, gyms and karaoke need to wait until further notice.
Hanoi CDC to Propose Reopening of Non-Essential Businesses
With the COVID-19 outbreak in the city evidently under control, Hanoi’s health authorities are proposing to reopen a few non-essential services.
Saigon Officially Extends Social Distancing Order for Another 14 Days
In a move that some might have predicted, Saigon authorities have confirmed an extension of the current social distancing orders.
Meet Tô Đậm, the Young Artists Bringing Mural Arts to Schools in Rural Vietnam
Tô Đậm is a non-profit organization founded by artists who share one thing in common: they all love to paint and travel. Their collective works cannot be found at any galleries or museums, even if you...
Learning From Stories of Made-in-Vietnam Social Innovation, as Told by 4 Experts
In Vietnam, the term “innovation” is mostly associated with technological and economic development, but what about “social innovation”?
Fall in Love With the People of Hai Phong, One TikTok at a Time
Being a late-bloomer who is slow to catch up with social media trends, I only just got TikTok installed on my phone about a month ago. As I've found that the majority of the clips on this platform are...
How a TikTok Video Reunites a Missing Husband With His Family After 13 Years
The wife had been searching for her husband for 13 years after he had wandered off under the spell of a mental illness.
Vietnam's Communications Ministry Opens Anti-Fake News Center
Will the organization become the Vietnamese Snopes?
Wiz Khalifa Drops Visuals for New Song Featuring Vietnamese Farmer Sô Y Tiết
"Usually I make a w**d song. So here goes a w**d song."
Hẻm Gems: Thời Thanh Xuân, the Special Saigon Cafe Run by Deaf Staff
Quán của Thời Thanh Xuân not only encompasses the youth of its founder, Võ Thành Luân, it’s also where hard-of-hearing Vietnamese can write their own story, learn, focus on self-development, and be a ...
Vietnam's Art Fondling Epidemic and the Online Vigilante Policing It
There are many clumsy shoe prints beyond the foot-high metal boundary, next to a small sign that screams out in all caps: "PLEASE, DON’T TOUCH THE ARTWORK."
Da Nang Resumes Intercity Transport After Week Without New Covid-19 Cases
As of Monday, September 7, all train, vehicle and air travel to and within Da Nang will return to normal.
Vietnam's Covid-19 Count Exceeds 1,000 After 7 Months
Fourteen new COVID-19 cases on Thursday afternoon brought the country's total to 1,007.
Hanoi to Enforce Social Distance at Cafes, Restaurants From August 19
Beginning Wednesday, August 19 at 12am, all patrons at cafes and restaurants in Hanoi must be one meter apart from one another and staff must wear masks.
[Video] In 'Ba Đình Đời,' a Study of Hanoi's Nocturnal Textures and Shapes
As Vietnam battles a fresh coronavirus outbreak, art from the country's initial battle and social distancing period is still being released.
Da Nang Restarts Social Distancing After Cases of Covid-19 Community Transmission Emerge
Over the weekend, Vietnam recorded five new COVID-19 infections, four of which are community transmissions, putting an end to the country’s 99-day streak without local infections.
Tay Ho Alley Grapples With Trash Problem Caused by Photo-Seeking Visitors
Just the latest example of people ruining the very the beauty of a spot that drew them for its beauty.
PouYuen, Saigon's Biggest Employer, Lays Off 3,000 Workers, Citing Covid-19 Slump
Although Vietnam’s economy is not as badly hit as that of our neighbors, local companies are still struggling to recover from the slump brought about by the global pandemic.
[Photos] Hue's 'Lotus House' Makes Wheelchair-Friendly Design Its Focal Point
Apart from its lotus-inspired motifs and clean contemporary elements, Lotus House in Hue is also special as a rare example of Vietnamese architectural design that takes into consideration the needs of...
Bars, Cinemas, Sports Get Green Light, Karaoke and Clubs Remain Closed
Vietnam residents can now knock back a few cold ones at their local watering hole, but they'll have to leave their karaoke dreams at home.
Hanoi Visitor Numbers Down 92% Over Holiday Weekend Compared to 2019
The recent national holiday weekend saw Hanoi's visitor numbers plummet in the face of the ongoing coronavirus pandemic.
Restaurants, Cafes, Tourist Sites Among Places That Can Reopen, PM Says
Vietnam has transitioned into a new period in the COVID-19 epidemic with reduced threats of infection and a slowly reopening economy.
The Social Distancing Order Is Relaxed. What Happens Next for Saigon?
As of midnight earlier today, all localities in Vietnam, including areas previously deemed high-risk like Saigon and Hanoi, can relax some social distancing restrictions imposed to curb the spread of ...
An Online Fashion Exhibit Spotlights the Plights of Vietnamese Garment Workers
Part of Fashion Revolution Week, the online exhibition coincides with two presentations this week along with a social media campaign aimed at improving working conditions for women in Vietnam's many g...
