The Unquenchable Spirit of Artist Lê Triều Điển
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- Published on 29 January 2026
- Written by Paul Christiansen. Photos by Alberto Prieto and Nguyên Lê.
“Điển is like a flower; there is no question of growing or not growing.”
Meet Tâm, a Crossing ‘Guardian’ Protecting Saigon Traffic and Trains From Each Other
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- Published on 28 January 2026
- Written by Như Quỳnh. Photos by Jimmy Art Devier.
In a small kiosk overlooking the crowded Nguyễn Trọng Tuyển Street in Phú Nhuận, Nguyễn Thị Tâm routinely checks the clock and reviews the day’s train schedule meticulously. She’s repeated these tasks countless times, a crucial component of a job that she’s done for two decades as a train crossing attendant.
Cổ Động's Live Session Series 'Động Tag' Returns for Season 2 With 9 Vietnamese Artists
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- Published on 27 January 2026
- Written by Saigoneer.
Động Tag Live Session, Cổ Động’s series of live recordings aiming to highlight Vietnam’s up-and-coming musicians, is returning with a second season.
My Great-Great-Grandfathers Were in Indochina in the 1880s to Build the Railway
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- Published on 26 January 2026
- Written by Julie Vola.
We often see archival images of old Hanoi, but these photos are different — they are personal. The following shots, which come from a collection of five photo albums, are the only surviving record of my two great-great-grandfathers’ presence in what was then Indochina.
IB Recognition Will Complement Emphasis on Vietnamese Language and Culture at VNTH
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- Published on 26 January 2026
- Written by Saigoneer. Phobots by VNTH
After several years of preparation, Viet Nam Tinh Hoa by North London Collegiate School (VNTH) has achieved recognition as an IB World School, joining a global network of over 5,700 schools worldwide.
Loneliness Too Waits for the Bus
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- Published on 25 January 2026
- Written by Paul Christiansen. Photos by Jimmy Art Devier.
We are all in this, but not together.
5 Cozy Saigon Coffee Shops With Outstanding Cat Residents to Befriend
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- Published on 24 January 2026
- Written by Khôi Phạm. Top graphic by Ngọc Tạ.
I almost never remember the faces of the employees at cafes that I’ve been to, but I am strangely attuned to the existence of their cats. I remember the textures of their fur when I gave them pets, the little squeaks when they jumped up and down the furniture, and the subtle ways they expressed their personality during our fleeting but memorable encounters.
The Artist Preserving Saigon's Cultural Tapestry Through Hand-Painted Signs
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- Published on 24 January 2026
- Written by Như Quỳnh. Photos by Alberto Prieto. Top image by Tú Võ.
"In the early 2000s, the market experienced an exodus of painters due to the shift to digital; it was difficult to retain customers otherwise. I didn't want my craft to be forgotten, so I started everything all over,” Nguyễn Hoài Bảo told me in Vietnamese when I visited his studio.
Vietnam Welcomes 21m Tourists in 2025, Highest-Ever Figure in History
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- Published on 20 January 2026
- Written by Saigoneer. Photo by Alberto Prieto.
Last year marked an impressive year for tourism in Vietnam. A record number of 21.17 million international tourists visited the country in 2025, a 20.4% increase compared to 2024. This far exceeded the global average growth rate of around 5%, as well as that of the Asian Pacific region of roughly 8%.
Learning to Coexist in Peace Is the First Step to Protect Vietnam's Last Remaining Elephants
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- Published on 19 January 2026
- Written by Govi Snell and Anton L Delgado. Photos by Anton L Delgado.
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.
Viet Thanh Nguyen's New Essay Collection Is Both Theoretically Sharp and Intimately Tender
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- Published on 18 January 2026
- Written by San Kwon. Graphic by Khanh Mai.
Last year, acclaimed Vietnamese American writer Viet Thanh Nguyen published To Save and to Destroy: Writing as an Other, a collection of six essays adapted from the prestigious Norton Lectures that he delivered at Harvard in 2023–2024.
An Indie Archival Project Dreams of Time Travel. How? Lots and Lots of Vietnam Maps.
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- Published on 18 January 2026
- Written by Paul Christiansen. Top image by Khanh Mai.
Its entrances flanked by ATMs and adverts for international airlines, the Sun Wah Tower on Nguyễn Huệ today appears to be another nondescript testament to the global economy and Vietnam’s enthusiastic place within it. However, on those same grounds only 150 years ago, a guillotine was set up to decapitate people on order of the colonial authorities at the Justice de paix.
Thoughts I've Had While Stranded in Murky Floodwater on Saigon's High-Tide Days
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- Published on 15 January 2026
- Written by Đình Phúc. Illustrations by Mai Khanh.
I’m willing to forgive nearly everything about Saigon. It’s a sign of a sustainable relationship, as I still wish to coexist in peace with this city. To me, Saigon’s midday, even when the searing sun flares the strongest, is when the trees are the most glorious. The sudden bouts of torrential rain are indeed a nuisance, but I tell myself that at least the streets can get a wash after a dusty day. But there’s one thing that never goes away and that I can never write off; something I can’t, for the life of me, find reasons to romanticize or defend. Those are the infuriating floods that submerge Saigon streets every time the tide is high.
Hanoi's Proposal to Stop Train Service Might Spell the End of 'Train Street'
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- Published on 13 January 2026
- Written by Saigoneer. Photo by Kit Humphrey.
Hanoi’s infamous train street might be going away if a new municipal plan becomes a reality.
A Glimpse Into the Epic Underground Shows of Vietnam Pro Wrestling
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- Published on 12 January 2026
- Written by Aurelien Foucault. Photos by Aurelien Foucault. .
Back in 2018, Saigon witnessed the birth of Vietnam Pro Wrestling (VPW), the first and only Pro Wrestlers in the whole of Vietnam, and a lot has changed since then.
In Sa Pa, Learning How to Indigo Dye, One Plant, Vat, and Beeswax Pen at a Time
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- Published on 11 January 2026
- Written by Nguyệt. Photos by Nguyệt. Graphic by Mai Khanh.
My first meal in Sa Pa was accidentally earned. After a few hours of uneven rest in a sleeper bus and a short ride from Sa Pa city center to the village, I finally arrived, along with two other indigo enthusiasts, at a small hill in bản Cát Cát. A few modest houses framed a quiet courtyard where indigo vats rested, and long strips of dyed fabric hung on bamboo poles, drying in the morning air.
Saigon Sees a 10-Year Low of 18°C. What Are the City’s Highest and Lowest Temperatures?
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- Published on 09 January 2026
- Written by Saigoneer.
This January, Saigoneers have been enjoying an unusually pleasant stretch of weather, with daytime temperatures hovering around the mid-20s and dipping to 18–20°C late at night and in the early morning.
Hanoi Indie Duo Limebócx Brings Tried-and-Trù Traditions to Young Ears
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- Published on 08 January 2026
- Written by Khôi Phạm. Top graphic by Mai Phạm.
A grazing buffalo, frolicking water puppets, mystifying tam cúc cards, an insolent maiden in áo tứ thân, a rustic meal around cái mâm. These are just a few standout visuals that will haunt your brain upon feasting your eyes on Limebócx’ debut music video ‘Yêu Nhau (Qua Cầu Gió Bay).’
HCMC Approves VinSpeed, VinGroup's Railway Arm, to Build Metro Line to Cần Giờ
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- Published on 08 January 2026
- Written by Saigoneer.
A roughly 50-kilometer-long urban railway route will run from September 23 Park in downtown Saigon to VinGroup's Green Paradise project in Cần Giờ, beginning in 2028 at an estimated cost of VND102.43 trillion (nearly US$3.9 billion).
Hẻm Gems: Woko Brings the Comfort of American Chinese Food to Saigon
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- Published on 07 January 2026
- Written by Uyên Đỗ. Photos by Jimmy Art Devier.
When a dish travels far from its homeland to take root somewhere else, one common yardstick for judging it is “authenticity.” Is the seasoning true to form? How closely do the ingredients match the original? Has the cook stuck to tradition, or wandered too far into improvisation? But what if an entire cuisine was born and shaped in defiance of that very idea?
