The History of Hanoi's Lost Tramway Network
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- Published on 15 June 2026
- Written by Tim Doling.
When they first drew up plans for a citywide tramway network in 1894, it seemed as though the Hanoi authorities would follow Saigon’s example by opting for steam traction. Yet, by the time government approval was forthcoming in 1899, advances in technology made it possible to construct the entire system as a state-of-the-art, one-meter gauge electric tramway.
Vietnamese Vernacular Modernism Is a Local Language Created by the Ordinary People
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- Published on 14 June 2026
- Written by Phạm Phú Vinh. Photos by Jimmy Art Devier. and Huy.
In the history of architecture, rarely have we seen such a challenging movement as Vietnamese modernism. Not only does it show how a culture evolves and expresses itself across historical epochs through its building practice, from the traditional to colonial and eventually modern period, but the language of Vietnamese vernacular modernism also reveals deeper understandings of human creative potential.
Hẻm Gems: Om Momo Brings Stories, Tasty Dumplings From Tibet to Saigon
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- Published on 14 June 2026
- Written by San Kwon. Photos by Jimmy Art Devier.
Though I’ve known about momos for quite some time, it was only recently when I first visited Om Momo — a cozy little Tibetan restaurant tucked deep inside a dark nook in Thảo Điền — that I finally tried momos. Inside, one finds a world with a life of its own: at its center stands a mysterious figure, thinly veiled by a cylindrical sheath of turquoise; hung on the walls are vibrantly colored photographs and artworks; and between them sit tables of diners who gaze and converse around salt-rock lamps that warmly illuminate the room.
In Xuân Diệu's Tender Poetry, a Reminder to Love Honestly and Courageously
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- Published on 12 June 2026
- Written by Linh Phạm. Graphic by Phan Nhi.
“Tenderly, fondly, Xuân Diệu held on to my wrist, caressing it up and down. Our eyes locked in affection…Xuân Diệu loved me.”
For the Freshest Fish of the Day, Head to Hội An's Coast Before Sunrise
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- Published on 10 June 2026
- Written by Pete Walls. Photos by Pete Walls.
The alarm goes off at 3am. By 3:30am, scooters laden with empty crates and baskets are already moving through the dark lanes and sandy passages towards Hội An's coast. Long before the old town wakes, the beaches along the shore are coming alive with engines, head torches, waves, and fishermen preparing to return to land. Thankfully, coffee is readily available almost anywhere.
From the Mind of 'Mekong Review' Comes ‘Yellow,’ a New Lit Mag Focused on SEA
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- Published on 09 June 2026
- Written by Saigoneer.
“Cooped up in my apartment-cage in Tân Định, I created, with scissors and glue, dummy after dummy of a cosmopolitan rag positively pumping with scandals and half-truths. I was having a lot of fun dreaming of a magazine that I would never be able to do. And buried somewhere in that detritus on the floor—advertising cutouts and newspaper clippings—was Yellow … Once I knew I had the name, the magazine more or less made itself, as though the name determined the rest, ie, form and content,” writes Minh Bui of the birth of Yellow, his “what-do-I-do-after-Mekong Review magazine.”
When Vietnamese Education Begins with Vietnamese Identity
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- Published on 09 June 2026
- Written by VNTH. Photos by VNTH
Viet Nam Tinh Hoa – The Futures School offers an approach to education where Vietnamese students can step into the wider world with an international academic foundation, flexible language capabilities, and confidence in their roots.
In Saigon's Bửu Long Pagoda, a Meditative Escape and Pan-Southeast Asian Architecture
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- Published on 08 June 2026
- Written by Raffie Malec. Photos by Raffie Malec.
It all started with a sparkle on the horizon, a beam of solar brilliance bouncing off a garish metallic surface.
On Reading Ocean Vuong and Thinking About the Sniff Kisses of My Family
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- Published on 07 June 2026
- Written by Tom Phạm. Illustration by Mai Khanh.
Having always been a little brother, I had to learn to be a big one when I was 10 years old. In the midst of the confusion of this new role, I found myself pressing my nose to this newborn’s head and inhaling as hard as I could. This “sniff kiss” was not an action I invented. Rather, it was an instinct forged through mimicry: I started noticing from this point that my father and grandmother both did the same thing to me.
Meet Th.ink Room, the Tattoo Collective Bringing New Life to Old Artworks and Onto Skin
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- Published on 07 June 2026
- Written by Paul Christiansen. Photos by Jimmy Art Devier. Top graphic by Dương Trương.
Tattoo Therapist, dr.99hz, cd.cadao, goc.viet, Solarist and Baby Nepotism: listing the artists that call Th.ink Room home feels like shouting out the members of a rap clique. Indeed, tattoo artists, more than any other visual artists, are akin to rappers in their use of pseudonyms, so to employ a common hip-hop refrain, Saigoneer became interested in Th.ink Room because “game recognize game.”
How Saigon's V.A.R Building Epitomizes Vietnam's Architectural Autonomy
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- Published on 05 June 2026
- Written by Phạm Phú Vinh. Photos by Alberto Prieto and Lê Thái Hoàng Nguyên.
Completed in 1973, the V.A.R building at 9 Nguyễn Công Trứ Street in Nguyễn Thái Binh Ward, District 1, is a prominent example of Vietnamese mid-20th-century modernist architecture designed by architect Lê Văn Lắm. It not only represents the Vietnamese architectural identity in post-colonial eras, but also exemplifies its cultural autonomy.
A (Literally) Brief History of Vietnamese Representation in 'Mean Girls' (2004)
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- Published on 05 June 2026
- Written by Khôi Phạm.
Written by Saturday Night Live alum Tina Fey and premiered in 2004, Mean Girls is often heralded as a sharp, self-aware comedy that was ahead of its time, yet still holds up surprisingly well today. Alas, its depiction of Asians has aged a little more poorly, even though at the time of its release, the Asian representation was shockingly accurate for its time, despite some haphazard characterizations.
A Visit to Lê Minh Xuân, a Rare Craft Village Making Incense Sticks Amid Saigon
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- Published on 03 June 2026
- Written by Lã Khánh Giang. Photos by Alberto Prieto and Jimmy Art Devier.
From inside the workshop, artisans carry bundle after bundle of freshly made incense sticks into the courtyard amid the morning mist. A gentle scent of spices linger in the air.
Cà Rem Cây, Kem Chuối and the Frozen Tickets to Our Childhood
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- Published on 01 June 2026
- Written by Uyên Đỗ. Graphic by Mai Phạm.
Sometimes, when I hear the distant sound of a tinkling bell, fond memories of summer days from my wonder years come flooding back to me.
On Shooting an Entire Movie on 35mm Film: The Curious Case of 'Quán Kỳ Nam'
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- Published on 31 May 2026
- Written by Irving Ly.
“Let’s go to Vietnam!” declared Sabrina Baracetti, president of the Far East Film Festival (FEFF) in Udine, Italy, as she wrapped up her introduction for Leon Lê's Quán Kỳ Nam (Kỳ Nam Inn). Sitting in the Teatro Nuovo, watching Quán Kỳ Nam unfold for the first time, I felt an overwhelming surge of pride.
Tracing the History of 'Hello Vietnam,' the Overnight Sensation From Europe
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- Published on 29 May 2026
- Written by Tom Phạm. Top graphic by Khanh Mai.
Most people who have flown with VietJet are probably familiar with the song ‘Hello Vietnam’ or its Vietnamese version ‘Xin chào Việt Nam.’ As it's often played during landing, tourists might mistake the song for a cute jingle of the company, but the meaning behind the song lyrics is much more nostalgic. It’s about a person of Vietnamese descent longing for their ancestor’s homeland, a place they’ve never been — a story that can certainly strike a chord with many Vietnamese people. Few know, however, that this song was originally a French-language song, one that was almost never released.
How Bách Tùng Diệp Became a Saigon Park From Earmarked Consulate Land
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- Published on 29 May 2026
- Written by Tim Doling.
In 1927, after being abandoned for more than 60 years by its Spanish owners, the “Jardin d’Espagne” — known today as Bách Tùng Diệp or Lý Tự Trọng Park — seemed set to become the new home of the British Consulate General in Saigon… but it was not to be.
Quy Nhơn’s Quy Hoà Leprosy Village to Be Relocated for Mega Resort Project
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- Published on 28 May 2026
- Written by Saigoneer. Photos by Alberto Prieto.
Authorities in Gia Lai Province have approved plans to relocate the Quy Hoà leprosy village from its current ocean-side setting in Quy Nhơn to make room for an ambitious real estate and tourism project.
The Little Moments of Stillness on Hanoi Streets via Artist Hoàng Hiền's Illustrations
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- Published on 27 May 2026
- Written by Khôi Phạm. Illustrations by Hoàng Thanh Hiền.
Whether they're from Saigon, Hanoi or Đà Nẵng, urbanites in Vietnam have all grown up amid the chaos of local street culture, where the pulses of civic life churn with every vendor, family business, and gig worker. "Moment of Stillness," a collection of colorful illustrations by artist Hoàng Thanh Hiền, was born of the artist's keen observations of the familiar scenes in her immediate surroundings.
Hẻm Gems: Indonesia's Ayam Penyet Is a Smashing Celebration of Spices
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- Published on 25 May 2026
- Written by Khôi Phạm. Photos by Lê Thái Hoàng Nguyên.
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 Indonesia. But once you've actually sunk your teeth into this special fried chicken, the translation seems unfairly reductive because ayam penyet is so much better than the sum of its parts.
