In Search of Ba Khía, the Mangrove Crab That Captures the Soul of Cà Mau
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- Published on 23 March 2026
- Written by Đình Phúc. Graphic by Mai Khanh.
The tide is low tonight. The mud flats, enveloped in the mangrove forest’s darkness, are dotted with the sporadic flares of headlamps. On bundles of exposed mangrove roots, shadows cast by black crabs crowd out one another. In my hometown, we call them “ba khía.”
Pristine Blue Sky and Memorial Park: Ruminating on What the Covid-19 Pandemic Left Us
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- Published on 21 March 2026
- Written by San Kwon. Photos by Alberto Prieto.
Recently, I visited Saigon’s newly inaugurated COVID-19 memorial park. Located at 1 Lý Thái Tổ, Vườn Lài Ward, the park opened in February as a part of the city’s efforts to expand its green spaces. The centerpiece of the park is its teardrop-shaped sculpture, a monument commemorating the solidarity and care that carried the city through the hardships of the pandemic.
Hẻm Gems: Tokyo Moon Cafe Introduces Homey Korean Flavors to Japan Town
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- Published on 21 March 2026
- Written by Khang Nguyễn. Photos by Cao Nhân.
Stepping into Tokyo Moon is like venturing into a world of wonders, neatly packed within a mere 35-square-meter space.
Tourists Generate Up to 3 Times More Plastic Waste Than Locals, UNDP Finds
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- Published on 19 March 2026
- Written by Saigoneer.
A recent report by the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) warns that plastic waste pollution poses increasing problems for both the environment and the economy of the tourism industry, especially as the sector continues to grow rapidly.
HCMC's Đồng Khởi Among World's Top 20 Most Expensive Retail Streets, Report Says
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- Published on 18 March 2026
- Written by Saigoneer.
Saigon’s very own Đồng Khởi has once again made the list of world’s commercial streets with the highest annual rents.
The Facetious Gender Politics of Gỗ Lim, Hanoi's Feminist Post-Punk Quintet
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- Published on 16 March 2026
- Written by Thi Nguyễn.
In an example of cruel irony, October 20 is when we celebrate annual Vietnam Women's Day, and also the anniversary of the passing of Mai Nga (commonly known as Nga Nhí), the lead singer of Gỗ Lim — a Hanoi-based female post-punk band that, albeit short-lived, struck a blow for women’s representation in rock and metal music in Vietnam in 2011 and 2012.
From Quảng Nam to Gwangju: Confronting the Bloody History of South Korea's 'Vietnam'
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- Published on 15 March 2026
- Written by San Kwon. Top graphic by Dương Trương.
In her novel Human Acts, the renowned South Korean author and Nobel Prize recipient Han Kang writes about the May 18 Democratization Movement, also known as the Gwangju Uprising. That month, student-led demonstrations broke out in the city of Gwangju following army general Chun Doo-hwan’s coup d'état, and his military government responded with a violent crackdown and an indiscriminate massacre of civilians.
'Chuyện Của Pao' Turned a Historic H'Mông Home in Hà Giang Into a Tourist Attraction
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- Published on 13 March 2026
- Written by Paul Christiansen. Top graphic by Hannah Hoàng.
The photos don’t do it justice. That’s what you’ll often hear from people who visit Hà Giang to cruise its famed highway loop.
Hẻm Gems: Inside a Modernist Abode, O Phương’s Bún Bò Harks Back to Huế Flavors
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- Published on 13 March 2026
- Written by Văn Tân. Photos by Jimmy Art Devier.
“O” is the affectionate way central Vietnamese call their sisters and aunties. For children of Central Vietnam like me, it has taken root in me like the most natural anchor of home. Sometimes when I’m out and about, glimpses of the accent of my hometown would pull me back home.
How Vietnam's Muslims Celebrate Ramadan, Eid Al-Fitr in Mekong Delta's Châu Đốc
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- Published on 10 March 2026
- Written by Abdelaziz Ibrahim. Photos by Abdelaziz Ibrahim.
Islam is the fastest-growing religion in the world, yet Vietnamese Muslims represent as little as 0.1% of the country’s population. Most are ethnic Chăm, while a few are foreigners and a few converts. After traveling to Châu Đốc in An Giang Province, where the majority are located, I was mesmerized by the unique cultural mix this community represents.
How Did Vietnam Start Celebrating International Women's Day on March 8?
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- Published on 05 March 2026
- Written by Saigoneer.
In the hyper-commercialized world we now live in, it might be impossible to associate anything but overpriced flower bouquets and corporate sponsorships with International Women’s Day (IWD), but the widely celebrated occasion actually has a rich history of over 100 years of the women’s rights movement.
Hẻm Gems: Bánh Canh Hẹ Is Phú Yên's Homage to Chives and the Sea
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- Published on 05 March 2026
- Written by Khang Nguyễn. Photos by Alberto Prieto.
Ever since I was a kid, I have had a general dislike towards vegetables, but green onion has always been an exception. I regard green onion as a garnish that can lighten up the whole dish, and it seems like whenever it’s absent from my cơm tấm or xôi mặn, I will instantly lose my enthusiasm to eat. But during my teenage years, my affection for scallion was challenged for the first time, when I encountered a photo of Phú Yên’s bánh canh hẹ online.
Life on the Streets of 1978 Hanoi in Black and White
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- Published on 05 March 2026
- Written by Dr Stephen Black.
In August 1978, I visited Hanoi as part of an educational tour organized by a professor from La Trobe University in Melbourne. I was a high school history teacher at the time and an avid photographer. I walked the streets of Hanoi and took many photographs of everyday life in the city, and until now, these photographs have remained unpublished.
Welcome to the New Age of Mass-Produced, Enshittified Plastic Bánh Giò
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- Published on 04 March 2026
- Written by Khôi Phạm. Top graphic by Dương Trương.
Do you always remember the first time you tried a new food? With common staples like hủ tiếu, bún riêu or cơm tấm, that might be difficult, but I can recall exactly the first time I had bánh giò: it was from a bike vendor with a very distinctive northern-accented street call of “chưng, gai, bánh giò.”
Hanoi Breaks Ground on Sports Complex With World's 2nd-Largest Stadium
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- Published on 03 March 2026
- Written by Saigoneer.
Hanoi is currently building the country’s largest sports complex that’s hoped to become Vietnam’s go-to location to host international events and tournaments.
A Brief History of Ông Đồ, Vietnam’s Scholars Whose Calligraphy Is Highly Sought After
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- Published on 02 March 2026
- Written by Văn Tân.
To say that Tết gathers together everything most beautiful in Vietnamese culture would not be an exaggeration. More than a threshold between the old year and the new, it is also a time when people feel they can return to, and relive, the traditional values that define them.
From Dark to Dawn, an Early Morning at Hội An's Duy Hải Fish Market
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- Published on 01 March 2026
- Written by Paul Christiansen. Photos by Alberto Prieto.
At 3am, Hội An’s streets resemble dog-gnawed pork bones, licked clean of all scent and viscera. No light, no noise, no movement. But that’s the time you must venture out to witness the Duy Hải Fish Market in action.
Saigon Approves Plan to Extend Metro Line 1 to Long Thành International Airport
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- Published on 26 February 2026
- Written by Saigoneer.
Plans for eventual metro access to the Long Thành International Airport are taking shape.
A Rare Album by Photographer Bruno Barbey Brings Us Back to Tết in 1994 Hanoi
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- Published on 25 February 2026
- Written by Saigoneer.
What do you remember most about the 1990s? Do you remember the fashion, the old-timey technology, or the lack of traffic? And if you were just a wee child, do these memories stay with you?
Review: 'New Wave' Documentary Is a Surprisingly Personal Dissection of 1980s Nostalgia
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- Published on 23 February 2026
- Written by San Kwon. Top graphic by Ngọc Tạ.
Melodic synth-lines and steady electronic drums. Today, the signature sounds of new wave music feel perhaps a bit old and outdated. During its high point during the 1980s, however, new wave was hailed as music of the future.
