A Tribute to the Incredibly Eye-Catching, Organic Signage of Sa Đéc
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- Published on 11 August 2025
- Written by Saigoneer. Photos by Alberto Prieto. Top graphic by Ngàn Mai.
Signs are like voices.
Tàu Cánh Ngầm: The Curious Case of Saigon’s Lost Soviet Hydrofoils
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- Published on 07 August 2025
- Written by Brian Letwin. Top image by Dennis Jarvis.
Not long ago, hulking “creatures” glided atop the waters between Saigon and Vũng Tàu. Like the dinosaurs that came before them, they slowly disappeared, until all that was left were their skeletons.
The Reason to Cry for Cu Li, Vietnam's Deeply Misunderstood Primate
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- Published on 06 August 2025
- Written by Paul Christiansen. Illustrations by Ngọc Tạ.
A drop of the animal’s blood renders the soil barren; entire mountains can crumble and collapse where it landed. Be wary of this slow wayfarer of the forest, for if you catch sight of its glowing eyes in the distant darkness, your trip is doomed and should be abandoned immediately. And if someone brings one back to the village, make all efforts to return it to the jungle, lest you invite sorrow and ruin into your home. Don’t let its meagre stature, a mere 500 grams, and slow, cuddly demeanor confuse you; the cu li guards the gates to hell.
On a Walking Tour, Mulling Over the Glorious Past and Odious Present of Tô Lịch River
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- Published on 05 August 2025
- Written by Linh Phạm. Graphic by Hannah Hoàng.
We began our journey in front of a bank where the street Trần Nhật Duật turned into Chợ Gạo.
Hẻm Gems: 3 Hào, a Retro Industrial Cafe in D7 for Night Owls on Deadlines
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- Published on 04 August 2025
- Written by Vĩnh An. Photos by Hạo Lê.
What do you think of when imagining a cafe? For me, it's plants in every corner, small and cute paintings that adorn the walls, or a light- and neutral-colored space that brings a sense of peace to customers. What would happen if a coffee shop attempted to subvert most of these elements? This is the case of 3 Hào Cafe, a combination of vintage industrial ambiance and, of course, good drinks.
In 1920s–1940s Paris, Vietnamese Artists Painted Through the Interwar Period as the 'Others'
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- Published on 01 August 2025
- Written by An Trần.
How did Vietnamese artists navigate the complex tides of social and political changes, and mark their own position in the art world as the “Others” during interwar Paris — which was celebrated as the “City of Lights,” yet also a stage for both colonial propaganda and a ground for anti-colonial resistance?
The Surprisingly Recent History Behind Bình Thạnh's Lonely 'Gia-Đinh' Gate
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- Published on 01 August 2025
- Written by Tim Doling. Photo by Lee Starnes.
It’s claimed by several tourism websites that a gateway from one of the ancient Gia Định citadels has survived and may be viewed on the Lê Văn Duyệt-Phan Đăng Lưu intersection in Bình Thạnh District, close to the Lê Văn Duyệt Mausoleum. However, a little research into the history of that area reveals that the gateway in question has more recent origins.
5 Saigon Coffee Shops Based in Buildings With Southern Modernist Architecture
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- Published on 31 July 2025
- Written by Khôi Phạm. Graphic by Ngọc Tạ. Photos by Khôi Phạm.
Saigon is a cafe enthusiast’s paradise. A decades-old coffee culture fostered by previous generations is still alive and well, in addition to the latest global trends brought over by the younger generation of baristas. When it comes to interior styles and vibes, there’s a little something for everyone, from gritty industrial to spartan Japandi chic to Saigon’s very own southern modernist architecture.
The Hunt for Vietnam's Dinosaurs Has Found Nothing Yet, but There Is Hope
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- Published on 30 July 2025
- Written by Paul Christiansen and Khôi Nguyễn. Graphics by Ngọc Tạ.
Why aren’t there any Vietnamese dinosaurs?
In Hanoi, Waacking Is Not Just a Dance, but a Home for Creativity, Gender Fluidity Too
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- Published on 29 July 2025
- Written by Nguyệt. Photos by Léo-Paul Guyot. Graphic by Lê Minh Phương.
“I get to express my madness.” That is what Trần Khánh Linh, also known as Lyna, says when asked why she has been waacking for the last 10 years. By day, Lyna is a jewelry and gemstone seller, but by night, she joins her friends at the Soul Waackers, a waacking group based in Hanoi, and practices a dance style that allows her a vibrant way to self-express.
Wipha, Yagi and Luc-Binh: How Are Tropical Storms Named in the Pacific Region?
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- Published on 28 July 2025
- Written by Khôi Phạm.
Wipha was the latest typhoon to batter Vietnam this year, sweeping through northern provinces like Hưng Yên, Ninh Bình, Nghệ An, and Thanh Hóa and causing dangerous floods. It was 2025’s third and probably will not be the last that Vietnam will have to endure this year.
Vietnam's Colonial Histories Reimagined as Fictional Adventure Tale in ‘The Year Is XXXX’
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- Published on 27 July 2025
- Written by An Trần.
We often encounter adventure tales in books and through adaptations of films or television. But what if a newly imagined adventure tale can also be written as an exhibition — one that maps strange-yet-familiar landscapes with a colonial history of exploration and exploitation?
The Legends of Thăng Long Tứ Trấn, the 4 Guardian Temples Protecting Hanoi
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- Published on 25 July 2025
- Written by Hà Bích Ngọc and Mia Trịnh. Photos by Alberto Prieto.
In the edict to move Vietnam’s capital to Hanoi, Emperor Lý Thái Tổ described this land as the middle of heaven and earth, the center of the four directions. Such a place would bring peace and prosperity, he believed, and deserved sacred protection.
Hẻm Gems: A Bún Bò in Huế That Rivals Even Saigon's Best Bún Bò Huế
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- Published on 25 July 2025
- Written by Paul Christiansen. Photos by Alberto Prieto.
Plastic stools circling low metal tables. Staff wearing pajamas and street clothes that match patrons welcomed from all walks of life. Meagre and/or mismatched decor. Views of street traffic with motorbike engines as soundtrack. Brief menus sometimes consisting of a single dish. A strict cash-only policy (until recent years, at least). Minimal concern for health-safety regulations. No artifice of chef as artist or meal as a masterpiece. While we can quibble over a specific, all-encompassing definition for streetfood restaurant, there are many qualities most will agree they share.
Contemporary Hip-Hop Dance '129BPM' to Perform at Art Festival in Malaysia in August
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- Published on 24 July 2025
- Written by Saigoneer.
After two successful nights in Saigon last year, a mesmerizing contemporary hip-hop dance performance is bringing its raw energy abroad.
Visit a 160-Year-Old Chapel Inside Saigon's Historic St. Joseph's Seminary
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- Published on 23 July 2025
- Written by Tuyết Nhi. Photos by Alberto Prieto.
Hidden within the compound of the Saigon St. Joseph’s Seminary is a historic chapel that has withstood the test of time.
The Surprising Japanese Origin Behind the Vietnamese Term 'Ô Sin'
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- Published on 21 July 2025
- Written by Khôi Phạm.
It’s not uncommon to come across words in everyday conversations that have roots in the French language. Albeit less frequently, a handful of Russian and English loan words have also made their way into our lives at times, but for a term of Japanese origin to have taken root deep in the collective psyche of Vietnamese, that’s rare.
There's a Cordial Vietnamese Greeting That Has Been Floating in Space Since 1977
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- Published on 18 July 2025
- Written by Uyên Đỗ.
At this very moment, while you're reading these lines, a silver “bird” of human design is hurtling away from the Sun at roughly 60,000 kilometers per hour, slipping past the boundaries of our solar cradle and into the endless quiet of the cosmos.
Feel the Pulse of a Fast-Changing Vietnam in the 1990s via This Lively Photo Album
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- Published on 18 July 2025
- Written by Saigoneer.
By the mid-1990's, Vietnam's astounding economic transformation was well underway.
Remembering Thuy Trang, the First Vietnamese Power Ranger
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- Published on 17 July 2025
- Written by Khôi Phạm. Graphic by Mai Khanh.
It was the late 1990s, and I was standing in front of the bathroom mirror of our childhood home, holding my dad’s solid-metal belt buckle up with a pseudo-serious expression on my baby face. Fortunately, I wasn’t doing a YouTuber-style makeup review, but was in fact mirroring the transformation sequence of my favorite TV idols, the Mighty Morphin Power Rangers.
