Nhiêu Lộc Canal Hosted Trudeau's Night Run. Why Is It Not as Famous as Obama's Bún Chả?
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- Published on 25 March 2024
- Written by Khôi Phạm. Graphic by Tiên Ngô.
You know how much Vietnamese culture revolves around food by the fact that one of the first questions we pose to any foreign visitor is “What’s your favorite Vietnamese dish?” Asking about other aspects of the country could invite honest opinions that some of us might not be prepared to hear. Deep down, more than anybody else, we know that our air quality is subpar and our urban cleanliness leaves much to be desired, but our food is the one thing every Vietnamese can trust to make us proud. What easier way to foster diplomacy than to center the conversation around deliciousness?
How Nam Cao Almost Ruined My Favorite Canal Cafe
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- Published on 22 March 2024
- Written by Paul Christiansen.
Spoilers for an 80-year-old story that every student in the nation is required to read: the dog dies, the old man dies, his son's misfortunes show no sign of abetting. Simply, misery abounds at the end of “Lão Hạc.”
On a Boat Ride Through Nhiêu Lộc Canal, a Fish's-Eye View of Saigon
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- Published on 20 March 2024
- Written by Paul Christiansen. Photos by Cao Nhân,.
Could your life in Saigon be made into a quirky indie film?
Hẻm Gems: While the Day Away Under the Green Canopy of Cỏ Cafe
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- Published on 19 March 2024
- Written by Khôi Phạm. Photos by Kevin Lee.
Under a thick canopy of verdant vines and minuscule pink flowers, it’s easy to indulge in the cooling comfort of a glass of iced tamarind juice and while the day away.
The Nhiêu Lộc-Thị Nghè Canal's Comeback Story
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- Published on 19 March 2024
- Written by Paul Christiansen. Photos by Alberto Prieto.
Water has no hometown.
Galuocad's Artworks Create a Universe of Very-Vietnamese Whimsy
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- Published on 18 March 2024
- Written by Uyên Đỗ. Illustrations by Galuocad.
Staying in one place for an extended period can lead to what's known as the "boiled frog effect."
A World of Riveting Medically Inspired Magic in Vanessa Le's YA Debut
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- Published on 15 March 2024
- Written by Stephanie Creamer.
Captured by Butchers, the “blackmarket bogey men who deal in rare goods,” Nhika Suonyasan is caged and auctioned off to the city’s elite. A figure in a fox mask attempting to purchase her is outbid by a rich family that carts her off to a mansion that boasts luxury beyond anything Nhika has ever seen. The family immediately commands her to heal a witness to the wealthy patriarch’s death.
Lemaire's Campaigns Blend Vietnam's Street Scenes, French Fashion
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- Published on 14 March 2024
- Written by Saigoneer.
Stuck in traffic on a Honda Cub, but make it fashion.
Hẻm Gems: Come up, We're Watching Old Movies on the Neighbor's Wall
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- Published on 13 March 2024
- Written by Mầm. Photos by Cao Nhân.
“Thank you for contacting Khôngtrung.bar. Our business hours are 6pm to 1am, Monday to Sunday. Open doors. Cocktails, craft beer, outdoor screening — Thursday and Sunday. Thank you and we hope to bump into you in Không!”
Our Toxic Relationship With Saigon Traffic: A Diagnosis
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- Published on 12 March 2024
- Written by Paul Christiansen. Top photo by Alberto Prieto.
There is no way to describe Saigon traffic literally and have it understood by someone who has not experienced it.
In Hanoi, a Family Home Balances Commercial Hustle With Spiritual Haven
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- Published on 11 March 2024
- Written by Saigoneer.
If many Vietnamese families often opt to reserve one room in their house plan for ancestor worship, this household in Hanoi decided to dedicate an entire backyard to their family altar.
An Homage to the Mekong Delta and Its Bag-Wearing Fruits
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- Published on 08 March 2024
- Written by Paul Christiansen. .
Rats, mice, mosquitos, snakes, centipedes, caterpillars, snails, beetles and slugs: the more fertile a region is, the more pests inhabit it.
In Ê-đê Villages, Bến Nước Is the Heart Pumping Water Across the Community
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- Published on 06 March 2024
- Written by Tuyết Nhi. Photos by Tuyết Nhi.
Ever since the beginning of time, Ê-đê people have treated water as a respected resource of the community. Water, in their belief, is the life force bringing about bountiful harvests for the villages.
Nam Jam Festival Returns to Đà Nẵng With Week of Mural Arts
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- Published on 03 March 2024
- Written by Saigoneer. Photos courtesy of Nam Jam Festival.
The Nam Jam Festival from March 4 to 10 invites more than 50 local and international street artists to create massive works of street art in Đà Nẵng.
Grindr Once Again Names Vietnam Amongst Nations With Highest Percentage of Bottoms
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- Published on 29 February 2024
- Written by Saigoneer. Photo by Léo-Paul Guyot.
Started by Spotify, Unwrapped has become one of tech companies’ favorite marketing campaigns in recent years; LinkedIn, Duolingo, and even Vietnam’s own Zalo are amongst some revelers of this trend in recent years. Last year, gay dating app Grindr continued the tradition with their own annual insights, and Vietnam managed to claim a spot in the roundup.
'Madame Pirate,' Film Project Based on Asia's Greatest Female Pirate, Sets Sail Again
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- Published on 28 February 2024
- Written by Saigoneer. Photos courtesy of Madame Pirate.
Zheng Yi Zao “started as a prostitute, resisted the authority of the Qing emperor, kicked everyone’s bottom, and then got away with it... also she has been ignored by history,” explains Vietnam-based filmmaker and photographer Morgan Ommer for why Taiwan was interested in funding a two-part film that tells the story of the leader of the world's largest pirate fleet.
Hanoi Director's Debut 'Cu Li Never Cries' Wins Best 1st Feature at Berlin Film Festival
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- Published on 27 February 2024
- Written by Saigoneer.
After Inside the Yellow Cocoon Shellwon the Camera D’or award at Cannes last year, this year, another independent film from Vietnam was honored at Berlinale.
French Illustrated Encyclopedia Paints the Slices of Vietnam Life in the 1900s
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- Published on 27 February 2024
- Written by Uyên Đỗ. .
"To effectively govern colonial peoples, the foremost requirement is a thorough understanding of the very people one rules over," so believed Paul Doumer, the second Governor-General of French Indochina, who spent his career imposing the imperial French government's agenda on studying the culture of their colonized subjects.
From Tò He to Tamagotchi: Local Designer Brings Our Childhood Toys to Stamps
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- Published on 23 February 2024
- Written by Saigoneer. Illustrations by Nhi Nguyen.
For Vietnamese kids today, when it comes to games, there’s a possibility that their childhood is entirely confined to the digital world. From phone applications like Temple Run and Pokemon GO to blockbuster releases on the Nintendo Switch, making your own entertainment is much less of a concern for modern children.
Meet 90-Year-Old Huỳnh Văn Ba, the Father of Hội An's Foldable Lanterns
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- Published on 21 February 2024
- Written by Xuân Phương. Photos by Xuân Phương.
In his 90s, Huỳnh Văn Ba’s hair has turned completely silver, but when he was telling me stories about lanterns, his voice and eyes sparkled with a particularly lively hope. Thanks to Ba’s invention — collapsible lanterns — Hội An’s distinctive souvenir can easily follow the footsteps of international tourists to all corners of the globe.
