'Chronicles of a Village' Is an Avant-Garde Deconstruction of the Familiar Rural Vietnam
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- Published on 15 July 2022
- Written by Paul Christiansen.
How would you tell the story of your birth soil?
From Indulgent Sadness to Renewed Optimism: The Evolution of Nhạc Của Trang
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- Published on 13 July 2022
- Written by Ann Ann. Photos courtesy of Nhạc của Trang.
Over the last few years, Ngô Minh Trang (better known as Nhạc của Trang) has become a household name of the local indie scene thanks to a repertoire of melancholy, poignant songs. This year, after taking a break, Trang has put behind the “blue 20s” era to open a new chapter full of peaceful contemplation and gratitude in her new album “Chỉ Có Thể Là Anh.”
[Photos] A House in Sơn La Cocoons Its Residents Around a Quiet Courtyard
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- Published on 12 July 2022
- Written by Saigoneer.
In many up-and-coming urban areas in Vietnam, empty plots of land are sectioned off and sold as narrow puzzle pieces that will eventually become towering tube houses facing the chaos of arterial streets. Wouldn’t it be a welcome change to wake up and face the calm of your own garden instead of traffic?
A Merry Morning Over the Fish Markets and Salt Fields of Phan Rang
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- Published on 11 July 2022
- Written by Eric Hundert. Photos by Eric Hundert.
I live in Đà Lạt, so the most direct route to the coast brings me to Phan Rang, which is where I often go for the beach and seafood.
Local Businesses Find Flexible Solutions at MyStorage
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- Published on 11 July 2022
- Written by Saigoneer. Photos by Alberto Prieto.
The sleek aesthetic of a bakery specializing in meticulously crafted high-end pastries would be ruined by stacks of packaging stored between the bright display case and the open kitchen.
Hẻm Gems: A Thai Feast on a Hẻm Pavement, With Vietnamese Fusion Twists
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- Published on 10 July 2022
- Written by Uyên Đỗ. Photos by Alberto Prieto and Lê Thái Hoàng Nguyên.
While Thailand and Vietnam have long been perpetual rivals in the football arena, at this streetside Hẻm Gem, the two cultures forge a harmonious relationship.
Saigon Postcard No. 30: The Cacophony of a Healed Saigon
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- Published on 08 July 2022
- Written by Uyên Đỗ. Illustration by Hương Đỗ.
It doesn’t feel so long ago that Saigon went into battle mode against invaders of microscopic scales.
Ngõ Nooks: A Classic Thanh Trì-Style Bánh Cuốn That Took a Century to Perfect
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- Published on 07 July 2022
- Written by Hà Tạ. Photos by Long Nguyễn.
Bánh Cuốn Bà Hoành is nearly a century old, and both the eatery’s name and the authenticity of the food they serve stem from the same source: the culinary wisdom of Grandma Hồng.
How Exotic Pole Dance Challenges Both Personal Limits and Gender Stereotypes
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- Published on 06 July 2022
- Written by Yui Nguyễn. Photos courtesy of Quân Bùi. Top graphic by Hannah Hoàng.
Flashing flares of neon lights hug the body of a dancer who’s spinning around a pole in the raucous thrum of music and sensuous gasps. In the mind of the average Vietnamese, pole dancing is often associated with more sordid corners of society. On the contrary, in the past decade, this performing art has slowly earned a respectable place in the country as not only a mesmerizing spectacle, but also a formidable sport.
Vietnam Surpasses South Korea as World's No. 1 Consumer of Instant Noodles Per Capita
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- Published on 06 July 2022
- Written by Saigoneer.
Vietnam’s penchant for mì gói has propelled us to the top position among the world’s instant noodle consumers.
In Đà Lạt, Greenhouses Revolutionize Farming, but at What Environmental Cost?
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- Published on 05 July 2022
- Written by Govi Snell. Photos by Thịnh Doãn and Govi Snell.
Plastic greenhouses in the city of Đà Lạt may protect farmers from the impacts of erratic weather, but the environmental toll of agri-plastics is building in the agriculture-dependent region.
Mang Thít, Vĩnh Long's 'Kingdom of Brick Kilns,' Is on Its Last Legs
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- Published on 04 July 2022
- Written by Hiếu Y. Photos by Ninh and Luân Nguyễn.
Along the rivers and canals of Mang Thít, clouds of smoke from the Mekong Delta’s last brick kilns languidly stream into the air.
Hẻm Gems: Hide From the Monsoon Rain at Đặng Thị Nhu's Lost & Found Cafe
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- Published on 03 July 2022
- Written by Hoa Đỗ. Photos by Lê Thái Hoàng Nguyên. Top graphic by Hannah Hoàng.
Lost & Found Café is a newly opened sister establishment to the popular Lost & Found Bar. Both adopt a pre-1975 Saigon vibe that I, as a Gen-Z Saigoneer who is nostalgic for old Saigon, immediately click with.
[Photos] This Buôn Ma Thuột House Is a Cottagecore Dreamland
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- Published on 30 June 2022
- Written by Saigoneer.
In recent years, the Central Highlands has slowly become one of the most sought-after regions in Vietnam for young people to travel and live in.
Hiimhii Used to Struggle at Karaoke, so He Decides to Write His Own Songs
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- Published on 28 June 2022
- Written by Ann Ann.
Despite his late entrance in the music scene, Hiimhii and his trusty ukulele has quickly won the hearts of many Vietnamese indie fans with his mellow, contemplative compositions.
In Seattle, a Vietnamese Jewelry Maker Finds Comfort in the Quirky and Queer
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- Published on 27 June 2022
- Written by Khóa Fa. Photos courtesy of XYZ Style Co. Top graphic by Hannah Hoàng.
The big, bold, and fun accessories with an air of mystique that Đinh Nguyễn Song Khanh and their spouse, Meiyin, create under their brand XYZ reflect their definition of queer fashion in the US, where they now live with a bunch of cute and mischievous cats.
All Aboard Bus 146, Home of Plushies, Rubber Chickens and a Side of Humanity
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- Published on 24 June 2022
- Written by Uyên Đỗ. Photo by Alberto Prieto.
“Cute” doesn’t seem like a fitting descriptor for any mode of public transport, but a bus in Saigon is driving straight into the heart of Saigoneers for being the quintessence of “smotheringly adorable.”
Review: 'Maika' Is What Happens When You Take Children Seriously
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- Published on 24 June 2022
- Written by Khôi Phạm.
Maika is a loving tribute to Vietnam’s childhood icon of the 1980s, but for those who didn’t grow up with the original Eastern European series, what’s in it for us?
Đom Đóm: Why the Light Is Going Out for Fireflies in Vietnam
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- Published on 23 June 2022
- Written by Uyên Đỗ. Graphics by Hannah Hoàng and Phan Nhi.
Much like their brief existence on Earth, once-common fireflies are quickly disappearing from Vietnam’s natural and oral histories.
In Ninh Thuận, a Bamboo Scientist Builds the 'Great Green Wall' to Protect the Soil
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- Published on 21 June 2022
- Written by Annigje Jacobs and Brice Godard.
In Ninh Thuận Province, not far from the South-Central Coast, Dr. Diệp Thị Mỹ Hạnh, a botanist, is growing a "wall" of bamboo.
