in Hanoi

I Keep My Connection to My Family's Hanoi Tết Traditions in a Tiny Quất Tree

I am not a plant person. So when even I notice the abundance of vườn kiểng — a place selling a myriad of plants — it must mean that Saigoneers truly love buying plants. Some of my friends, who are also Hanoians, asked me one day to visit these vườn kiểng and look for Tết plants: “Let’s celebrate Tết the way northerners do, you know?” And somehow, being amongst the plants brought me right back to Quảng Bá Flower Market in Tây Hồ.

Paul Christiansen

in Saigon

How to Curate the Best Playlist to Listen to While Riding the Saigon Metro

When you get a new toy, it's only reasonable to take it out to play with as often as possible.

Paul Christiansen

in Vietnam

Đi Bão Is Vietnamese Culture at Its Most Jubilant, Raucous, and Fervent

Dustbins, tree branches, advertising stands and tarps, leftover Christmas decorations, whatever pot, pan, ladle or utensil left unattended in the family kitchen, and at least one street vendor’s bánh khọt mold: whatever wasn’t bolted down got caught up in the wave of đi bão that filled Saigon’s streets last night. 

in Saigon

Life in Saigon's Old Tenements, the Remaining Vertical Villages of Past Decades

Is “out with the old, in with the new” the new motto when it comes to Saigon's real estate scene?

in Saigon

A Merry Memory of a Mid-2000s Middle-Class Christmas in Saigon

As my palm felt the glossy wrapping paper for my Secret Santa gift, I was transported to my early childhood Christmases — filled with warmth, wonder, and the bubbling discomfort of class insecurities.

in Saigon

Watching Snowfall in 'Home Alone' Is My Saigon Christmas Tradition

Christmas is so globally celebrated that even in Saigon, as the coldest time of the year approaches, you can hear Christmas hymms echoing from homes in the alley, and spot houses adorned with Christmas trees, Santas, snowmen, regardless of their cultural relevance to Vietnamese culture. For me, one of the activities that truly embodies this global spirit of Christmas is watching Home Alone (1990). 

Paul Christiansen

in Vietnam

‘Công tử Bạc Liêu’ Asks: ‘What Would You Do if You Won the Lottery?’

They say you don’t buy a lottery ticket because you think you’ll win; you buy one so that you can fantasize about winning.

in Vietnam

For Hội An Residents, Learning to Live With Floods Is a Fact of Life

The water reached my shoulders, and when I stepped into the street I suddenly felt the current trying to pull me into its invisible grasp. A familiar feeling that set off an alarm inside my head: “Be careful! It looks like nothing, but don’t get caught in it.”

Back Stories

in Saigon

Murder Charge Announced for Woman Who Beat 8-Year-Old to Death

The Ho Chi Minh City Police Department announced yesterday that they are now investigating Nguyễn Võ Quỳnh Trang for murder in response to evidence that she beat her fiance's eight-year-old daughter t...

in Saigon

Year in Review: Saigoneer's Picks for Favorite Features (and More) of 2021

In 2021, it seems impossible to browse the news anywhere without coming across a COVID-19 update. While pandemic news is crucial to get people informed, we can all concur that reading grim information...

in Hanoi

Mattress Company Fined VND137m for Half-Naked Santas on Hanoi Metro

A mattress company was fined VND137 million for its recent advertising stunt involving half-naked men showing off their abs on the Hanoi metro.

in Vietnam

Vietnam Says No to Proposal to Import 37 Used Train Cars From Japan

Even though the plan to repurpose secondhand trains from Japan might be cost-effective, state officials deem them too old to be imported.

in Vietnam

Vietnam to Build Nuclear Research Reactor With Help From Russia

With assistance from Russia, Vietnam will build a 10-megawatt nuclear reactor for researching medical treatments that could be the first step in eventually reviving moribund plans to build nuclear pow...

in Vietnam

Xòe, a Thái Dance Tradition, Is Recognized as a UNESCO Intangible Cultural Heritage

Xòe, a distinctive performance art by members of the Thái ethnic minority, was the latest Vietnamese cultural tradition inscribed by UNESCO as an officially recognized Intangible Cultural Heritage.

in Vietnam

Vietnam to Cut Quarantine for Vaccinated Passengers to 3 Days From Jan 1

Promising changes are on the horizon for those wishing to return to Vietnam.

in Saigon

Public Bike Service Finally Launches in Saigon After Week of Delay

After an unexplained delay, Saigon's first public bike rental system launched today.

in Vietnam

UNICEF Report Reveals Harsh Realities for Women, Children, Ethnic Minorities

Over 70% of Vietnamese under the age of 15 experience verbal or physical abuse, according to a new UNICEF report.

in Vietnam

Hoi An Signs Agreement With Four Paws to Cease Consumption of Dog, Cat Meats

The move is certainly a step in the right direction, though it remains to be seen which concrete steps local authorities will take to honor their promise.

in Vietnam

Lego to Build First Carbon-Neutral Factory in Binh Duong

Vietnam is set to produce the beloved bricks as regional demand for the Danish toy rises.

in Saigon

Over 70% of Parents of Grade 1 Students Don't Support In-Person Classes

In-person learning for Saigon's Grade 1 students is set to resume on December 13 for two weeks as a trial program, but more than 70% of parents don't want their children to return to the classroom.

in Hanoi

Hanoi Looks Into Banning Motorcycles in City Center From 2025

Authorities are researching a plan to ban motorcycles in the city center from 2025 onward.

in Saigon

Public Bike Rental Service to Launch in Saigon on Friday

Saigoneers are about to have a new way to get around town.

in Vietnam

A Vietnam Representative Won Miss Grand International for the First Time

Nguyễn Thúc Thùy Tiên has become the first Vietnam representative to win the crown at Miss Grand International.

in Hanoi

Hanoi Suffers Vietnam's Worst Air Pollution in 2020, Scientists Say

While many northern provinces scored poorly, Hanoi took the distinction of having the highest average PM2.5 concentration for 2020.

in Hanoi

[Photos] Dilapidated and Abandoned, Hồ Tây's 'Floating Castles' Are Finally Dismantled

After almost five years of rotting in abandonment, a few of the cruise boats on West Lake are finally being dismantled.

in Saigon

Southern Vietnam to Experience More Cold Spells Until Christmas: Experts

If you’ve enjoyed Saigon’s “wintry” mornings this past week, there’s more to come.

in Vietnam

Homegrown Vaccine Covivac Suspends Testing Due to Lack of Unvaccinated Volunteers

Citing a lack of unvaccinated volunteers for necessary human trials, the third phase of testing for Vietnam's Covivac COVID-19 vaccine has been indefinitely suspended.

in Saigon

Felled Heritage Trees on Nguyen Binh Khiem Cause Outrage Among Saigoneers

Over the weekend, some Saigoneers were shocked to see images surfacing online showing city maintenance workers chopping down heritage trees along Nguyen Binh Khiem Street.