La Petite Ecole’s French Curriculum Benefits Families Well Beyond Saigon’s French Community
“When you learn a language, you don’t just learn the language, you learn new attitudes, ways of thinking, culture and history,” explains Aline Nguyen, the Principal of La Petite Ecole Ho Chi Minh.
Pride Fest, Cambodia's Most Ambitious LGBT Event to Date, Is Coming This Week
On a steamy evening in downtown Phnom Penh, Rebecca Chan takes the stage. The crowd — mostly Cambodian millennials and Gen Z's — is riled up from previous performances, but Chan’s composure tames their energy. She prowls around the raised platform in knee-high boots. Her skin-thin dress flaunts the contours of her body. She circles calmly and seductively to tantalize the hushed audience below. They track her every move in anticipation of what’s to come.
Paul Christiansen in Saigon
The Simple Pleasures of Kite-Flying in Thủ Thiêm
One of the most elegant means to observe the textured heft and untethered strength of otherwise-invisible wind — there is plenty one could say about the poetry of flying kites.
Summer 2023 Is the Hottest on Record in Vietnam Due to El Niño
While the past weeks have felt like living in a sauna for Saigoneers, north-central Vietnam provinces experienced even hotter temperatures this summer.
On Finding Flavors of Home in Takadanobaba, Tokyo's 'Vietnam Town'
A bánh mì stand to the left, signs for Bích Karaoke above an alley across the street, an open shopfront lined with bottles of Chin-Su chili sauce and G7 coffee sachets, a laid back restaurant where waiters dish out steaming bowls of noodles to customers perched on plastic stools.
Plan to Put Canopy Over Treeless Lê Lợi Pavement Sparks Debate
Late last week, the Ho Chi Minh City Department of Planning and Architecture unveiled a proposal to install canopies across Lê Lợi Boulevard’s pavement.
In the Mekong Delta, Ferries Are Childhood Friends and Daily Companions
The Mekong Delta is called Đồng bằng Sông Cửu Long in Vietnamese — the Nine Dragons River, for the way the mighty Mekong splits into multiple strands as it nears its final destination, the East Sea.
Paul Christiansen in Saigon
Vignette: For Cafe 81 and the '404 Not Found' Places of Our Lives
We all have them.
Huế Announces Plan to Transform Hồ Thủy Tiên Waterpark Into Public Space
Authorities are planning to turn the long-abandoned Hồ Thủy Tiên Waterpark into a public space with the construction of a walking path, lighting, drainage system and water supply.
A Saigon Restaurant Poisoned Dozens of Stray Cats. What Happened to Those That Survived?
Almost 10 months ago, my life was turned upside down as our household welcomed a new feline member.
Hanoi Starts Revoking Operating Licenses of Cafes on 'Train Street' This Week
Hanoi is shutting down its infamous "Train Street" starting this weekend.
Cô Tô Island District Says No to Single-Use Plastics From September
With insufficient waste management facilities, many island localities in Vietnam face literal barrages of trash.
Bình Dương Gang Drives Car, Steals Mooncakes, Eats Almost Everything Before Arrest
If you ever feel overwhelmed by mooncake gifts this Trung Thu, remember that there are underprivileged others who might have to resort to driving their car to steal bánh Trung Thu.
Vietnam Will Add Birthplace to New Passport Design After EU Visa Rejections
A temporary solution has been proposed for holders of Vietnam’s new passports, but it’s unclear at the moment when the state government will come up with a design update to include the missing “Place ...
Saigon Extends Notre-Dame Cathedral Renovation by 4 Years to 2027
Originally scheduled for completion in 2020 and then delayed once to 2023, repairs to the Notre-Dame Cathedral Basilica of Saigon's roof, windows, flooring, exterior and core wooden structure are...
While Seeking Lost Pets, Nha Trang Man Rescues 31 Dogs From Slaughterhouse
A man living in Nha Trang has earned kudos from animal lovers across Vietnam for saving 31 local dogs.
Nearly 50% of Produce Sampled at Saigon Wholesale Markets Contains Pesticide Residues
Nearly 50% samples of fruits and vegetables gathered from Saigon wholesale markets were found to contain pesticide residues, while significant amounts of seafood tested positive for dangerous metals a...
Airport Officer Suspended After Passenger Brings Knife on Flight to Prepare Mango Snack
A passenger's seemingly innocent in-air fruit snack has called into question the effectiveness of Tân Sơn Nhất's security screenings.
Tân Sơn Nhất Airport's New Terminal Will Have Áo Dài-Inspired Design
After years of existing on paper, Tân Sơn Nhất’s third terminal (T3) has slowly materialized in the form of visual renderings.
Vietnam Consumer Protection Watchdog Asks Grab to Explain New 'Hot Weather' Fee
A “hot weather” fee is Grab’s latest surcharge on a shopping list of other additional fees the ride-hailing giant tacks on to each ride.
At Saigon's Oldest Ornamental Fish Market, Fish Are Friends, Not Food
It is a street, not a river, that comes to mind when people talk about vibrant fish in Saigon. Located in District 5, Lưu Xuân Tín Street is only approximately 500 meters long, but it is home to ...
Saigon Police Want Nhậu Eateries to Report Drunk Customers Who Try to Drive
Now that public gathering is no longer a health hazard, Saigon’s drunk driving epidemic is back in full swing.
Bắc Giang Farmers Successfully Grow Seedless Lychees
After years of experimenting, Bắc Giang has finally succeeded in growing seedless lychees.
Saigon Zoo Starts Making Chemical-Free Paper From Elephant Poo
One kilogram of elephant dung yields about 20 sheets of paper for use in Saigon schools.
Without State Subsidies, Hanoi Metro Records $2.3m in Losses in 2021
Pre-subsidies, Vietnam's first operational metro route — Hanoi's Cát Linh-Hà Đông Metro Line — recorded VND54 billion (US$2.32 million) in losses in 2021.
All Aboard Bus 146, Home of Plushies, Rubber Chickens and a Side of Humanity
“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 ad...
In a D6 Hẻm, Saigon's Last Remaining Broom-Making 'Village'
Nestled in a hẻm on Phạm Phú Thứ Street, District 6 is Saigon’s last remaining broom-making village.
Huế Launches Public Bicycle Trial Program With 7 Stations, 250 Bikes
This Monday, Huế launched the pilot phase of its public bike rental system.
