Pristine Blue Sky and Memorial Park: Ruminating on What the Covid-19 Pandemic Left Us
Recently, I visited Saigon’s newly inaugurated COVID-19 memorial park . Located at 1 Lý Thái Tổ, Vườn Lài Ward, the park o...
HCMC's Đồng Khởi Among World's Top 20 Most Expensive Retail Streets, Report Says
Saigon’s very own Đồng Khởi has once again made the list of world’s commercial streets with the highest annual rents.
Xuân Phương in Hanoi
Every Bánh Chưng Season, Vietnam’s Lá Dong Capital Comes Alive With Harvest Frenzy
On the patches of sandy soil by the river in Kim An Commune, Thanh Oai District, Hanoi, there’s a tiny village named Tràng Cát, where dong leaves have been embedded in local history, memory, and economy for centuries. Right in local courtyard, these broad green leaves were transformed into bánh chưng, ready for Tết feasts across the country.
Paul Christiansen in Saigon
Loneliness Too Waits for the Bus
We are all in this, but not together.
Thoughts I've Had While Stranded in Murky Floodwater on Saigon's High-Tide Days
I’m willing to forgive nearly everything about Saigon. It’s a sign of a sustainable relationship, as I still wish to coexist in peace with this city. To me, Saigon’s midday, even when the searing sun flares the strongest, is when the trees are the most glorious. The sudden bouts of torrential rain are indeed a nuisance, but I tell myself that at least the streets can get a wash after a dusty day. But there’s one thing that never goes away and that I can never write off; something I can’t, for the life of me, find reasons to romanticize or defend. Those are the infuriating floods that submerge Saigon streets every time the tide is high.
Saigon Sees a 10-Year Low of 18°C. What Are the City’s Highest and Lowest Temperatures?
This January, Saigoneers have been enjoying an unusually pleasant stretch of weather, with daytime temperatures hovering around the mid-20s and dipping to 18–20°C late at night and in the early morning.
Vietnam Bans Unskippable Ads, Requires Skip Button to Appear After 5 Seconds
If things go our way, YouTube’s notorious unskippable ads might be a thing of the past come this February.
Grindr Year-End Report Names Vietnam as Country With Biggest Top Shortage
Ever since Spotify launched its first global Wrapped function a few years ago, December has turned into an exciting season of stats-driven year-end reviews. “Wrapping” is now a tradition embraced by numerous apps, such as Strava, Duolingo, YouTube, Reddit, and of course, Grindr.
Year of the Rooster Roundup: Drinking Up, Crime Down During Tet
Apart from a slew of meaningful traditions such as hosting reunions and visiting family graves, Lunar New Year is also an occasion for ugly habits to resurface, such as drunk-driving, fighting and loo...
Morning News Roundup: Vietnam’s Notorious Internet Cable AAG Finally Back Up to Full Speed
Stay connected with Saigoneer on Twitter and Instagram and like us on Facebook. Vietnam’s notorious internet cable AAG finally back up to full speed [VnExpress] P...
Syrian Refugees in Thailand: A Life in Limbo
Instead of heading westward towards Europe – and risk drowning in the Mediterranean during the arduous journey, a slew of Syrian refugees decided to try their luck in Southeast Asia instead. However, ...
Morning News Roundup: Hanoi to Display ‘Fireworks’ on Giant Screens for Lunar New Year
Stay connected with Saigoneer on Twitter and Instagram and like us on Facebook. Hanoi to display ‘fireworks’ on giant screens to see in New Year [VnExpress] Liter...
First-Ever Direct China-UK Freight Train Arrives in London
You can now travel directly from China to the UK by train – well, sort of – if you’re willing to spend the entire trip with socks, clothes and an assortment of other household products.
Saigon, Hanoi Among 10 Most Dynamic Cities in the World
For those Saigoneers stuck in traffic this week as they head to the airport on Tet holiday, just remember this while you're trapped in the gridlock: Saigon is the second most dynamic city in the world...
Saigon Rolls out QR Code Program to Provide Information on Safe Produce
In addition to pork products, Saigon’s veggies are now getting the QR code treatment.
Vietnam Requires Foreign Room-Booking Services to Pay Taxes
In the future, accommodation booking services such as Agoda and Expedia will be required to pay taxes in order to operate in Vietnam.
Morning News Roundup: Trump Takes Office, Kills TPP
Stay connected with Saigoneer on Twitter and Instagram and like us on Facebook. Trump Takes Office, Kills TPP [The Atlantic] Internet firm to spray free wi-fi ove...
Saigon Now Has Its Own Traffic App
On January 19, the Ho Chi Minh City Department of Transport launched a mobile application and a website to give users real-time traffic updates around the city.
Pilot Program Allows Vietnamese to Gamble
Starting in mid-March, eligible Vietnamese citizens will be allowed to gamble in local casinos.
Weekend News Roundup: HCMC’s Downtown Flower Show Ready for Opening
Stay connected with Saigoneer on Twitter and Instagram and like us on Facebook. Ho Chi Minh City’s downtown flower show ready for opening [Tuoi Tre] Hanoi will no...
[Photos] Here Are 7 Southeast Asian Birds You Might Never See Again
We’ve written at length about the bleak future of the Mekong River, which is suffering major environmental degradation due to human activity. But it isn’t only the animals living in the waters of the ...
Morning News Roundup: Vietnam’s Biggest Network Operators to Waive Roaming Fee
Stay connected with Saigoneer on Twitter and Instagram and like us on Facebook. Vietnam’s biggest network operators plan to waive roaming fees [VietnamNet] Vietna...
Nha Trang Fire Destroys Neighborhood, Leaves 40 Families Homeless
Barely a month into 2017, Vietnam has already experienced its first calamity, as a massive fire in Nha Trang reduced an entire neighborhood to ashes.
Morning News Roundup: Vietnamese Parents Shocked Over Adult Content in YouTube Videos for Children
Stay connected with Saigoneer on Twitter and Instagram and like us on Facebook. Vietnamese parents shocked over adult content in YouTube videos for children [VnExpress...
Philippines President Lifts Ban on Contraceptives
President Rodrigo Duterte’s government recently repealed a ban on contraception – a rather surprising move in the predominantly Catholic Philippines – in an effort to reduce poverty and boost economic...
Saigon to Fix Tet 'Eyesore' Decorations Downtown
Vietnam’s street decoration projects have been taking a lot of flak recently from local residents, prompting municipal authorities to take action.
Hanoi to Offer $200,000 Prize for Whoever Can Solve Its Traffic Problems
As Saigon considers altering work hours to tackle traffic congestion, Hanoi is launching a multi-thousand-dollar competition to seek public solutions to its own traffic woes.
Company Proposes Cable Car to Ease Traffic Congestion Near Tan Son Nhat
A local company has left many scratching their heads after proposing to ease traffic congestion by ferrying travelers from nearby parks to Tan Son Nhat International Airport via cable car.
