The ISHCMC Advantage: Going Beyond Grades to Prepare Future-Ready Graduates
Leadership isn’t just taught, it’s lived at International School Ho Chi Minh City (ISHCMC). With a legacy spanning more than 30 years, ISHCMC has helped generations of students gain entry into top global universities and thrive as leaders in their fields while contributing to their communities. As it continues to elevate its academic vision, new Head of School, Marco Longmore, is providing the ISHCMC community with fresh guidance.
Paul Christiansen in Saigon
The Simple Pleasures of Having Your Hair Washed at the Hairdresser’s
I get my face shaved by sidewalk barbers; stop at every roving laminator I pass to have ticket stubs, photos, and doodles ...
Khôi Phạm in Saigon
Letter to the People I Met as We Hid From the Rain Under a Bridge Together
“Do not be angry with the rain; it simply does not know how to fall upwards.”— Vladimir Nabokov.
Hanoi's Bát Tràng Ceramic Village Turns Historic Craft Into Global Fame
Bát Tràng has been producing ceramics for over 700 years, but it’s the recent decades that interest me most: a period in which this small village has mirrored Vietnam’s rapid economic growth.
Final Merging Plan Brings Vietnam's Locality Number From 63 to 34
After extended working sessions to gather insights from experts and locals, Vietnam’s state government has announced the final version of the country’s administrative map.
Múa Lân Is Officially Recognized as a National Intangible Cultural Heritage
In Chợ Lớn, every Tết, amid the aroma of burning joss sticks and an onslaught of red-color decorations is the echoing beats of lion dance instruments. For generations of Saigoneer, the presence of múa lân, or lion dance, is a sign of festivity and celebration.
Uyên Đỗ in Saigon
How Saigon's Free Water Coolers Quench Thirst and Spread Kindness
In recent years, stories about climate change's impacts on the lives of Vietnamese people have been increasingly making the news.
Paul Christiansen in Vietnam
What a Mango Flower Looks Like: On the Unexpected Beauty of Fruit Flowers
What does a mango flower look like?
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.
Oliver Newman in Asia
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 wa...
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.
Paul Christiansen in Saigon
Vignette: For Cafe 81 and the '404 Not Found' Places of Our Lives
We all have them.
Adrien Jean in Saigon
Ở đó ở đây Sài Gòn — A Love-Hate Letter to the Maze of Paradoxes
Editor's note: Adrien Jean is a Saigon-based photographer and a frequent contributor to Saigoneer's Darkroom series. His photos often depict the precise moments in time when the visual elements of our...
Uyên Đỗ in Saigon
Inside the Sawdust Alley in D8 Where Old Furniture Goes to Get Repurposed
My lungs began to heave with raspy coughs as I ventured deeper into the alley of 124 Phạm Thế Hiển.
Saigon, Hanoi (Almost) Bottom out World Ranking of Public Bathroom Coverage
Vietnam’s bountiful abundance of street eats and hip cafes might satisfy even the pickiest visitors looking to ingest delicious things at any price range, but even its biggest metropolises would strug...
Adrien Jean in Vietnam
A Visual Homage to the Water Buffalo's Practical and Symbolic Importance in Vietnam
The second animal sign in the 12-year cycle of the Vietnamese zodiac, trâu, has symbolic and practical importance in Vietnam.
In 2022, Vietnam's Domestic Tourism Flourished, but International Arrivals Lagged Behind
The most recent Tết holiday witnessed an outstanding performance by Vietnam’s domestic tourism sector, while international tourism had a year of underwhelming figures.
Year in Review: Saigoneer's Picks for Favorite Features of 2022
In 2021, we decided to expand on the enduring appeal of our food series Hẻm Gems by coming up with new collections of articles zooming in on specific aspects of Vietnamese society and culture. Last ye...
Saigon's Metro Line 1 Went on Its First Test Run Last Week
Last week, the Saigon Metro project took a major step in realizing many Saigoneers’ long-awaited dream of experiencing their own urban railway line.
Đà Nẵng Cafe Sparks Heated Online Debate for Refusing to Serve Children Under 12
A seemingly innocuous notice by a coffee shop in Đà Nẵng has sparked polarizing responses from netizens across Vietnam.
Hanoi Railway Cafe Gets Into Trouble for Hosting Dortmund Footballers
A photo of players from the Bundesliga club Borussia Dortmund enjoying coffee on the tracks running through Hanoi's shuttered train street circulated earlier this week, prompting authorities to say th...
Votive Dongs Must Be 50% Smaller or Twice Bigger Than Real Dongs, State Bank Says
To help citizens better distinguish between Vietnam dong bills for the living and the dead, the State Bank of Vietnam has put forth a draft law detailing specifications replicas must follow.
Linh Phạm in Hanoi
Be Gay, Do Pride: Hanoi Pride Week Ends on Cheery Notes Last Sunday
Last Sunday, Hanoi Pride Week 2022 came to a conclusion with thousands of people joining in the festivities.
Storm Noru, the Strongest in Recent Years, to Hit Central Vietnam This Week
Around 370,000 residents are being prepared for evacuation in advance of Storm Noru, which is expected to be one of the worst storms to hit Vietnam in the last 20 years.
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.
Uyên Đỗ in Saigon
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.
