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 Roundups

Morning Stories Roundup: Thu Thiem Bridge, Japan Flight Routes, and Consumer Optimism

Stay connected with Saigoneer on Twitter and Instagram and like us on Facebook. Each morning, we select some of the most important stories from Saigon, the rest of Vietnam and beyond, and digest them...

in Vietnam

No New Airlines in Vietnam for Now, Aviation Authority Says

Aviation authorities will temporarily stop considering the licensing of new airlines while focusing on helping existing airlines recover in the wake of the COVID-19 epidemic.

in Hanoi

Noi Bai Ranked 87th Among World's Top 100 Airports, Skytrax Survey Says

How would you rate the airport?

in Roundups

Morning Stories Roundup: Road Inspection Campaign, Border Gates, and Walking Street

Stay connected with Saigoneer on Twitter and Instagram and like us on Facebook. Each morning, we select some of the most important stories from Saigon, the rest of Vietnam and beyond, and digest them...

in Roundups

Morning Stories Roundup: Inflation, Da Nang Festival, and 3 COVID-19 Recoveries

Stay connected with Saigoneer on Twitter and Instagram and like us on Facebook. Each morning, we select some of the most important stories from Saigon, the rest of Vietnam and beyond, and digest them...

in Roundups

Morning Stories Roundup: COVID-19 Recoveries, Public Bus, and Science Awards

Stay connected with Saigoneer on Twitter and Instagram and like us on Facebook. Each morning, we select some of the most important stories from Saigon, the rest of Vietnam and beyond, and digest them...

in Saigon

Tan Son Nhat Plans $85m Upgrade to Runway to Serve Larger Aircraft

The project will cost over US$85 million.

in Vietnam

Vietnamese Professor Among 10 Winners of Prestigious European Mathematics Prize

A Vietnamese professor recently clinched a prestigious prize for young individuals who have made significant contributions to the development of mathematics.

in Roundups

Weekend Stories Roundup: Bui Vien Reopens, Repatriation, and Saigon FC

Stay connected with Saigoneer on Twitter and Instagram and like us on Facebook. Each morning, we select some of the most important stories from Saigon, the rest of Vietnam and beyond, and digest them...

in Vietnam

Bars, Cinemas, Sports Get Green Light, Karaoke and Clubs Remain Closed

Vietnam residents can now knock back a few cold ones at their local watering hole, but they'll have to leave their karaoke dreams at home.

in Vietnam

Vietnam Confirms 17 New Coronavirus Cases From UAE, All Quarantined on Arrival

The patients are Vietnamese nationals who returned on a repatriation flight from the United Arab Emirates last Sunday.

in Roundups

Morning Stories Roundup: UV Levels, Water Supply Cut, and Domestic Flights

Stay connected with Saigoneer on Twitter and Instagram and like us on Facebook. Each morning, we select some of the most important stories from Saigon, the rest of Vietnam and beyond, and digest them...

in Hanoi

My Dinh Named Among ASEAN's 5 Best Stadiums by Asian Football Confederation

The capital's main stadium is part of a new list from the Asian Football Confederation (AFC).

in Saigon

As Metro Line 1 Nears Completion, Saigon Moves Forward With Plans for Line 3A

The 20-kilometer-long Metro Line 3A would run from Ben Thanh Station in District 1 to Tan Kien Ward in Binh Chanh District.

in Roundups

Morning Stories Roundup: Vietnam Premier Targets 5% GDP Growth in 2020 Despite COVID-19 Pandemic

Stay connected with Saigoneer on Twitter and Instagram and like us on Facebook. Each morning, we select some of the most important stories from Saigon, the rest of Vietnam and beyond, and digest them...

in Vietnam

5m Workers Impacted by Coronavirus Outbreak in Q1, Statistics Office Says

As time goes by, the massive economic impact of the ongoing coronavirus pandemic is becoming more clear.

in Vietnam

Vietnam Wants You to Get Married Before 30, Bear 2 Children

In a move that will surely put a smile on the face of Vietnamese moms everywhere, the government recently announced an initiative to encourage local couples to tie the knot and start popping out child...

in Roundups

Morning Stories Roundup: School Fees, Techcombank, and Metro Line

Stay connected with Saigoneer on Twitter and Instagram and like us on Facebook. Each morning, we select some of the most important stories from Saigon, the rest of Vietnam and beyond, and digest them...

in Hanoi

Hanoi Visitor Numbers Down 92% Over Holiday Weekend Compared to 2019

The recent national holiday weekend saw Hanoi's visitor numbers plummet in the face of the ongoing coronavirus pandemic.

in Roundups

Morning Stories Roundup: Post-Holiday Congestion, Volcanic Rocks, and Relapses

Stay connected with Saigoneer on Twitter and Instagram and like us on Facebook. Each morning, we select some of the most important stories from Saigon, the rest of Vietnam and beyond, and digest them...