in Asia

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. 

in Vietnam

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.

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 waiters dish out steaming bowls of noodles to customers perched on plastic stools.

in Saigon

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 Vietnam

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.

Back Stories

in Hanoi

For Hanoi's Đào Vendors, Sleeping in Tents Outside Is Part of the Job

Some kumquat and peach blossom sellers on the streets of Hanoi have resorted to sleeping in tents to guard their trees.

in Hanoi

Hanoi Confirms First Omicron Covid-19 Case in the Community

The capital city confirmed its first case of community-transmitted Omicron COVID-19 variant on January 26.

in Vietnam

Buddhist Peace Activist Thích Nhất Hạnh Passes Away at 95

The Vietnamese Zen master passed away at age 95 after an influential life promoting mindfulness, compassion and nonviolence.

in Vietnam

Sassy Tiger Statues in Bạc Liêu Get Makeover to Be Less Sassy, Turn Sullen Instead

‘Tis the season of peculiar animal statues.

in Saigon

Saigon Confirms First 3 Omicron Covid-19 Cases in the Community

Does the appearance of the highly transmissible variant in the community mean another wave of the pandemic for Saigon?

in Saigon

Food Bank Warehouse for Saigoneers in Need Opened in Saigon

The warehouse is aimed at streamlining the food distribution process between donors and Saigoneers in need.

in Saigon

Saigon Announces Plan to Give Poor Residents Smartphones to Aid Digitization

As more municipal administrative procedures migrate online, underprivileged citizens without smart devices are often left behind.

in Hanoi

NPO Keep Hanoi Clean Prepares to Collect Plastic Waste After Kitchen God Day

Keep Hanoi Clean is preparing for its biggest event of the year: cleaning up Lễ cúng Ông Táo, or Kitchen God day.

in Vietnam

Culture Ministry Asks Cities to Cancel Tết Fireworks to Minimize Covid-19 Risks

The Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism has requested relevant provincial and municipal authorities under its jurisdiction to cancel firework displays for the Lunar New Year to avoid a spike in CO...

in Saigon

Saigon Records Fewest Covid-19 Deaths in Over 5 Months

Only 21 people passed away from COVID-19 on January 6 in Saigon.

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.