Paul Christiansen

in Music & Arts

The Unquenchable Spirit of Artist Lê Triều Điển

“Điển is like a flower; there is no question of growing or not growing.”

in Music & Arts

Cổ Động's Live Session Series 'Động Tag' Returns for Season 2 With 9 Vietnamese Artists

Động Tag Live Session, Cổ Động’s series of live recordings aiming to highlight Vietnam’s up-and-coming musicians, is returning with a second season.

in Culture

The Artist Preserving Saigon's Cultural Tapestry Through Hand-Painted Signs

"In the early 2000s, the market experienced an exodus of painters due to the shift to digital; it was difficult to retain customers otherwise. I didn't want my craft to be forgotten, so I started everything all over,” Nguyễn Hoài Bảo told me in Vietnamese when I visited his studio.

in Travel

Vietnam Welcomes 21m Tourists in 2025, Highest-Ever Figure in History

Last year marked an impressive year for tourism in Vietnam. A record number of 21.17 million international tourists visite...

in Loạt Soạt

Viet Thanh Nguyen's New Essay Collection Is Both Theoretically Sharp and Intimately Tender

Last year, acclaimed Vietnamese American writer Viet Thanh Nguyen published To Save and to Destroy: Writing as an Other, a collection of six essays adapted from the prestigious Norton Lectures that he delivered at Harvard in 2023–2024.

in Travel

Hanoi's Proposal to Stop Train Service Might Spell the End of 'Train Street'

Hanoi’s infamous train street might be going away if a new municipal plan becomes a reality.

in Fashion

In Sa Pa, Learning How to Indigo Dye, One Plant, Vat, and Beeswax Pen at a Time

My first meal in Sa Pa was accidentally earned. After a few hours of uneven rest in a sleeper bus and a short ride from Sa Pa city center to the village, I finally arrived, along with two other indigo enthusiasts, at a small hill in bản Cát Cát. A few modest houses framed a quiet courtyard where indigo vats rested, and long strips of dyed fabric hung on bamboo poles, drying in the morning air.

Khôi Phạm

in Quãng 8

Hanoi Indie Duo Limebócx Brings Tried-and-Trù Traditions to Young Ears

A grazing buffalo, frolicking water puppets, mystifying tam cúc cards, an insolent maiden in áo tứ thân, a rustic meal around cái mâm. These are just a few standout visuals that will haunt your brain upon feasting your eyes on Limebócx’ debut music video ‘Yêu Nhau (Qua Cầu Gió Bay).’

Back Arts & Culture

in Music & Arts

Zelda Goes To The Gallery: Hope

From social critique and political satire to the celebration of human strength, Hope – the inaugural exhibition of Craig Thomas Gallery's new downtown location – is the most personal exhibition to dat...

in Culture

Here's What Vietnam Googled This Year

Looking back on 2015, Vietnam's internet search history suggests we could all use a good cry and a hug.

in Music & Arts

Saigoneer’s Picks: 10 Places to Buy Artsy Gifts in Vietnam

From rich textile traditions to innovative contemporary art, ethnic minority handicrafts and dozens of local and international designers, there's far more to shopping in Vietnam than conical hats and ...

in Music & Arts

Vietnam Immune to 'Star Wars' Fever

Last weekend, moviegoers the world over collectively went insane over the release of Star Wars: The Force Awakens. Fans of the franchise purchased tickets weeks in advance, the internet was abuzz with...

in Music & Arts

[Video] Local Videographer Shows Why Sapa Is Awesome in Under 5 Minutes

Any good traveler will tell you that the best way to explore a place is by getting to know the locals.

in Music & Arts

[Video] Take a Look at Giant 17th-Century Drawings of Vietnam

History books tend to make for dry reading. Of course, they're full of important facts and details to be remembered for generations to come, but if you're looking for an interesting read, historical r...

in Arts & Culture

[Photos] Cu Chi Teen Creates Model Planes, Ships out of Recycled Materials

Anyone can get a little carried away with a hobby, but Cu Chi teen Nguyen Chi Thanh is taking his love of model military vehicles to a whole new level.

in Culture

Vietnamese Gameshow Contestants Make Terrible Fake DJs

The fastest way to a man's heart is through impeccable fake DJ skills. We all know it's true: you may have intelligence or beauty or an incredible sense of confidence, but a woman is nothing without t...

in Culture

[Video] Hanoi Newlyweds Celebrate Marriage With Military Jeep Parade

Ever wonder what happened to all those American Jeeps left over from the 60s?

in Culture

[Video] Vietnamese YouTubers Show You How to Step Up Your Social Media Game

In the increasingly cutthroat competition for social media attention, modern internet users must be well-versed in the art of sống ảo, or virtual living. Fishing for likes, staying relevant on social ...

in Music & Arts

Soul Archive Captures Vietnam’s Spirit Through Its Photographers

A quick Google search is all it takes to learn that photography about Vietnam is still predominantly linked to the war or, if not, dominated by images of the country’s iconic landscapes. Yet anyone li...

in Film & TV

Agent Orange Documentary Shortlisted for Oscar

An American film about a Vietnamese teen has been shortlisted in the Documentary Short Subject category for the 88th Academy Awards.

in Arts & Culture

[Photos] A Sneak Peek at Miss Universe Vietnam's Stunning Áo Dài

On December 16, Pham Huong will grace the 2015 Miss Universe stage in style.

in Music & Arts

Saigoneer’s November Art Picks

With Saigon's first-ever affordable art fair taking place last month as well as three exhibitions from two of the city's major galleries, November left art lovers spoiled for choice. Here are sev...

in Music & Arts

Event Rewind: Melting Pot 7 Festival @ Saigon Outcast

Last weekend, Saigoneers young and old turned up at District 2's Saigon Outcast for another installment of the Melting Pot Festival, a two-day music and art event which raises money for local children...

Dana Filek-Gibson

in Music & Arts

Inside Award-Winning Vietnamese Children's Book 'The First Journey'

A couple months back, we wrote about Phung Nguyen Quang and Huynh Kim Lien, a pair of Vietnamese children's book authors who took the top prize at this year's Asia-wide Scholastic Picture Book Award&n...

in Culture

[Photos] 4 Vietnamese Mansions That Have Gone a Little Overboard

If you've wandered around Saigon's more upscale neighborhoods, it's possible that you've come across a house or two which fit this description: “nhà cao cửa rộng”. The Vietnamese saying – literally “t...

in Culture

Graphic Designer Recreates Saigon's Colorful Concrete Tiles in New Book

When Giang Nguyen decided to hunt for old typography around Saigon, what began as a personal research project soon grew into an obsession with the city's old-school design.

in Culture

[Photos] 13 Pictures of Vietnamese Locks in the Wild

When parking your bike for five minutes or simmering your broth for five hours, it’s hard to take stranger’s goodwill for granted. These photos show how some Vietnamese take the necessary steps for pr...

in Film & TV

December Movies at Saigon's Alternative Film Venues

The awards season has officially started and for once, we welcome the razzle-dazzle that will come in the next three months, after a very dull summer, which was rescued only by independent cinema. The...