in Culture

When Lịch Bloc Is Gone, What Will Vietnam Use to Keep Discarded Fish Bones?

I have never bought a lịch bloc, or tear-off calendar, for personal use, because every new year, I'm bound to be gifted a brand-new one. In Vietnam, a calendar is often something one purchases as a present for others.

Paul Christiansen

in Music & Arts

The Vibrancy of Vietnam's Mundane Depicted by Illustrator Chan-Nhu Le

“I miss that. When I was young, on the motorbike with my friends, it was like ’hey, you have 15 minutes?’ and we just met up [...], had some street food and did literally nothing; just street watching. It was fun,” Chan-Nhu Le shared with Saigoneer about the inspiration for her illustrations.

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.

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in Culture

[Videos] 20 Tết Dos And Don’ts

Unlike the Western New Year, Tet is a particularly superstitious occasion with plenty of dos and don’ts.

in Music & Arts

Event Rewind: Art Talk And Drawing Workshop With Rodney Dickson

Many local artists in Vietnam share a common ground for artistic inspiration – war – as it characterized a significant part of the country’s 20th century history. The global impacts of these conflicts...

in Music & Arts

Vietnam Set To Get Its First 2 IMAX Theaters

IMAX and a Korean company have agreed on a deal to open Vietnam’s first two super-sized screens.

in Music & Arts

Galerie Quynh and San Art Announce Relocation Plans

On January 31, Galerie Quynh permanently closed its original location in 65 De Tham, leaving the new downtown gallery on Dong Khoi as its sole exhibition space.

in Culture

[Photos] Vintage Vietnamese Matchboxes

The images on Vietnamese matchbox covers before 1975 varied from the traditional - drawings of zodiac animals - to the modern – brand advertising and popular singers of the day.

in Arts & Culture

Saigoneer Sunday Rewind

Saigoneer's staff highlights their favorite articles from the past week.

in Music & Arts

Art Talk: Drawing Workshop With Rodney Dickson

Irish-American painter, Rodney Dickson, developed his work based on the atmosphere of abandonment that characterized the post-war era in Cambodia and Vietnam.

in Film & TV

February Movies At Saigon’s Alternative Film Venues

Classic and witty comedy, the one of the greatest sci-fi epics in recent history, the biggest Oscar contender of the year and a special screening from Saigon-based film festival, Impressions are some ...

Brian Letwin

in Music & Arts

[Video] European Graffiti Artist Tags His Way Across Saigon

We recently caught up with Munich-based graffiti artist, Nasca Uno, who spend five weeks in Vietnam last year, painting beautiful pieces of art in Saigon and Phan Thiet.

in Arts & Culture

Saigoneer Sunday Rewind

Saigoneer's staff highlights their favorite articles from the past week.

in Music & Arts

[Video] Hanoi Hip Hop Group Mixes Beat Boxing, Rapping And Popping With Traditional Vietnamese Music

Hip hop’s roots delve deep into the crates of soul, funk, gospel and jazz. All of these stem from African forms of music and have created a rich fabric for the enduring art form.

in Culture

[Photos] The Coffee Shops, Train Track Photo Shoots And “Public Bathrooms” Of Hanoi’s Long Biên Bridge

Probably the most iconic and historic bridge in Vietnam, Long Biên Bridge has yet to receive much needed care for its current deteriorating condition (link). However, local residents don’t seem to min...

in Culture

[Photos] 15 Of The Most Ridiculous Signs You’ll Ever See In Vietnam

Whether it be Google translate fails, cultural misinterpretations or outright ridiculousness, these signs, sourced from Another Side of Vietnam, had us shaking our heads, laughing hysterically, and so...

in Culture

Ministry Of Justice Seeks To Punish Adulterers With Fines

A revised decree from the Ministry of Justice contains a proposal to fine members of a married couple that are found to be committing adultery.

in Music & Arts

[Video] "The Road Story Vietnam"

There’s no shortage of videos made by backpackers trekking through Vietnam which tap directly into our wanderlust. But few videos feature the high-level of production value found in "The Road Story Vi...

in Arts & Culture

Saigoneer Sunday Rewind

Saigoneer's staff highlights their favorite articles from the past week.

in Music & Arts

Saigoneer Presents: Photo Walk With Glen Riley

Saigoneer is happy to announce the first photo walk of the year! Join us on February 1 for a chat, a coffee and a stroll around “south Pham” with photographer Glen Riley.

in Music & Arts

[Video] Vietnamese Editor Uses Pancake Batter To Make Edible Art

45-year-old Le Phong Giao spends his days as an editor at the Youth Publishing House. During is free time, he unleashes his artistic prowess with sand painting, architecture, oil painting and comic bo...

in Culture

Trung Nguyên’s Massive Geography Fail

Trung Nguyên puts out some pretty darn good coffee, providing a solid alternative to corn and chemical based street variety. When it comes to packaging, however, it looks like they could use a bit of ...

in Culture

[Photos] A Sneak Peek Into Saigon’s 2015 Tet Flower Street

There are many changes in store for Saigon’s annual Flower Street this year, from a new location to the use of QR codes and free WIFI.