Paul Christiansen in Travel
'Chuyện Của Pao' Turned a Historic H'Mông Home in Hà Giang Into a Tourist Attraction
The photos don’t do it justice. That’s what you’ll often hear from people who visit Hà Giang to cruise its famed highway loop.
How Vietnam's Muslims Celebrate Ramadan, Eid Al-Fitr in Mekong Delta's Châu Đốc
Islam is the fastest-growing religion in the world, yet Vietnamese Muslims represent as little as 0.1% of the country’s population. Most are ethnic Chăm, while a few are foreigners and a few converts. After traveling to Châu Đốc in An Giang Province, where the majority are located, I was mesmerized by the unique cultural mix this community represents.
Văn Tân in Culture
A Brief History of Ông Đồ, Vietnam’s Scholars Whose Calligraphy Is Highly Sought After
To say that Tết gathers together everything most beautiful in Vietnamese culture would not be an exaggeration. More than a threshold between the old year and the new, it is also a time when people feel they can return to, and relive, the traditional values that define them.
Paul Christiansen in Travel
From Dark to Dawn, an Early Morning at Hội An's Duy Hải Fish Market
At 3am, Hội An’s streets resemble dog-gnawed pork bones, licked clean of all scent and viscera. No light, no noise, no movement. But that’s the time you must venture out to witness the Duy Hải Fish Market in action.
Review: 'New Wave' Documentary Is a Surprisingly Personal Dissection of 1980s Nostalgia
Melodic synth-lines and steady electronic drums. Today, the signature sounds of new wave music feel perhaps a bit old and outdated. During its high point during the 1980s, however, new wave was hailed as music of the future.
On the Cusp of a Modern New Year, Reflections on a Simpler Tết Past
Every year, as the pages from my block calendar peel off, bringing me towards another Vietnamese New Year, my mind once again fills with nostalgia about an old Tết. Tết in my memory begins with my childhood in a small house nestled under a coconut grove on the outskirts of Bạc Liêu in the Mekong Delta. Those were days of hardship, yet my parents worked hard so that Tết could bloom magnificently for all of us.
A Damaged Masterpiece Reveals How Much We Take Our Cultural Heritage for Granted
A once-damaged national treasure remains on view as if nothing had happened, while other works are displayed with little context — what does this tell us about how art museums preserve Vietnam's cultural heritage and shape our art history narratives today?
In 'Đêm Giao Thừa' EP, a Đàn Tranh Artist Offers Novel Twists on Nostalgic Tết Sounds
Indie đàn tranh artist Brian Bùi has just released Đêm Giao Thừa, an EP containing energetic covers of three classic Tết songs and an original track that pays homage to styles from the 1960s and 1970s.
Saigoneer Sunday Rewind
Saigoneer's staff highlights their favorite articles from the past week.
December Movies At Saigon’s Alternative Film Venues
The Christmas holidays are fast approaching but our alternative film venues have more in store for you than just Christmassy-flicks. Philosophy in cinema, the first Saudi Arabian film in history and a...
An Illustrated Guide to Old Saigon Slang: Part 2
Mã tà! Nhà dây thép! Đi bum! Do these phrases look familiar? No? Don’t worry you’re not alone. This old Saigon slang is derived from mispronounced French words, the names of locations and plenty of me...
An Illustrated Guide to Old Saigon Slang: Part 1
Mã tà! Nhà dây thép! Đi bum! Do these phrases look familiar? No? Don’t worry you’re not alone. This old Saigon slang is derived from mispronounced French words, the names of locations and plenty of me...
Vietnam Pulls The Plug On “Sex And The City”
After airing five episodes of “Sex and the City” last month Vietnam Television (VTV) has abruptly pulled the show from its lineup.
Event Rewind: The Prisma Night Run
HCMC-based Pulse Active Ltd, the same team that brought the Color Me Run to Vietnam earlier this year, held a similar event on November 22 in a half-completed urban area in District 2.
Event Rewind: Creative Drinks @ Saigon Ranger
Last Friday at Saigon Ranger, team Creative Drinks held their 4th event with the theme “Sell Your Creative Work” at Saigon’s newest alternative venue, Saigon Ranger.
Bình Tân District’s Gold Castle
Though Bình Tân District is quite a distance from the economic center of HCMC, in it lies one of the city’s most extravagant buildings.
Zelda Goes to the Gallery: Mr. Bastian the Time Traveller
Mr. Bastian The Time Traveller opened last week at the majestic HCMC Museum of Fine Arts, where Sri Lankan-born, Australia-educated Kumkum Fernando brought to Saigon this year’s most electrifying and ...
18 Photos That Combine Past And Present Vietnam In A Single Image
We love before and after shots of Vietnam as much as anyone, to the point where we’ve dedicated an entire Facebook group to the comparisons. But Vietnamese photographer, Khánh Hmoong, takes this conce...
[Video] Superman Mất Dạy (Asshole)
There are many versions of famed D.C. comic book hero, Superman. There’s singing, slightly depressed Superman; confused Bizzaro Superman; amazingly Retro Superman and now Mất Dạy (Asshole) Superm...
The Fading Legacy Of Lê Công Kiều’s Camera Shop
Renowned among local photographers and cameras aficionados, the Phạm Thê Camera Repair Shop, which opened before 1975, has stood the test of time. But behind the façade of customer’s smiles sit the wo...
$840,000 Vietnamese Oil Painting Sets Christie’s Record
While SE Asia may not be known for fine oil paintings the way Europe is, Vietnam boasts a few exceptional artists in this discipline. One of these is the 20th century painter, Lê Phổ, whose artis...
Saigoneer Sunday Rewind
Our staff's favorite articles that appeared on Saigoneer this week.
Iconic Rockers, The Lemonheads To Take The Stage At Cargo
People of a certain age remember the 90s as a time of neon clothing, bad haircuts, and oversized polyester pants. Well luckily those memories are firmly cemented in the past presumably to return when ...
The Stories Behind Vietnamese Bank Notes
Though we’ve previously written about the history of Vietnamese currency, we haven’t deeply explored the beautiful artwork the adorns their backsides which feature not only famous landmarks, but more ...
Jagwar Ma To Bring Their Unique Indie/Dance Sounds To Cargo Bar In December
If ever there were an experiment in music that yielded such results as the FLRL community did in Sydney, audiences would be spoilt for a generation. Jagwar Ma is one of those results.
Black Infinity And White Noiz To Rock Cargo Bar Next Week
Smack in the middle of Saigon International Music Week on November 30th come two of the most reliable acts in Vietnam’s rock music scene.
Chinese Music Video “Chick Chick” Is The Definition Of Insanity
In what seems to be a mixture of “What Does The Fox Say” and “The Chicken Dance,” Chinese pop group Wang Rong Rollin’s “Chick Chick” is absolutely WTP (what the phở) worthy.
Vietnam’s Beauty in 30 Amazing Photos
VN Express’s Photo Contest 2014 kicked off in August and the site has released the 30 top pictures for the “Landscape” category.
