Khôi Phạm

in Culture

What Can Vietnamese License Plates Tell You About the Vehicles and Who Drives Them?

There was a game I used to play with my dad whenever we would stop at a traffic light. He would point to a random license plate in front of us and quiz me on where it came from.

in Travel

Mũi Né Among Top 10 Trending Travel Destinations Globally in 2026, Booking Says

Travel site Booking.com dubbed Mũi Né “one of 2026’s trending travel spots,” reflective of the international attention and domestic emphasis the beach city is currently receiving.

in Music & Arts

Euphoria, Ruin, Nostalgia: Tracing Hanoi's Changing Skyline by Its Soundtrack

From loudspeakers broadcasting construction anthems during wartime to melancholic ballads mourning vanished street corners, Hanoi's soundtrack reveals a city that has never quite learned to live in its present tense.

Paul Christiansen

in Rewind

In 'Cú Và Chim Se Sẻ,' a Director's Radical Empathy for Saigon's Less Fortunate

“They can do what they want. The city owns the zoo. They could sell all the animals here. They could turn it into a golf course. We’re just little people — you and me.”

in Loạt Soạt

In 'No Man River,' Dương Hướng Highlights the Raw Pain of Postwar Survival

Dương Hướng’s No Man River (Bến không chồng) was first published in 1991 and won the Vietnam Writers' Association Prize for Fiction. Translated into English by Quan Manh Ha and Charles Waugh, it captures the brutal reality of conflict in Vietnam from 1945 to 1979.

in Music & Arts

Nguyễn Đức Tín Weaves Spirituality, Faith, Everyday Life Altogether in His Paintings

Can a painting reflect who we are, even if we can’t see ourselves thoroughly? And how does faith guide us forward in life?

in Film & TV

Liên Bỉnh Phát Makes History as 1st Vietnamese to Win Best Male Lead in Taiwan

Vietnamese actor Liên Bỉnh Phát recently made history at one of Taiwan’s most prestigious national award ceremonies.

in Travel

An Ode to Vũng Tàu, Saigon's Unwavering Summer Crush

I recently took a trip to Vũng Tàu after a long summer of cultural research, which had me traveling up and down Vietnam. It had been seven years since I’d been back to the homeland, and 19 since I’d last seen the beaches of Vũng Tàu, when I was only 16. It felt like returning to a high school crush, and it made me think of the words of Trần Thiện Thanh, who once wrote, “Nhớ lúc xa xưa mười sáu trăng tròn…” I won’t say I wasn’t looking for something familiar, poetic, and possibly even as sappy.

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in Culture

[Video] Da Nang Hair Dresser Uses Samurai Swords In Place Of Scissors

Getting a haircut is an exercise of trust as it may be the only situation where one willingly allows a stranger to wield sharp blades around their head. But if you sit in the chair of this Da Nang bar...

Brian Letwin

in Music & Arts

[Photos] HCMC: City of Contrasts

One of the things that makes life in Saigon interesting is the blurred line between the city and the countryside. This lack of distinction is most obvious when it comes to the city’s urban animals, bu...

in Culture

Expat Survey: Vietnam A Great Place To Live, With A Few Exceptions

HSBC Expat recently hired research company YouGov to conduct their annual Expat Explorer Survey in which almost 9,300 expats based in over 100 countries were questioned between April and May 2014.

in Culture

The Peaceful Corners Of Bustling Hanoi

Although modernization has forever altered the skyline of Vietnam’s ancient capital with gleaming skyscrapers, one can still find moments of tranquility and escape from the city’s traffic-clogged stre...

in Culture

21 Outrageous Photos Of Vietnamese Motorbikers

If you enjoyed our original illustrations of Saigon motorbikers, you’ll get a kick out of these real-life daredevils.

in Culture

[Photos] Floods Bring Seasonal Specialties To The Mekong Delta

While few Saigonese smile at the sight of flooded streets, their Mekong Delta brethren welcome high waters with open arms.

in Culture

[Video] BMX: Saigon Style

The age of the fixie may have dawned on Saigon but another bicycle fad is becoming increasingly popular in the city – BMX.

in Culture

[Video] A Vietnamese Critique Of Social Networking

The Phở Team, which brought us "What does the Phở Say?" and "Differences Between Hanoi vs Sai Gon" is back with a new video critiquing the social network experience.

in Music & Arts

Vietnamese Photographer Wins Award At International Competition

Vietnamese photographer, Ly Hoang Long, was selected as the top photographer from the Asia-Pacific region at the recent CBRE Urban Photographer of the Year competition.

in Music & Arts

Morning News Roundup: Vietnam To Resume Horse Racing On New Track

Vietnam to resume horse racing on new track [Thanh Nien] Company builds road without permission in Ha Long Bay’s peripheral areas [Tuoi Tre] Young man creates street library in Danang [DTI]

in Music & Arts

[Photos] Event Rewind: Saigoneer Photo Walk With Adam Robert Young

Last Sunday, Adam Robert Young led the October Saigoneer photo walk, taking a group of participants around a bustling local market in District 2.

in Music & Arts

Saigon Artbook 1 Year Anniversary Fundraiser

After 4 successful releases of the Saigon Artbook, the team is launching a special 1 year anniversary edition at an open fundraising event at 3A Station on Thursday, October 23 from 5pm – 11pm.

in Music & Arts

Wednesday Jameson Jam: Acoustic Open Mic @ Saigon Outcast

From the organizer: Candlelight, cool breeze, and acoustic music, the perfect way to ease into the weekend!

in Music & Arts

Epic Drone Video Shows Vietnam’s Beauty From Great Heights

If you ever needed proof that Vietnam and drones are a natural fit, look no further than this video made by Duong Dang Dop.

in Culture

85-Year-Old Saigon Man Bootstraps His Way Across Vietnam

Nguyễn Văn Ngọc, an 91-year-old man from Ward 26 in Bình Thạnh District is known among his neighbors as a shoe repairman and part-time fortuneteller. Little do they know that at the ripe old age of 85...

in Music & Arts

American DJ Lil Jon To Headline The HCMC Prisma Run In November

Kelly Clarkson isn’t the only American star on their way to Vietnam later this year. American DJ, Lil Jon, will be headlining the November 22 Prisma Run in District 2, greeting runners at the finish l...

in Arts & Culture

2 Year Anniversary Of Last Call Bar @ Last Call

From the organizer: Ladies and gentelmen's, early birds and sun chasers, cocktails lovers and just lovers, LAST CALL bar is going to be happy to see on this special day, day of 2 years since the ...

in Arts & Culture

[Video] Saigon Artbook Anniversary Party Teaser

It’s been a year since the first edition of the Saigon Artbook was launched at La Brasserie. 12 artists and 4 editions later, the team has planned a special anniversary party at 3A Station on October ...

in Music & Arts

Kelly Clarkson To Play Miss Vietnam 2014 Finale

Kelly Clarkson, winner of American Idol 2002 and performer of formulaic pop ballads, will make her way to Vietnam in December to entertain crowds at this year’s Miss Vietnam pageant finale in Phu Quoc...

in Music & Arts

Saigoneer Presents: Photo Walk With Adam Robert Young

The Saigoneer Photo Walk is back!