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.”
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.
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.
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...
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.
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 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).’
[Photos] Vietnam’s World Famous “Aquascapists”
Surprise fact: Vietnam is a perennial powerhouse when it comes to aquarium design.
Brian Letwin in Culture
This Is What Happened When A Woman Was Photoshopped In 25 Different Countries
We know that standards of beauty differ from country to country, but we never would have imagined that they fluctuated this much.
The Only Cross-Dressing Dance In Vietnam
Against the backdrop of Vietnamese gender sensitivities that are based on a feudally influenced culture, it is ironic that one of the country’s most unique dances, one that is over 1,000 years old, is...
Brian Letwin in Culture
[Video] This Japanese Kid Has Insane Yo-Yo Skills
Since I have trouble mastering even the simple things in life, watching this Japanese kid destroy gravity with his yo-yo makes me feel slightly depressed.
Trend: Vietnam’s Rich Show Off Their Wealth With Castles
Finding themselves with overflowing bank accounts, some of Vietnam’s wealthy are putting their money into real estate. But not only are they buying land, but building castles.
Local Graffiti Artists Want To Paint Saigon’s Old And Empty Walls
While in the West graffiti art is a form of anti-establishment expression, some artists in Vietnam are focusing on its visual elements, using it as a tool for beautification of city streets.
Saigon Urban Legends: Haunted 727 Tran Hung Dao
Located at 727 Tran Hung Dao, this District 5 dwelling was once called the President Building and housed hundreds of American soldiers. Commissioned by millionaire Nguyen Tan Doi, this building, which...
New Art Initiative In Saigon: Sao La
Here is a new addition in town that art lovers will welcome with open arms. Sao La is a non-profit initiative by the well-established Gallery Quynh, located on the ground floor of the HCMC Fine Art Mu...
[Video] Tuồng: Vietnam’s Disappearing Traditional Face Painting
Tuồng is a type of traditional folk performance which is characterized in part by the use of abstract face-painting. Performers hide their real faces under a piece of art, which symbolize their charac...
Da Nang’s Dragon Bridge Gets International Praise For Lighting Design
Da Nang's world famous bridge is back in the proverbial spotlight. After winning an international engineering award back in May, the central city’s Dragon Bridge was recently honored at the Internatio...
[Photos] Local Artist Creates Beautiful Aluminum And Wood Bird Sculptures
Interweaving the arts of sculpture and installation, Thai Nhat minh’s solo exhibition last year, “The Birds” captured feelings of captivity and yearning for freedom through his wooden and aluminum bir...
A Guide To Honking In Vietnam
Saigoneer contributor, Eric van der Vorst, created this playful list to help us decipher the meaning behind the symphony of honks and beeps that echo through Vietnam's roads and cities.
22 Head-Spinning Vietnamese Tongue Twisters
Due to its six tones, Vietnamese is far from the easiest language to learn. In case you wanted to further confound yourself, here's a list of 22 Vietnamese tongue twisters that will have even some Vie...
10 Incredible Photos Of Life On Hanoi's Train Tracks
Traffic in Vietnam is crazy but the train tracks that skirt through Hanoi’s residential areas reach levels of insanity.
Brian Letwin in Culture
Vietnam’s Most Entertaining Facebook Group Hits Milestone
Part of the joy of living in Vietnam is finding humor and beauty in everyday life. Our favorite Facebook group, Another Side of Vietnam (ASOV), does just this. Its members post tongue-in-cheek ph...
Flea Market @ Khoi Thom
It's time for BIG SALES at Khoi Thom, come around to enjoy the best prices ever on amazing brands like: Harmony,La Fiancée du facteur, Nua, TuliMuli, La Petite épicerie,Nadège Simard and get ama...
Chitra Ganesh: Architectures Of Myth @ Hoa Sen University
This lecture will explore the power of key visual and storytelling devices central to mythological narrative and their particular ongoing legacy in contemporary visual and popular culture.I will begin...
Many of Vietnam's Historical Sites Are Becoming Ruins
Vietnam may be rich in history, but many of the country’s historical sites are disintegrating as local governments lack the funds to restore them.
TEDxYouth: The Transparency @ Âu Cơ Palace
Until now we have only perceived this world through our naked eyes...
[Photos] Dull Saigon Alley Gets A Graffiti Facelift
In bustling downtown Saigon, where it seems like development dictates aesthetics, alleyway 15B on Le Thanh Ton Street is among the few public places in the city where art is accessible to residents of...
