Pete Walls in Travel
Watching the Sunset From Lai Châu's Fansipan, the Roof of Indochina
Conquering Mount Fansipan’s 3,147 meters was once a feat reserved for those willing to take on the potential multi-day hike from Sapa to the summit and back.
Vietnam Arrests 7 Suspects Behind Streaming Site HiAnime on Piracy Charges
As part of the current crackdown on intellectual property infringement, Vietnam’s Ministry of Public Security recently took down a major network of websites providing illegal anime streaming.
Dropping the Disguise: The Evolution of Punk Band Cút Lộn Towards More Radicality
In recent years, CÚT LỘN has cemented themselves as one of the most recognizable hardcore punk bands to emerge from the Vietnamese underground scene.
From TikTok to Bars, a Group of Young Artists Brings Đờn Ca Tài Tử to Unexpected Venues
“If you happen to pass by Huỳnh Mẫn Đạt Street in Hồ Chí Minh City There’s a strange bar with a Mekong theme Where cải lươ...
Khôi Phạm in Culture
Home Is Where the Bum Gun Is
In the 2010s, my journey to study abroad took me to Singapore. Being a tiny person in an enormous city was a huge undertaking for a teenager, as I had to adapt to countless changes, from minute to major, at once: living in a different language, academic pressures, foreign customs and cuisines, and being away from my family. Gradually, things fell into place. The public transport worked well; the accent got more familiar; and I didn’t miss bánh mì and cơm tấm nearly as much as I thought I would; but there was one thing I never managed to entirely overcome — the bum gun-shaped void in my heart.
Review: From Czechia, ‘Trường Hè, 2001’ Bridges Family Divides, Both Onscreen and in Real Life
Summer School, 2001, directed by Czech-Vietnamese writer and director Dužan Duong, was first released last year and has received critical acclaim within the Czech Republic and Europe. Now, the film has come to Vietnam, where it is available in Galaxy, Cinestar, and Beta theaters across Saigon, Hanoi and Đà Nẵng.
Family-Friendly Summer Vacations Made Easy at Crowne Plaza Phu Quoc Starbay
The ripening of sweet jackfruit, mangosteen and mangos; hammocks swinging gently in patches of cool shade; and evenings that stretch on with the comfort of knowing there is no alarm clock waiting the next morning: summer arrives as opportunity. When school holidays begin, families scramble to adjust schedules and secure care and activities, creating the potential to carve out some time for a vacation to savor fresh air, explore thrills, and simply bond as a family in a beautiful destination.
This Wedding Is Too Boring to Nhậu, Let's Put on Some Miền Tây Remix
While phasing in and out of sleep on a coach in the Mekong Delta, have you ever been jolted awake by the bouncing beats of a Vinahouse version of ‘Quê em mùa nước lũ’ (Flooding Season in My Hometown)? Or, a mindless TikTok scroll would bring up the catchy tune of ‘Lấy cây kim may đồ’ (Pass Me the Sewing Needle) that’s trending nationwide.
[Photos] For a Day, Winter Convention Brings Kick-Ass Cosplay Back to Saigon
In which universe do Captain America and Cardcaptor Sakura rub shoulders with anthropomorphized, anime-fied white blood cells?
[Video] A Dynamic Visual Ode to Hanoi, a City of Paradoxes
Cái Gốc (The Origin) is the latest release from music producer and video director Robin Marty and his collaborator Jakub Zajac.
[Video] How Has Vietnamese Fashion Changed in a Millennium of History?
The most fascinating factoid about the video project is that black teeth had such enduring appeal across centuries and dynasties.
[Photos] A Royal Tea Set, as Envisioned by a Vietnamese Graphic Designer
Poets ponder flowers, aristocrats paint ceremonial masks, and courtesans gather lotus flowers in wooden boats, all while fragile threads of steam uncoil from ceramic pots of tea.
Khôi Phạm in Music & Arts
Year in Review: Saigoneer's 20 Picks for Best Vietnamese Music of 2020
Despite the uncertainties and upheavals of 2020, Vietnamese artists have continued to produce excellent music that defies genres, merges past influences, and exceeds expectations.
Government Lifts Ban on Lip-Syncing in Live Music Performances
A new decree removes the ban on singers using pre-recorded audio tracks during live performances.
Paul Christiansen in Postcards
Saigon Postcard No. 27: Santa Claus Is Coming to Quarantine
Vietnam makes no special safety-protocol exceptions for Santa Claus.
[Photos] Bask in the Festive Spirit at Hanoi's Holiday Decoration Street
With Christmas just around the corner, businesses and public places in Hanoi are awash in red and winter-themed paraphernalia. Crowds of young Hanoians flock to Phố Hàng Mã, one of the city’s major kn...
'On Earth We're Briefly Gorgeous' by Ocean Vuong Is Being Adapted Into a Movie
A prominent work of contemporary Vietnamese-American fiction is being adapted for the big screen.
Saigoneer Podcast: Our Favorite Non-Pandemic Stories of 2020
It's our last episode of the year!
Crate-Digging for Audio Gold at the Second Hanoi Records Day
In September of this year, Quan Cam played host to VOC Record’s second Hanoi Records Day. Saigoneer met with the organizers and collectors to learn more about Vietnam’s growing culture of crate digger...
On Deep Reading the Poetic Works of Vietnamese Writer Nhã Thuyên
Reflections on Nhã Thuyên’s poem 'Traces of nothing' and other writings.
[Photos] Saigoneer's Best Original Photography of 2020
Is it possible to ruminate on the past 12 months without agonizing over the looming threat of COVID-19 and the grief it has inflicted on global communities? Perhaps not, but if there’s any place in th...
Saigoneer Podcast: Vietnamese Christmas Movies and Author Debby Nguyen
Our second-to-last episode of 2020 is here!
Wiz Khalifa Drops Visuals for New Song Featuring Vietnamese Farmer Sô Y Tiết
"Usually I make a w**d song. So here goes a w**d song."
Michael Tatarski in Film & TV
Review: 'Monsoon' Peruses the Chasm Between Past and Contemporary Vietnam
Monsoon is Vietnam-shot film directed by Hong Khaou that was released earlier this year. It is spoken by Lee (David Tran) to Kit (Henry Golding) as they have tea on a Saigon sidewalk and referenc...
“Tree Spirit” Plants Lim Khim Katy’s Soothing Landscapes in Saigon
“I just fly with my knife,” Lim Khim Katy explains of the process behind her striking landscapes.
Chí Tài, Beloved Comedian and Talented Musician, Passes Away at 62
One half of the iconic comic duo Chí Tài-Hoài Linh has left us today.
Mầm in Ton-sur-Ton
Tarp, but Make It Fashion: A Saigon Trio Upcycles Canopies Into Backpacks
With a love for the environment and ample creativity, Kiều Anh, Trang, and Tú Quân have built a unique fashion brand named Dòng Dòng Sài Gòn. The line of bags and other items created from recycled tar...
Saigoneer Podcast: Saigon's Covid-19 Cluster; Video Games in Vietnam
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