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] In the Digital Age, Film Photography Offers a Chance to Slow Down
In fast-paced Saigon, sometimes it pays to slow things down a bit.
Saigoneer Podcast: The End of the National Social Distancing Order
The Saigoneer Podcast has returned!
An Online Fashion Exhibit Spotlights the Plights of Vietnamese Garment Workers
Part of Fashion Revolution Week, the online exhibition coincides with two presentations this week along with a social media campaign aimed at improving working conditions for women in Vietnam's many g...
Paul Christiansen in Music & Arts
We Made Some Saigoneer Coloring Templates for You Because Adults Need Whimsy Too
Feeling monochromatic? Well, Saigoneer can help with that.
[Photos] Tracing Hanoi's Contrast Between Neon and Shadow, Old and New
What is beneath the capital's skin?
Paul Christiansen in Literature
Saigoneer's Guide to What to Read While Social Distancing
“In good times arts are magical, and in tough times they are essential. That’s when you need them the most. Art makes you human.”
A Slovak-Vietnamese Photographer Explores Her Own Hybridity Through Food
A feeble limb of cucumber supports a plastic cup filled with mango pulp. Enoki strands grow out of the orange mush, hoisting up a sheet of bánh tráng. The translucent rice paper bends, as if wilting, ...
Paul Christiansen in Postcards
Saigon Postcard No. 23: A Round of Applause
"Life’s most persistent and urgent question is, ‘What are you doing for others?'"
Biti's Hunter Launches National Pride-Themed Shoe Design Competition
The made-in-Vietnam shoes feature inspiring street-art style depictions of the nation's response to the Covid-19 pandemic.
Khoi Pham in Music & Arts
A Local Artist's Vision of Vietnam, Rendered in the Dreamlike Nature of Anime
In 2016, Toho released the Japanese romantic fantasy Your Name. worldwide to rapturous reception. The feature, written and directed by Makoto Shinkai, went on to become the most financially successful...
Saigoneer Podcast: Review Roulette
With no end in sight to working from home — and the coronavirus dominating daily life — we've had to think outside the box for this episode.
Govi Snell in Culture
To Learn How to Love Your Jeans Sustainably, Talk to Saigon's Denimheads
I never feel better than when I am ensconced in denim. This love for jeans is caught up in my genuine adoration of the cowboy aesthetic, the particular beauty of a denim-clad ass and the snug hug of a...
Iconic Novel ‘Số Đỏ’ by Vu Trong Phung Is Being Adapted for the Screen
Production on the film adaptation of Vu Trong Phung's satirical masterpiece Số Đỏ, or Dumb Luck, is set to begin this August.
Saigoneer Podcast: Covid-19 Dispatches From Saigon
We're back after taking a week off!
Michael Tatarski in Culture
Kite-Flying in Saigon in the Age of Coronavirus
As normal daily life grinds to a halt, last weekend was the final chance for some Saigoneers to take part in a favorite pastime: flying kites at sunset.
Khoi Pham in Film & TV
Saigoneer's Guide to What to Watch While Staying at Home
As the coronavirus outbreak stretches its treacherous tendrils across all aspects of our society, the lives of Vietnamese are gradually becoming more confined to the four walls of our home.
[Video] This New Animated Adaptation of 'Truyen Kieu' Will Brighten up Your Day
What would a millennial take on Truyen Kieu, or The Tale of Kieu in English, look like? The answer is adorable characters, cartoonish effects and facetious narration by veteran comedian Quang Thang.
Shot in Saigon, 'Monsoon' Stars Henry Golding as a Gay British-Vietnamese
Monsoon centers on a gay Vietnam-born British man named Kit as he returns to his home country.
Paul Christiansen in Loạt Soạt
Saigoneer Bookshelf: The Different Dealings of Trauma in 'Birds of Paradise Lost'
“I just can’t get the voices out my head,” Andrew Lam explains of his writing process.
Vietnam's Movie Industry Strides Forward as Much Work Remains
After all it’s been through in conjunction with the historical journey of the nation itself, it's safe to say that it has been one hell of a ride for the Vietnamese film industry.
