As Infrastructure Lags Behind, Saigon's Poorest Hardest Hit by Worsening Flooding
In April 2023, in the first downpour of southern Vietnam’s rainy season, the narrow rented room where Mã Thị Diệp and her children were staying in Hồ Chí Minh City was inundated by knee-high water.
Khôi Phạm in Environment
What I Talk About When I Talk About Vietnam's Penguin Trashcans
Compared to the average Vietnamese, I might be thinking about trashcans a smidgen too much — not just any trashcan, but the infamous penguin-shaped trashcans that are ubiquitous at every corner of our public spaces.
Linh Phạm in Parks & Rec
House Dance Hanoi Teaches You How to Free the Body
I stood on the top floor of a building on Khâm Thiên Street, feeling grateful for the cold air. I came out here to take a break from the other side of the floor, which was divided into three rooms — three dance studios.
Inside Saigon's Grassroots Carton and Aluminum Recycling Plants
With plastics claiming many of the headlines worldwide and constituting a major issue in Vietnam, scant attention is being paid to other recyclable materials, namely cardboard and aluminum.
How Táo Xanh Forum Created a Safe Space for Gay Vietnamese Before Social Media
Before Vietnamese could hop on social media sites such as Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter to share our hot takes of the week, there was an era of past cybersphere when online forums were the crucial online space to connect local netizens.
Paul Christiansen in Environment
As Climate Change Threatens, Flood Waters Usher In Sustainable Opportunities for Communities in the Mekong Delta
The Mekong Delta is developing faster than Google Maps can keep up with. A stretch of road that was too narrow to accommodate cars and required a transition to motorbikes just six months ago was under construction during our August visit. Gargantuan machines for laying pulverized gravel inched aside to let our 7-seater pass so we could reach the home of Nguyễn Thị Thu Thủy to check in on her small fish drying home business.
Khôi Phạm in Natural Selection
10 Species of Lesser-Known Fruits to Get to Know Vietnam's Biodiversity
In the Vietnamese language, the word “cỏ” — meaning “grass” in the literal sense — is often used to signify that something is locally grown, no frills, and charmingly rustic; grassroots, if you will. Chó cỏ is the general term for the adorable mutts, usually mixes between Vietnam’s native dog species, born without the prestige of named breeds, while gym cỏ and net cỏ denote the casual gyms and internet cafes in one’s neighborhood. In the same vein of logic, may I put forth a new name for a special genre of Vietnamese fruits: trái cỏ?
How Vietnamese Architecture Adopted Modernism and Made It Our Own
Ask a person on the street what Vietnam’s distinctive style of architecture is, and the answer you get might be traditional architecture, like the historic curves of northern Vietnam’s village temples or the ornate regality of Nguyễn-Dynasty palaces. This time-honored style is widely accepted as the hallmark of Vietnam’s cultural wealth. What’s more fascinating but lesser-known is how this cultural vestige — which distinguished our architecture from that of China and Japan — has also managed to evolve in the new age, finding ways to exist right in the middle of our modern lifetime.
With TPP Likely Dead, Vietnam Focuses on Other FTAs
In the wake of the recent American presidential election, politicians and experts around the world are predicting the end of the Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP) under a Donald Trump presidency.
Tan Son Nhat Is One Step Closer to Getting a Metro Line
Preparations are moving forward on a two-kilometer extension connecting Saigon Metro’s planned Line 5 with Tan Son Nhat International Airport.
International Court Exposes Vietnamese Animal Trafficking Village
A Netherlands-based environmental commission will hold a public hearing later today to present the results of a long investigation into the state of Vietnam’s animal trafficking problems.
[Video] The Life of Saigon's Longtime Lifeguard Couple
Since the city’s beginning centuries ago, Saigon’s complex system of rivers and streams has provided its dwellers with sustenance, transport and even a livelihood. However, today the city is developin...
Quang Ninh Pilots Self-Driving Car Route to China
Starting this Wednesday, tourists in Quang Ninh province and China’s Guangxi Zhang Autonomous Region can board a fleet of self-driving cars to visit the other country for a short trial period.
[Photos] The MEGA City: Saigon's Innovative Architecture
Saigoneer is a proud media sponsor of the third edition of TP. Ho Chi Minh: MEGA City, released earlier this month. The compact and concise photo book explores urban development, landscapes and people...
American First-Grader Creates Video Lessons for Vietnamese Students
Mai Pham is not your average six-year-old.
Vietnamese Man Sets 4 World Records for Memorization
Last Sunday, Ninh Thuan province’s Duong Anh Vu officially set four world records for memorization of statistical data.
Tale of Two Cities: Hanoi Preserves While Saigon Reaches for the Sky
Vietnam's two biggest cities are pursuing disinct urban growth models, with Saigon favoring a dense downtown while Hanoi spreads into new satellite cities.
As Waistlines Grow, So Does Vietnam’s Fitness Industry
Combined with the country’s newfound middle-income status and robust economic growth, the prevalence of obesity is bringing about new business opportunities in Vietnam.
Amazon Set to Offer Retail Services in Singapore Next Year
Seattle-based online retailer Amazon is reportedly gearing up for an official presence in Southeast Asia by next year.
[Photos] Da Nang’s Garden House Is a Green Urban Paradise
In the cramped quarters of urban Vietnam, greenery is hard to come by.
Dana Filek-Gibson in Tech
Vietnamese Design Startup Earns Over $27,000 in First 3 Days
Fresh off a win at the Vietnam Creative Business Cup, Hanoi-based startup DesignBold raked in over US$27,000 in the first three days of its beta phase, a promising sign for the young venture.
Michael Tatarski in Development
Saigon-Based Digital Nomad Creates Epic Map of Future Southeast Asia Rail Lines
A Saigon-based travel blogger and location-independent entrepreneur, or digital nomad, recently released a subway-style map of what train travel would look like in Southeast Asia if every currently pr...
Dana Filek-Gibson in Society
Taiwan Is on the Brink of Legalizing Same-Sex Marriage
Tens of thousands of people recently descended upon Taipei to celebrate Taiwan’s 14th annual Pride weekend with a renewed hope: as early as next year, the small island nation could become the first in...
Number of Zika Cases in Saigon Jumps to 17, Total of 23 Infections Nationwide
The number of confirmed Zika cases in Saigon has climbed to 17, making the southern hub a hotspot for the mosquito-borne disease.
[Photos] Saigon's Rapid Evolution in Pictures
Saigoneer is a proud media sponsor of the third edition of TP. Ho Chi Minh: MEGA City, released earlier this month. The compact and concise photo book explores urban development, landscapes ...
[Photos] Hanoi Bamboo Building Wins 2 International Architecture Prizes
An art pavilion located in Hanoi’s Muong Museum recently clinched two prestigious American architecture prizes for its innovative design.
New PBS Documentary Highlights Sexual Abuse in China
In its opening sequence, filmmaker Nanfu Wang sets up the premise of Hooligan Sparrow.
[Photos] Inside Le Duc Ha’s Remarkable Terra Cotta Studio
In rural Quang Nam, a Vietnamese architecture firm has created an artist studio that’s as much a masterpiece as the handcrafted pottery it holds.
