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.
[Photos] Da Nang: COASTAL City – Views From Above
Saigoneer is proud to be the media sponsor of Da Nang: COASTAL City, a large-format photo book exploring the urban development, landscapes and people of Central Vietnam. Produced with the support of t...
[Photos] A Farewell to Saigon's War-Era Water Towers
Saigon Water Company (Sawaco) is drawing up plans to destroy seven of the eight large war-era water towers scattered across the city.
Behind the Cover: 'Da Nang: COASTAL City' to Hit Bookshelves Next Month
Next month, German editor Michael Waibel will release Da Nang: COASTAL City, the third in a series of large-format photo books dedicated to documenting the development and vibrancy of Vietnam. In conj...
Vinhomes to Build Ha Long Complex Full of Shophouses
Ha Long Bay is about to get its first urban development, courtesy of Vinhomes.
Brian Letwin in Development
[Photos] District 2 Just Got a Fresh New Park
Green space has long come at a premium in Saigon, especially as some public areas – see District 1’s Chi Lang Park – have lost out to the city’s breakneck development.
Chinese Government Bans 'Weird' Architecture
Modern-day China's epidemic of creative buildings has come to an end, as the government recently placed a ban on “weird architecture”.
Apple to Invest $1bn in Hanoi Data Center
Global tech giant Apple is planning to invest US$1 billion in a Hanoi-based data center.
Vietnam's Elderly Population Increases by 500,000 a Year
With its elderly population increasing by a half-million people each year, Vietnam is on the fast track to becoming an aged nation.
Vinhomes to Transform Ba Son Shipyard Into Mega Development
The first few renderings of Vinhomes' Ba Son complex construction have recently surfaced online, stirring hope for proponents of the mega development and sorrow for those who fear the loss of an ...
Viettel Is Now Offering 4G...in Africa
If you're a Viettel user, we've got some good news: the military-run telecommunications provider is now offering 4G. The catch? It's in Burundi.
Vietnamese-Made App Wins Top Prize at SXSW
The Vietnamese creators of English-language pronunciation app ELSA took home the top prize at SXSWedu's 2016 Launch Startup competition last week.
[Renderings] The Hamptons Are Coming to Ho Tram
Saigon city dwellers can soon look forward to a Hamptons-style holiday, as a Vietnamese rendition of the famed American destination is set to reach completion in 2018.
500 Startups Launches $10m Microfund in Vietnam
As of last week, 500 Startups is open for business in Vietnam.
Studio8 Architects Win Contract to Design Khai Tower in PMH
After beating out 15 other competitors, local architecture firm Studio8 has won the contract to design District 7's newest ultra-modern office building.
Urban Vietnam Reckons With Its Air Quality Dilemma
There's a lot going on in the world of Vietnamese air quality these days. From Hanoi reaching Beijing-level pollution earlier this month to Saigon getting its first publicly accessible real-time air q...
Saigon Planning Underground City Beneath Ben Thanh Market
Ben Thanh Market, tourist shopping hub and icon of old Saigon, may one day have some competition beneath its feet.
A Vietnam-Laos Railway Could Be on the Horizon
Late last month, Deputy Minister of Transport Nguyen Ngoc Dong announced the launch of a feasibility study which will explore the possibility of a railway connecting Vientiane with coastal Vung Ang in...
[Video] Shanghai Tower Timelapse Packs 4 Years of Work Into 3 Minutes
When construction of China's Shanghai Tower began in 2009, filmmaker Joe Nafis made it his mission to capture the structure's rise above the rest of the city skyline.
Saigon Children's Shelter Struggles to Stay Open
Everyday is a new challenge for the Green Bamboo Warm Shelter, a non-governmental organization which assists former street boys aged eight to 16.
[Photos] Vietnam's Folded Roof House: The Epitome of Cool
Thirty kilometers northwest of Hanoi lies TOOB STUDIO's Folded Roof House, a two-story structure whose location away from the downtown urban center allows for a little more breathing room than th...
