Paul Christiansen in Environment
An Ancient Turtle Named After Bánh Xèo Can Teach Us a Lot About Whimsy in Science
Nước mắm — that ruby-hued elixir; that salty, fish-flesh-sweet open secret in your favorite recipe; that indispensable icon of Vietnamese culture and, by extension, identity — owes itself to Commerson’s anchovies. That’s right, if your fish sauce comes from the central region, where it was first developed, the fish pressed with salt to produce it are Stolephorus commersonnii, a species named in 1801 after Philibert Commerson, a white Frenchman. Picture all the hardscrabble village homes suffering under the yoke of colonialism, where one of the day’s few pleasures was a humble meal made delicious by a carefully rationed dash of fish sauce and an ingredient whose name pays homage to their colonizers.
Michael Tatarski in Environment
Huế's Fantastic Herbs and Where to Find Them, Now in Book Form
Have you ever walked past a plant and wondered "Hey, I wonder what that could do?"
Saigon Commences Metro Line, Major Administrative Hub Project in Thủ Thiêm
Municipal authorities in Hồ Chí Minh City are moving forward with a number of infrastructure projects that will majorly transform the peninsula in the future.
From the Ground up Into the Air: The Evolution of Bitexco in 25 Photos
Between Thủ Thiêm's ambitious new skyscrapers, the planned transformation of Thanh Đa Peninsula and a LEED-standard apart...
The Global Waste Trade Fuels the Rise of Waste Colonialism in Southeast Asia
In August 2025, Malaysian campaigner Wong Pui Yi stood outside the UN headquarters in Geneva and made an appeal to Global North nations: “Stop treating the Global South as the rubbish bin for plastic waste you cannot handle.”
Pedaling for a Purpose: The Coastal Cycling Challenge Bringing Homes to Quảng Ngãi
During February and March, a group of volunteers from Saigon spent five days cycling up the coast, starting in Thảo Điền and ending up in the mountainous district of Trà Bông, nestled deep in Quảng Ngãi Province.
Michael Tatarski in Natural Selection
Voọc Cát Bà: The Endangered Primate of Karst Land
Imagine being born one color, and growing up into a very differently hued adult.
Vietnamese Indie Studio Skrollcat Announces 'Hoa 2,' Sequel of 2021 Award-Winning Game
In 2021, the first Hoa title came out just in time to soothe our pandemic anxiety. Five years later, will Hoa 2 be up for the job in this new era of fuel crisis and global instability?
[Photos] This District 3 House Is Every Saigoneer's Dream
We’ve seen plenty of local architects incorporate traditional Vietnamese aesthetics into their designs, from Chapa brickwork to tube houses. But we’ve never come across something quite as stunning as ...
Ministry Proposes 50 Text Daily Cap To Combat SMS Spam
In an effort to combat the scourge of spam texts, the Ministry of Information and Communications is considering limiting mobile phone users to 50 texts per day.
Don't Blame Sharks For AAG Breaks: Experts
While the Asia-America Gateway (AAG) cable is back up and running, we’re only one shark bite away from being cast back into the internet Dark Ages. Or are we?
Meet The Winners Of Vietnam Young Spikes 2014
Why did you apply for VYS 2014? Chuong: I am very new to the industry and would like to see what it would be like to have the freedom to do creative work instead of following the process and dealing ...
Saigon Seeks to Extend Metro Line to Tan Son Nhat
Saigon authorities are looking to expand one of the city’s future metro lines to Tan Son Nhat Airport.
[Infographic] A Guide to Petrol Prices in Vietnam and Southeast Asia
After months of cut-rate petrol prices, it’s no longer particularly cheap to fill up your tank in Vietnam. But are today’s prices higher than ever? Who sets petrol rates and what exactly are we paying...
Vietnamese Farmers Build Solar-Powered Boat
Four farmers in the Mekong Delta have successfully produced a solar-powered boat that can reach speeds of 20kph.
Did You Know Stopping In The Shade Can Get You Fined?
Driving in the scorching afternoon sun, many seek shelter under slivers of shade provided by trees and buildings. However, under Vietnamese law, doing so could result in fines of up to VND500,000.
70 New Species Discovered In Vietnam: WWF Report
According to a report released by the World Wide Fund for Nature (WWF) last week, 70 new species were found in Vietnam last year, many of which are at risk due to human activity.
Girders Installed On Saigon’s First Metro Line
If you’ve zipped along the North-South Highway in recent days, you’ve probably noticed a girder-laying machine doing its thing just off of Thao Dien Street.
Vietnam to Get 3 New Internet Cables
Following constant ruptures to the Asia-America Gateway (AAG), Vietnamese telecommunication firms and government agencies are planning to build three new cables to ensure that the country's internet u...
[Photos] Saigon House Recaptures City’s Fading Charm
The Saigon House (perhaps located in District 6 due to the presence of Chinese-style shrines out front), seeks to recreate the lost Vuong Hong Sen's dwellings that once dotted Saigon-Gia Dinh.
Vietnam Pushes Ahead With High-Speed Rail Line
While Saigon may soon be getting its eagerly awaited metro and BRT systems, a considerably larger infrastructure project is slowly gaining steam – a north-south high-speed railway.
TPP Deal Could Add 30% to Vietnam’s GDP
At a conference in Saigon last week, Charles H. Rivkin, the US Assistant Secretary of State for Economic and Business Affairs, said that if passed, the Trans Pacific Partnership (TPP) trade agreement ...
WB Approves US$124m Loan For Saigon Bus Rapid Transit System
With the approval of a US$124 million World Bank loan, it looks like things are finally coming together for Saigon’s bus rapid transit (BRT) system.
Vietnam Has Nowhere to Put Its Nuclear Waste
As Vietnam continues on its long, arduous path toward nuclear power, experts have highlighted the need for a sound nuclear waste disposal policy.
Hà Nội: CAPITAL City - Soul Of The Capital City
Saigoneer is proud to be the media sponsor of the Hà Nội: CAPITAL City photo book. Over the course of the next few weeks, we’ll be giving you an overview of the book's fantastic photos and stories. To...
[Photos] Pollution Kills Tens of Thousands of Fish in Saigon’s Revitalized Canal
Last Tuesday, residents living along Saigon’s Nhieu Loc-Thi Nghe canal woke up to the foul odor of dead fish.
Achieve Sushi Zen At This Minimalist D1 Japanese Restaurant
Local architecture firm, 07Beach, has become the go-to choice for many of Saigon’s best Japanese restaurants. After the completion of the minimalist 4P’s Bar and Ramen Bar Suzuki, the firm’s main...
Vietnamese Tech Firm Unleashes 'the Best Smartphone in the World'
Vietnamese tech company, Bkav has unveiled the Bphone, a smartphone that the firm’s CEO has ambitiously dubbed “the best smartphone in the world.”
