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] Inside Thu Thiem’s $87 Million Park
Perhaps Ho Chi Minh City has figured out a way to spark part of its long-stalled Thu Thiem Urban Area project – trade land in exchange for development and infrastructure.
BBGV 14th Annual Fun Run For Charity
BBGV Annual Fun Run for Charity is an event which allows you to have fun with your fellow co-workers, friends and family but also participate in something which raises money for disadvantaged people t...
Vietnam Proposes Ban On Sidewalk Alcohol Sales
A new draft decree from the Ministry of Industry and Trade that proposes a ban on sidewalk alcohol sales has come under scrutiny for being “ill-conceived and unfeasible,” according to Thanh Nien.
HCMC Authorities Push To Fast Track New Airport
With increased air traffic and pressure to accommodate more flights, HCMC authorities are pushing hard to fast track approval for the $10 billion Long Thanh Airport project, reports TTR Weekly.
Go Vap House Blends Traditional Construction With Contemporary Design
This Go Vap house built by MM++ Architects utilizes low cost materials and combines traditional construction principles with contemporary design for some beautiful results.
$189m Plan to Give 300,000 HCMC Students Tablets Draws Criticism
Last week the HCMC Department of Education proposed a plan to equip 300,000 primary students with tablets for the coming school year, reports Thanh Nien. With a pricetag of VND3 million – VND 5 m...
Brian Letwin in Development
A Look At The Progress Of HCMC's First Metro Line
Now that ground has been broken on the underground stations in District 1, construction of HCMC’s first metro system is in full swing. But with a number of major construction sites across nearly 20km ...
Brian Letwin in Development
Future Saigon: VINATEX Tower (Võ Văn Kiệt Street)
Vietnam Textile and Garment Group recently announced plans for this mixed residential/commercial tower, which will go up at the corner of Võ Văn Kiệt and Nam Kỳ Khởi Nghĩa Streets.
Google Street View Arrives In Saigon (Sort Of)
This pseudo Google Street view map of Saigon is the brainchild of photography studio, QuangCao360.
Dengue Fever On The Rise In HCMC
According to Thanh Nien, doctors in HCMC have noticed an alarming rise in the number of dengue fever cases in recent weeks, especially among adults. To complicate matters, the virus is often misdiagno...
‘Watch Your Video’ Virus Hits Vietnamese Facebook Users
Last week, Facebook locked thousands of users accounts following what’s been labeled as the biggest information hack in the history of the internet.
'Flappy Bird' Creator To Release New Game Tomorrow
Well, Nguyen Ha Dong, the Vietnamese app developer who at one point was pulling in $55,000 per day, is officially back in the spotlight. After releasing a new version of ‘Flappy Bird’ earlier this mon...
Design Competition Seeking Your Ideas On How To Make Saigon More Beautiful
Saigoneer is proud to be the media sponsor for Saigon Makeover, a new design competition for graphic designers, artists and young people at large to share their creative vision of how different parts ...
Zero Gravity Flights Coming To Asia
Ever wish you could float like an astronaut in space? Soon you may be able to do so without having to leave Asia.
Hanoi’s Beautiful 'Greenfall Renovation'
Yeah, we know. Vo Trong Nghia Architects seems to get all the press when it comes to unique housing design in Vietnam, but for good reason. They’re constantly pushing the envelope and seem unafraid of...
Vietnamese Telecos: Don’t Expect 4G Anytime Soon
Hoping to see the text “4G” atop your mobile phone screen? You’ll have to wait a bit longer. Instead of upgrading their mobile data networks to 4G, Vietnamese telecommunication companies are focusing ...
Experts Say Saigon Needs A Plan To Preserve Ancient Trees
Saigon residents voiced their displeasure after 51 trees, some 150 years old, were uprooted and axed to make room for the new Saigon Opera House metro station. This sentiment was echoed by urban tree ...
Facebook Locks Vietnamese Users’ Accounts, Asks Them To Change Their Passwords
This morning, many Vietnamese Facebook users woke up to a surprising message, notifying them that their accounts had been locked and requesting that they change their passwords, reports VN Express.
Future Saigon: The Nexus Complex
One of Saigon’s most desirable areas when it comes to real estate is Tôn Đức Thắng Street. Like in any emerging city, locations along the water are ripe in the eyes of developers. Especially when a su...
[Photos] Views From Vietnam’s Second Tallest Building
At 267m, Hanoi’s new $400 million Lotte Center offers some pretty amazing views of the capital. Recently, Zing sent one of their photographers up to the building's 65th floor where they captured image...
