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Creator

Phan Nhi

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Stories by Phan Nhi

54 stories

In Xuân Diệu's Tender Poetry, a Reminder to Love Honestly and Courageously

Trích or Triết

In Xuân Diệu's Tender Poetry, a Reminder to Love Honestly and Courageously

“Tenderly, fondly, Xuân Diệu held on to my wrist, caressing it up and down. Our eyes locked in affection…Xuân Diệu loved me.”

Linh PhạmJun 12, 2026
House Dance Hanoi Teaches You How to Free the Body

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.

Linh PhạmOct 31, 2025
Cầy Mực, the Fluffy Bearcat Whose Pee Really Smells Like Popcorn
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Natural Selection

Cầy Mực, the Fluffy Bearcat Whose Pee Really Smells Like Popcorn

I won’t bury the lede. If you are wandering Vietnam’s jungles and suddenly get a whiff of an odor that transports you to the entrance of a CineStar movie theatre, don’t ready yourself for another clichéd Marvel flick. Instead, look into the trees for a cầy mực (binturong).

Paul ChristiansenMay 4, 2025
From a Blend of Cultures, Phá Lấu Became a Beloved Saigon Street Snack

Snack Attack

From a Blend of Cultures, Phá Lấu Became a Beloved Saigon Street Snack

When the word phá lấu is mentioned, two genres of dishes will appear in the mind of Vietnamese. One is a small bowl of orange broth that sings of coconut milk, another is slices of caramelized offal awash in a translucent shade of brown. Both these forms of preparations speak volumes about the growth of local street food through episodes of history.

HHưng ThịnhJul 17, 2024
Hidden in the Heart of D5, an Architectural Vestige of 1970s Vietnam-Korea History

Saigon

Hidden in the Heart of D5, an Architectural Vestige of 1970s Vietnam-Korea History

For years now, the verdant pine green pavilion in the heart of Hòa Bình Park in District 5 has been a familiar landmark for denizens of Chợ Lớn.

LLeoApr 22, 2024
The Life, Death and Legacy of 7 Pillars of Vietnam's Quốc Ngữ Literary Wealth

Trích or Triết

The Life, Death and Legacy of 7 Pillars of Vietnam's Quốc Ngữ Literary Wealth

When I first started as a writer, I noticed that I couldn’t write in Vietnamese very well, despite the fact that I was born here. Most of my English vocabulary comes from books, so in order to improve my mother tongue, I began reading Vietnamese texts. The first one I chose was Hà Nội Băm Sáu Phố Phường , or The 36 Streets of Hanoi, by Thạch Lam. This book had been lying on my bookshelf for a long time, but that day was the first time I picked it up.

Linh PhạmApr 22, 2024
In Remembrance of Saigon Street Calls Past

Culture

In Remembrance of Saigon Street Calls Past

Drowned out by the noises of modernization, sounds that once served as the background to a simpler time have begun to shrink, and eventually become lost in the wheel of progress. Tiếng rao, or street calls, happen to be one of those dying noises, but they remain a poignant reminder of the past for many.

NNhư QuỳnhDec 11, 2023
1735 Km, the 2005 Road Trip Romcom That Could Have Been

Rewind

1735 Km, the 2005 Road Trip Romcom That Could Have Been

In 2005, I was in middle school. I had never had a cellphone nor known what the internet was — our home didn’t have ADSL until ninth grade. Life as a fledgling pupil in Saigon revolved around homework, catching the latest That’s So Raven episode on Disney Channel, and riding behind my dad’s back on our family motorbike every day to and from school. But something was about to change: 2005 was the year I went to the movies for the very first time.

Khôi PhạmAug 4, 2023
'The Shard, the Tissue, an Affair': A Short Story by Andrew Lam

Literature

'The Shard, the Tissue, an Affair': A Short Story by Andrew Lam

This short story is featured in Volume 2 of In My Ear, Your Voice Still Flickering // Bên tai tôi, giọng người vẫn chờn vờn , a three-part, bilingual collection of works by more than 20 Vietnamese artists and writers, curated by Saigoneer in collaboration with Miami Book Fair.

AAndrew LamJun 19, 2023
A Day in the Life of Phùng Hưng, a D5 Street With Two Personalities

Culture

A Day in the Life of Phùng Hưng, a D5 Street With Two Personalities

Nestled in the historic Chợ Lớn section of District 5, Phùng Hưng Street runs from the canal along Võ Văn Kiệt through to Hồng Bàng. Within its length, the street has two distinct personalities.

JJim SelkinFeb 13, 2023
On Táo's Transformation From Rapper to Curator of Good Taste

Quãng 8

On Táo's Transformation From Rapper to Curator of Good Taste

"The artist can’t reflect the truths of life if they don’t live, can they?"

TTài ThyFeb 9, 2023
Born in Cần Thơ and Raised in the US, Rapper Mixed Miyagi Stays True to His Many Roots

Quãng 8

Born in Cần Thơ and Raised in the US, Rapper Mixed Miyagi Stays True to His Many Roots

"Miền Tây sông nước tao ngắm cánh đồng xanh / Buổi sáng là thức dậy để đi cày mà làm ăn / Trên đời này thành công là siêng năng / Không có giống mấy thằng chó, có chút tiền rồi kiêu căng."

Paul ChristiansenJul 28, 2022
Đom Đóm: Why the Light Is Going Out for Fireflies in Vietnam

Natural Selection

Đom Đóm: Why the Light Is Going Out for Fireflies in Vietnam

Much like their brief existence on Earth, once-common fireflies are quickly disappearing from Vietnam’s natural and oral histories.

UUyên ĐỗJun 23, 2022
Đàm Lê Đức, Educator Extraordinaire and Matriarch of 218 Lý Tự Trọng, Passes Away at 91

Saigon

Đàm Lê Đức, Educator Extraordinaire and Matriarch of 218 Lý Tự Trọng, Passes Away at 91

If there’s such a thing as a celebrity teacher, Madame Đàm Lê Đức would be a shining example of Saigon’s educator extraordinaire.

SaigoneerMay 12, 2022
Mangroves: The Everyday Superheroes Protecting Vietnam Against Climate Change

Natural Selection

Mangroves: The Everyday Superheroes Protecting Vietnam Against Climate Change

When you think of ways to combat the inevitable ravages of climate change and sea level rise, what comes to mind?

Michael TatarskiMay 5, 2022
Letter From Ukraine: Kharkiv Is My Home, I Never Imagined That We Could Be Attacked

Stories

Letter From Ukraine: Kharkiv Is My Home, I Never Imagined That We Could Be Attacked

Editor's note: This article is a personal essay written by Viktoria Grivina, a Ukrainian and friend of a member of our team. While Saigoneer has always focused our editorial content on Vietnam, as Vietnamese, we know first-hand how devastating and long-lasting the ramifications of war can be on a culture and nation, so we feel that it's important to give voice and provide support to war victims as best we can within our ability.

VViktoria GrivinaApr 4, 2022
Netflix Announces Next 'Bridgerton' Season to Focus on Long-Lost Vietnamese Sister Hường Bridgerton

Film & TV

Netflix Announces Next 'Bridgerton' Season to Focus on Long-Lost Vietnamese Sister Hường Bridgerton

Steamy night rendezvous, sordid secrets, and stupendous wigs — historical smash hit Bridgerton returned last week with all the glitz and glam that made its first season one of the most-watched series on Netflix. But are viewers ready for more shocking revelations in Bridgerton ’s third season?

SaigoneerApr 1, 2022
Slugging It Out at Saigon’s Baseball Cage

Parks & Rec

Slugging It Out at Saigon’s Baseball Cage

For much of my adult life, in the months from February to October, my mood was dictated by the results of New York Mets games.

Brian LetwinMar 30, 2022
In Điện Điên and Mutant Lounge Radio Shows, a Hidden Universe of Vietnam's Electronic Music

Music & Arts

In Điện Điên and Mutant Lounge Radio Shows, a Hidden Universe of Vietnam's Electronic Music

Many moons ago I had the pleasure of encountering Tobias Paramore’s lopsided grin in a dimly lit music event in Hanoi. Originally from Australia, Paramore has been creating electronic music since 2003. Currently based in Đà Nẵng, he arrived in Vietnam in 2016 and threw himself into the eclectic underground of Hanoi’s music scene.

Elise LuongMar 17, 2022
Vietnam's Virtual YouTubers and the Surprising Bond of Anonymous Friendship

Ẽplain

Vietnam's Virtual YouTubers and the Surprising Bond of Anonymous Friendship

Vtubers have been taking the global streaming industry by storm for several years now, with millions of fans that span the globe, even in Vietnam. Yet despite this obvious popularity, local Vtubers catering to a Vietnamese audience are only a recent phenomenon.

TThế AnhFeb 23, 2022
Vĩnh Long's Rich Architectural Heritage Tells Stories of Taste, Time, and Turbulence

Architecture

Vĩnh Long's Rich Architectural Heritage Tells Stories of Taste, Time, and Turbulence

Vĩnh Long is a land of rich historical values located in the Mekong Delta. Here, generations of residents from diverse cultural backgrounds have been living, working, and interacting across key milestones of the land’s historical periods.

HHiếu YFeb 16, 2022
A Eulogy for the Last Wild Cọp of Vietnam

Natural Selection

A Eulogy for the Last Wild Cọp of Vietnam

The story of Vietnam and cọp is not one where we will come out looking good.

Khoi PhamJan 30, 2022
Scientists Confirmed 91 New Species in Vietnam in 2020, WWF Report Shows

Environment

Scientists Confirmed 91 New Species in Vietnam in 2020, WWF Report Shows

A new report from the World Wide Fund for Nature (WWF) highlights just how biodiverse the Greater Mekong region remains, even as major threats continue to impact flora and fauna populations.

Michael TatarskiJan 26, 2022
A Tale of Two Rượus

Ănthology

A Tale of Two Rượus

The first time I bought rượu , it was from Lang Giang , my tour guide in Sa Pa. We were staying in a Red Dao village known for its rice liquor production, and that night I received three water bottles, stripped of their original labels, each filled with a mysterious liquid.

Tam LeJan 17, 2022
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