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Every newly published Saigoneer article, ordered from newest to oldest across all sections and series.
13174 articles
Food Culture
On a typical day in Cai Lay District, about 90 KM outside Ho Chi Minh City, farmers toil in the field tending to their rice paddies. But today is special, and like any special day in Vietnam it will end with rice wine and feasting. It begins, however, with bugs and flowers.
Film & TV
Long Van Cinema. Vietnam is producing high-quality films faster than ever before. While the country is not known for its cinematic pedigree, the film industry in Vietnam has been active for over 100 years. With growing budgets and influence from the Viet Kieu community, Vietnam could be entering a Golden Age of film.
Saigon
Ain't no liquor in the karaoke room. To the dismay of ballers across Saigon, a new decree from the Ministry of Culture Sports and Tourism will raise the fines for drinking liquor in karaoke rooms. So if you’re downing bottles of Hennessey whilst belting out Billy Jean, you’re looking at a VND3 million fine.
Asia
The Diplomat recently published the story of the Hmong, a Laotian ethnic minority group recruited by the CIA to counter the influence of communism in Laos. This compelling article chronicles not only the role of the Hmong during the American War but their current struggle for survival in the dense jungles of northern Laos.
Travel
Traditional masks in Hong Kong. Photo by Jon Sanwell While we don’t get to travel much, many local bloggers do and frequently post articles about their recent adventures. Photographer Jon Sanwell recently returned from Hong Kong and posted some great pictures and information on his blog, Without an H .
Vietnam
Vietnam is now one of the world's top coffee exporters. While some local companies shake in their boots as Starbucks gears up to enter the Vietnamese market, the country’s largest coffee grower, Trung Nguyen, is taking the offensive and setting its sights on the international coffee market.
Health
Organic produce has gained massive popularity in the West over the last few decades. Given the importance of agriculture in Vietnam – both from economic and health standpoints – there are those who are working to improve the country’s diet and overall health by focusing on cultivating organic fruits and vegetables.
Saigon
Rendering of Long Thanh Airport. It’s no secret that Saigon aspires to be the commercial and tourist hub of Southeast Asia. Even as the economy has slowed, tourism in Vietnam is growing at a pace of 11% annually. Government officials expect the economy to bounce back and for growth in the tourism sector to continue. To accommodate the rising number of visitors, plans for additional International airports across Vietnam are in the works.
Vietnam
Nguyen Thi Minh Khai. We’re kicking off our Street Figures series with one of the city’s busiest streets which spans Districts 1 and 3 – Nguyen Thi Minh Khai.
Development
Rendering of Eximbank Tower. Get ready for a major addition to the Saigon skyline – the Eximbank Tower. On December 17th, Eximbank announced the 40 story project, led by Turner and Nikken Sekkei design consultants.
Development
Rendering of Eximbank Tower. Get ready for a major addition to the Saigon skyline – the Eximbank Tower. On December 17th, Eximbank announced the 40 story project, led by Turner and Nikken Sekkei design consultants.
Development
Over the past decade, Saigon has outgrown its traditional boundaries, forcing development not only vertically but horizontally. As the sky above District 1 becomes increasingly crowded and land scarce, city planners have been looking for ways to expand Saigon’s business center.
Vietnam
While we dream about subway systems in Saigon and Hanoi, another major project is on the minds of engineers and urban planners – high speed rail. Already the standard in Japan, China and Europe, there are two projects in the works that could bring the technology to Vietnam. But before we look at the future, let’s take a look at the history and present state of Vietnam’s railway system to see why so many are pushing for a complete overhaul.
Food Culture
Ketchup has an interesting lineage. Nuoc mam , or fish sauce, is a staple condiment in Asia where it has been used for hundreds of years. Its flavor-enhancing characteristics make it akin to ketchup in its ability to instantly elevate a dish. But what if I told you ketchup is the great-grandson of fish sauce? That’s right - America’s favorite condiment came right out of Asia’s cook book. Don’t believe me? Check out this article from Slate .
Music & Arts
Đi uống - Always. Check out this track from some of our brothers and sisters up north: Đi uống - Always. Frankly, we're always down to watch a video where the band performs on a motorcyle and sidecar.
Music & Arts
Hoang Oanh. We're not huge fans of Americanization but there are some rare exceptions. Concidering the current state of Vietnamese pop music, it's hard to believe there was a time when it was, to put it bluntly, good . A time before K-pop and obnoxious electronic music (you know, where every song has the same baseline).
Saigon
When looking at old pictures of big cities, what usually strikes us is how different yet similar things are today. Back in the 50s, Time Magazine ran some great pictures of Saigon, capturing its initial rise as “Pearl of the Orient”.
Saigon
Abandoned Temple. Parts of central District 2 are currently a mish-mash of leveled neighborhoods where all that remain are the skeletons of old buildings.
Travel
Vietnam's first truly international port, Hoi An was developed by Chinese and Japanese merchants who believed that the "heart of Asia" lay beneath the small town. While that has yet to be proven, there's no doubt that Hoi An is a unique place - one of those rare instances when beautiful architecture, delicious food and floating lanterns can render you almost blind to the hoards of tourists.
Vietnam
Old bridge. Photo by Khánh Hmoong If you love old Vietnam photos as much as we do, you’ll get a kick out of these which contrast the present and past of some of Vietnam’s most famous sites.
Development
Hydroelectric plant. This is the first article in our series “Power Players” which examines the different paths Vietnam is pursuing to feed its power-thirsty cities and industrial centers.
Development
Green bedroom. Source: New York Times The idea of “going green” is gaining popularity in our fair Vietnam, and while the government talks about it on a national level, there are plenty of good examples of individual applications of the concept.
