#5 picks

Literature

5 Quixotic Books About Vietnam for When You're Craving a Little Quirky Read

There are too many good Vietnamese books to recommend, let alone read.

Saigon Hẻm Gems

5 Cozy Saigon Coffee Shops With Outstanding Cat Residents to Befriend

I almost never remember the faces of the employees at cafes that I’ve been to, but I am strangely attuned to the existence of their cats. I remember the textures of their fur when I gave them pets, the little squeaks when they jumped up and down the furniture, and the subtle ways they expressed their personality during our fleeting but memorable encounters.

Arts & Culture

5 Vietnamese Brands for Christmas Gifts That Celebrate Local Creativity and Culture

Even though Christmas is arguably the most important holiday of the year in the west, it is not a traditional special occasion in Vietnam, at least not in the same way Vietnamese go gaga over Tết.

Saigon Hẻm Gems

5 Saigon Coffee Shops Based in Buildings With Southern Modernist Architecture

Saigon is a cafe enthusiast’s paradise. A decades-old coffee culture fostered by previous generations is still alive and well, in addition to the latest global trends brought over by the younger generation of baristas. When it comes to interior styles and vibes, there’s a little something for everyone, from gritty industrial to spartan Japandi chic to Saigon’s very own southern modernist architecture.

Music & Arts

5 Classic Christmas Songs in Vietnamese for Those Craving Nô-en Wistfulness

Christmas celebration in Vietnam is something else altogether.