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The other co-founder of Saigoneer, irremediably drawn to balance, an introvert at heart who speaks through photography, filmmaking, and coding. I capture life with the same passion I live it.
613 stories
Dishcovery
The mangosteen salad trend hit TikTok in 2023, creating a demand that led locals to quit their jobs and take on more lucrative full-time fruit-peeling duties.
Travel
A delightfully bizarre place, Quy Nhơn’s Quy Hoà leprosy colony deserves exploration in full , but clustered in a grove of trees on its outskirts in Nhân Ái Park stands a particularly peculiar assemblage of more than 50 cement busts atop podiums. Who are they? One must walk closer to find out.
Saigon Hẻm Gems
It took a few visits before I noticed that the music at Sakaba Sasuke was always the same.
Saigon Hẻm Gems
Growing up in South Korea's extremely competitive and high-stress education system, combined with strict Asian parenting, my relationship with my parents has never been easy.
Food Culture
After Saigon and Hanoi, Đà Nẵng will be the next Vietnamese city with its own Michelin Guide selections.
Saigon
There is no way to describe Saigon traffic literally and have it understood by someone who has not experienced it.
Culture
During high school, I learned that babies born in years of the dragon were thought to be “fortunate” and thus, highly sought-after.
Music & Arts
The cheerful ska tunes combined with insanely energetic and quirky dance moves packed every inch of the indoor space of Indika with heat and pure joy.
In Plain Sight
I got to know Bá Tân Bookstore thanks to a friend’s suggestion.
Saigon Hẻm Gems
A few years ago, my family’s Christmas Eve tradition of making gỏi cuốn was swapped out for a special competition, one that would decisively end a longstanding rivalry: who, out of the aunts and uncles, could make the best bún riêu?
Saigon Hẻm Gems
Recently, I’ve had the Mekong Delta on the mind. This month I made two trips down to research various elements of the watery region, and also spent time reading author Khải Đơn’s tremendous delta-focused book of poetry Drowning Dragon Slips by Burning Plain ; read my review of the book here . And while I haven’t actually seen the movie adaptation Đất Rừng Phương Nam , it’s been impossible to avoid the promos that feature a stereotypical wooden boat easing along a narrow delta channel, while white herons rise and farmers trudge into the field wearing colorful clothing with black khăn rằn.
Saigon Hẻm Gems
Years ago, the first time I ate cao lầu , I committed a cardinal sin. As I gazed upon my freshly assembled bowl of noodles, without much thought, I asked the waitress for more sauce.
In Plain Sight
If it weren’t for shrimps, developing taste buds would have been an outrageous waste of evolutionary time and resources. Truly, without the potential for boiled, grilled, fried, baked or even raw shrimp, I find little point to getting out of bed with my tongue still in my mouth.
Travel
On an isle amid the Vàm Thuật river in Gò Vấp District, Phù Châu Temple, colloquially known among locals as the “floating temple,” has welcomed religious practitioners looking for a serene quarter in fast-paced Hồ Chí Minh City for over three centuries.
Sports
Families of fans filed into the “Fire Pan” on September 3, wearing red, white, and black jerseys. The atmosphere hums with anticipation.
Travel
Though wellness continues to be a common refrain offered by resorts in Vietnam and around the world, it’s often used to describe services like spas, steam rooms and saunas at far-flung resorts. A 25-minute speedboat ride from downtown Saigon or 20 minutes from District 2 rests An Lam Retreats Saigon River, a verdant oasis where wellness isn’t a buzzword but a core principle that is woven throughout every corner of the property.
Food Culture
♫ And the bún mộc on the train goes round and round. Rolling down the track ♫
Travel
For professionals with families, living in Saigon poses a number of challenges, especially a lack of public spaces and fresh air. For many parents, a trip to a verdant cafe or kids club is the most practical way to provide a bit of recreation for their children as forests and beaches often require hours of travel. There is, however, something of an oasis only 25 minutes from District 1 or 15 minutes from District 2.
Hanoi
In many countries, urban metros are a mundane convenience — so ordinary that their users often take them for granted. But until the birth of Hanoi’s Cát Linh-Hà Đông Metro Line, residents of Vietnam had enjoyed no such air-conditioned, traffic-immune method of transportation.
Dishcovery
Saigon is spoiled with cafes. In addition to the street stalls hawking cheap phin coffee, international chains and charming mom-and-pop shops, the last decade has seen a proliferation of third-wave venues that meticulously source organic beans to roast in small batches and prepare with a wide assortment of gizmos and gadgets.
Culture
In 1964, when Đỗ Văn Lan was only 14 years old, a group of American soldiers spent six months at his family’s Bình Định home learning how to make nón ngựa. Once he learned that I am American, he told me this story. More than once.
Travel
Beginning August 15, tourist visas will be extended from 30 days to 90 days.
