Often seen as the heart of Central Vietnam, Huế is the birthing ground for many traditional crafts. Artisan products from the ancient city often exude its inhabitants’ elegance and rustic quality. Among them, the handmade lion’s heads from Huế carry distinctive slivers of beauty within them. Continue reading the article on Saigoneer in English or…
Category: Vietnam photography
Vietnam Photography Tour: what to pack and how to prepare
If you’re planning a Vietnam photography tour, preparation is key. Vietnam offers an incredible variety of landscapes, street scenes, and cultural moments—but the experience can be challenging without the right gear, mindset, and local knowledge. Whether you’re joining a private Hanoi photography tour or exploring remote mountain villages with a freelance Vietnam photographer, knowing what…
In suburban Hanoi, with summer comes the red-purple cascade of mulberries
In suburban Hanoi, this is the season when mulberry branches heavy with bright red fruits dangle in the summer wind. The sunshine of April arrived with blasts of sweltering heat, dispelling the waterlogged curtain of March’s humidity. It was officially summer in Hanoi, a time for countless types of fresh fruits to showcase their vivid…
The century-old salt-making craft in the sunlit and windy land of Ninh Thuan
Vietnam’s coastline, stretching over 3,000 kilometers, not only provides bountiful boats filled with fish and shrimp but also produces pristine, flavorful grains of white salt. Hundreds of years ago, coastal residents began utilizing seawater to produce salt. Along Vietnam’s S-shaped stretch, salt-making exists in 19 provinces across the three regions. Among them, Ninh Thuận, blessed…
The artisan who keeps the Thang Long’s art of dragon dancing alive
The dragon is a mythical creature that has long been sanctified and holds a special place in Vietnamese culture and spiritual life. As the leader of the Four Sacred Beasts (Dragon, Qilin, Turtle, and Phoenix), the dragon symbolizes power, strength, prosperity, and good fortune. Therefore, it is traditionally believed that the Year of the Dragon…
In Tây Hồ, an Artisan Community Holds Fast to Their Lotus Tea Traditions
Every sip of lotus tea encapsulates all the essences of the natural landscapes of Tây Hồ. The arrival of lotus season in Quảng An Ward, Tây Hồ every year ushers in a flurry of activities for local tea dryers. Venerated by many as “the best tea of the ancient eras,” Tây Hồ’s lotus tea is…
The fish-catching festival of the Dao Cham people in Quan Ba, Ha Giang
Every year, during the Thanh Minh festival (Day of the dead), the Dao Cham people in Nam Dam, Quan Ba, hold a fishing festival. The fish caught are evenly distributed among households in the village to prepare meals offered to ancestors and deities as a gesture of gratitude. This act also seeks blessings for a…
The Hanoi Village Where Making Folding Fans Involves Every Family
Located around 25 kilometers from central Hanoi, Chàng Sơn still retains distinctly northern traits like an ancient village entrance, banyan trees, and raucous street markets. Tiny lanes run along walls of worn-down bricks in between the shadows of tall heritage trees. The gentle lilac flowers of bằng lăng trees stand out amongst the many shades…
Mèo Vạc Sunday market
Every Sunday morning, people from all over the Ha Giang rocky plateau wake up early, on winding roads snaking around the mountain slopes, heading to the central market of Meo Vac for the weekly market gathering. People from various ethnic groups like H’Mong, Dao, Lô Lô… all dressed vibrantly, carrying local products, from livestock, fabrics,…
“Reviving” discarded bamboo roots into works of art for 20 years
Over the past two decades, countless dry, rough bamboo stems have been resurrected into artistic sculptures under the skilled hands of the artist Huynh Phuong Do. Traveling along the coastline of Cua Dai (Hoi An, Quang Nam), I ventured into a small village in Thinh My ward, Cam An commune. The wind carried a salty…
Lên Putaleng nghe hơi thở của rừng
Vì những lần đầu tiên thì không dễ quên. Và những lần đầu tiên cũng là cách F5 cuộc sống. Vậy nên, mình thỉnh thoảng cứ bảo bản thân là: “Đi đến nơi mới đi, làm điều chưa làm đi!”. Và đây là lần đầu lên đỉnh Putaleng – 3.049m, đỉnh núi cao thứ 3 Việt Nam nằm trên dãy Hoàng Liên Sơn.
XUAN PHUONG 