Skip to content

Sponsors

Expat Advisory Services Ho Chi Minh City

Articles Ho Chi Minh City

Hey Ho Let’s Go Punk Festival III

December 9, 2009 by CAMA

The Offensive

C.A.M.A. teams up with the malcontents behind Saigon’s favourite punk rock explosion to present the Hey Ho Let’s Go Punk Festival III this December 12.

In a pitched battle for stage supremacy, the third incarnation of the festival sets Saigon stalwarts Bad Neighbour against northern noise-mongers the Offensive, topped off by the first ever Vietnam performance by the undisputed leaders of China’s rock revolution P.K. 14.

Lanterns for the Mid Autumn Festival

September 30, 2009 by Jonny Platt

The mid-autumn festival, or Tet Trung Thu as it is known in Vietnam, is a major festival celebrated on the 15th of the 8th Lunar Month every year. This year, it falls on Saturday 3rd October.

I Love You, You Pay My Rent

September 24, 2009 by Tim Russell

This Friday will be a sad day for Saigon’s nightlife scene when Cantina Central, the city’s only Mexican bar/restaurant, closes its doors after a successful two-year stint. I have particularly fond memories of the place having DJ’d there at several Saigon Soul Brothers nights with my fellow funkateer Mr Pete Murray (aka the Saigon Pieman). The food was always affordable and authentic, and the owner, the charismatic Othello Khanh, always on hand with generously poured margharitas.

Australian warship HMAS Darwin to visit Ho Chi Minh City

September 22, 2009 by Expat Advisory

Australian warship HMAS Darwin

HCMC-Australian Navy warship HMAS DARWIN is to pay a diplomatic visit Vietnam from 28 September to 2 October 2009. The tour is expected to strengthen the goodwill and nation to nation ties between Australia and Vietnam through personal relationships established during the port visits.

In Praise of the Vietnamese Toilet

September 7, 2009 by Tim Russell

Photo Credit - Fred Wissink

Today’s letters page in Thanh Nien contains a highly amusing tribute to Vietnamese toilet facilities from one Michael Smith, an Australian living in Saigon.

Yes, he says, Vietnamese toilets can be bad, but the problem is by no means confined to Vietnam, and in the cities at least, one can relieve oneself in international-standard facilities.

I have to say I agree with him about city toilets - most bars, cafes & hotels in Saigon have more than acceptable bathrooms. It’s when you get out of the cities that the problems begin. I’m not talking about rural fish toilets (as seen in the film Slumdog Millionaire) - whilst these may be uncomfortable, they’re eco-friendly and generally hygienic.

Observations of Saigon Street Life

August 24, 2009 by Allyson Keane

Cyclo in the rain, De Tham St, Pham Ngu Lao

Here’s a little report on my observations of street life in Saigon.... as it is the place where life (and death) seem to centre.

Looking Down
I seem to spend an inordinate amount of my time here looking down - quite practical given the nature of the uneven pavements, if they exist, and the Vietnamese penchant for placing rubbish of all kinds in small piles for collection or burning at some stage. Yesterday as I left my guesthouse I was ambling along watching the gutter as usual, when a Bedford van, highly decorated in what looked like Hindu metal work, blocked my path. As I negotiated the open doors, a large orange funeral casket of the highly lacquered wood favoured here, complete with clear Perspex lid was being unloaded from the back of it. In every town there seems to be a casket maker, ranging from simple wood and stone to quite ornately decorated affairs, highly painted and trimmed with gold.

Saigon’s New Bar District

August 6, 2009 by Tim Russell

Vietnam may have many qualities as a tourist or expat destination, but traditionally nightlife hasn’t been one of them. A handful of seedy pubs or bland hotel bars, local nightclubs playing naff techno, and everything shutting down at midnight. And in the last couple of years it’s often felt as if there was a concerted plan to make Saigon’s nightlife even worse, with popular venues such as Why Not and No5 (in its Ly Tu Trong incarnation) closing down, and flash, ephemeral “lounge bars” opening and closing every few days.

The Quest for Great Restaurant Service

July 31, 2009 by Tim Russell

Last Wednesday I took a potential partner for dinner at Saigon bistro The Refinery. The food and service were, as ever, amongst the best you’ll encounter anywhere in the country - unlike pretty much anywhere in Vietnam, the restaurant’s staff manage to provide service that’s confident, laid-back and friendly, while remaining efficient and professional. That’s something that Vietnamese waiting staff regularly fail to pull off, more on which shortly.

Espressamente Illy Cafe Phu My Hung

July 5, 2009 by Thomas Wanhoff

Now we have our own Espressamente Illy Coffee shop in Phu My hung. It opened last Saturday. A quick review.

What I like:
The design is awesome. It's a modern and clean design, mandatory for all Illy Coffee shops all over the world with just adjustment to the local shop sizes. The armchairs are real leather and comfortable, the lightning is not to bright, and the close the curtains when too much sunlight comes in.

Paper Chase

June 21, 2009 by Brian Webb - photos by Nick Ross

Mr Dieu, one of the few still making traditional paper - photo Nick Ross

A Rare Look into Paper Making
The Dieu family is one of the few remaining households that stick to this old art. Not accustomed to curiosity from outsiders, it took several phone calls before Mr Dieu opened his gates to us. But once he did, it was immediately obvious how non-industrial their process is. Every part of the house and every available family member is devoted to some stage of the production.

Syndicate content

Who's online

There are currently 0 users and 2 guests online.

Sponsors