Farewell My Neighbourhood
After nearly 9 years, I’m leaving my neighbourhood in Saigon’s Binh Thanh District, where I have many memories of many people, places & experiences…
Film: Saigon, My Saigon [Redux]
Revisiting my short film of a day in the life of my local neighbourhood in Saigon (Ho Chi Minh City), where I’ve tried to capture the rhythm of life over 24 hours in the rainy season
Saigon Waterbus: Guide & Itinerary
The Saigon Waterbus should be near the top of every visitor’s itinerary for Ho Chi Minh City. As a way of seeing the city’s skyline, of experiencing its many different neighbourhoods & for sheer value for money, the Saigon Waterbus is practically unbeatable…
Sketches of Saigon: 5 Scenes
Over the course of a week, I sat & wrote for half an hour on five separate occasions at five random locations in Saigon, and described the scenes as they appeared to me, in the hope of capturing something of the spirit of the city….
The Cafe Apartment at No.14 Ton That Dam, Saigon
The old apartment block on Ton That Dam Street, in downtown Saigon, has been colonized by cool cafes, hipster bars & fashion boutiques. Gritty & intriguing architectural vestiges lurk in every nook & cranny of this enigmatic French colonial-era complex….
Exploring Saigon’s Railway Tracks: A Guide
Lined with intriguing architecture, temples, shrines, pagodas, fruit trees, flowers, cafes, casual dining & other such urban miscellanea, exploring the lanes alongside Saigon’s railway tracks, on foot or on two wheels, is a fascinating experience….
Saigon→Vung Tau by Fast Boat
A fascinating riverine voyage from the city to the beach along waterways & open sea…
VIDEO: Saigon, My Saigon
My Saigon is not the high-rises or attractions of downtown. My Saigon is the local neighbourhood where I live – the alleyways, the market, and the people who inhabit it. In this film I’ve tried to capture the rhythm of daily life over 24 hours on a rainy season day in the area I live in…
The Cafe Apartment
A floor-by-floor guide to this cool & iconic Saigon landmark…
Saigon’s Street Food ‘Ghettos’
Throughout Saigon, there are clusters of crumbling old apartment complexes, all of which are on the verge of either collapse or demolition. Living conditions appear cramped and grim but, outside on the sidewalks, the street life and street food is among the best and most vibrant in the city…
VIDEO: The Saigon River
Exploring the waterway that flows through my adopted home: this is my film of the Saigon River…
The Saigon River: A Guide
Many cities are closely associated with a major waterway that runs through them: Saigon has the Saigon River. Currently, the city is in the process rediscovering and redeveloping its river. This is my personal reflection & guide to the Saigon River…
Saigon’s Parks & Open Spaces
Saigon might be known as a burgeoning city full of motorbikes and exhaust fumes, but it still has a great many green spaces in which to escape the heat, noise and pollution. From lush gardens dating from French colonial times to sleek, modern, waterfront promenades, here are Saigon’s best parks and open spaces…
10 Street Food Streets | Ho Chi Minh City
Explore one of the most exciting street food scenes in the world…
TOP 5: Things To Do in Saigon
Saigon is a fantastic city, but it’s not one that’s filled with typical tourist attractions. To get the most out of this city, leave the so-called ‘must-see’ sights behind, and follow my Top 5 Things to Do in Saigon.
11 Fresh Markets in Saigon (Ho Chi Minh City)
Local markets exist in another dimension to the rest of the city. Vibrant, bustling, fresh & organized, there’s magic in these markets…
Walking Saigon’s Alleyways
Between all the busy main roads, Saigon is riddled with narrow alleyways, which are quiet, cool, charming and great for walking. Here are some of my favourite areas in the city for alley walks….
14 Public Swimming Pools in Ho Chi Minh City
Escape the heat at these open-air public pools in the steamy southern metropolis…