“I love Banh mi Sai Gon” week underway in HCM City
“I love Banh mi Sai Gon” (I love Saigon bread) programme is taking place in Ho Chi Minh City from March 24 to 31.
"Banh mi" is a popular food in Vietnam (Photo: VNA)
HCM City (VNA) – “I love Banh mi SaiGon” (I love Saigon bread) programme is taking place in Ho Chi Minh City fromMarch 24 to 31.
The week-long event is part of the activities tocelebrate “banh mi” (popular Vietnamese street food) on the ninth anniversaryof its admission into the Oxford English Dictionary.
It is also among a series of activities in theculinary tourism campaign launched by the municipal Department of Tourism.
The department coordinated with musician NguyenHai Phong and Brandbeats Music Agency to create a music clip “I love Banh miSai Gon”.
An animated image of Vietnam’s “banh mi” (bread)was featured on Google’s homepage on March 24.
Google’s move has contributed to promotingVietnam's special snack to the world.
The name banh mi /ˈbɑːn miː/ is one ofthree Vietnamese words in the Oxford English dictionary, together with pho /fə ː/ and ao dai /ˈaʊ ˌdʌɪ/, proving its fame and popularity.
The first baguette in Vietnam dates back 130years to the time when France colonised the country between the 1880s and 1954.The French usually cut it into small sections to serve with soup, curry orbutter.
In 1970, wood-fired ovens were converted intolarger brick kilns to bake in bulk, which gave the bread its Vietnameseidentity.
From then on Vietnamese chefs began makingvariations. Instead of putting butter or jam on bread, they layered it withbacon, making it delicious and more convenient.
Banh mi has been developed across Vietnam. Theflavours of the modern “banh mi” vary by region in Vietnam. In Hanoi inthe north, the fillings are more simple than the “original” found in Ho ChiMinh City in the south, and include high-quality cold cuts. In the centralcoastal city of Hoi An, the meat used is served warm.
Vietnamese “banh mi” is present in countrieswhere Vietnamese people live because it is easy to make and source ingredients.
It was ranked second in a story run bythe Guardian about the World's Best Street Foods.
David Farley, a BBCwriter specializing in travel and cuisine, praised “banh mi” as"the best sandwich in the world".
Meanwhile, late chef Anthony Bourdain, one ofthe most influential culinary experts in the world, complimented banh mi in his“No Reservation” programme on CNN./.
VNA
Related News
“Hard to resist” is what Theign Yie Phan, a head chef of a restaurant, describes Vietnamese “banh mi” (sandwich), which opens an article entitled “Story of the banh mi: Vietnam’s super sandwich that took on the world” run in the South China Morning Post.
“Hard to resist” is what Theign Yie Phan, a head chef of a restaurant, describes Vietnamese “banh mi”, which opens an article on the popular Vietnamese sandwich in the South China Morning Post.
The global recognition of Vietnamese cuisine and heritage in 2019 has opened up a new approach for tourism development in Vietnam.
Vietnamese banh mi (sandwich) –a popular street food across the country, continues to make foreign diners surprised and fascinated by the perfect blend of Western cuisine with Vietnamese flavours.
An animated image of Vietnam’s “banh mi” (bread) was featured on Google’s homepage on March 24.
The programme retraced the city's half-century journey of construction and development while conveying the affection and pride of people across the country for Vietnam's economic powerhouse.
Unlike conventional fireworks that are launched directly into the sky, water fireworks are fired into the water first. After absorbing water, they burst upward from the surface, creating striking light effects against the backdrop of the Saigon River.
Chinese entertainment stars are increasingly choosing outfits by Vietnamese designers for red carpet events, concerts, magazine shoots and international appearances, propelling Vietnamese fashion into the spotlight across Chinese social media and strengthening its presence in one of Asia's largest fashion markets.
The “Vietnam Day in Skopje 2026” event has been held in the heart of Skopje, bringing Vietnam’s cultural heritage and contemporary image closer to the people of North Macedonia and international visitors.
The event opened a series of commemorative activities marking 50 years since Saigon – Gia Dinh was officially named after President Ho Chi Minh (July 2, 1976–2026).
Dr. Ngo Phuong Lan, Chairwoman of the Vietnam Cinema Promotion and Development Association and Director of DANAFF IV, said the Politburo's Resolution No. 57-NQ/TW on breakthroughs in science, technology, innovation, and national digital transformation, and Resolution No. 80-NQ/TW on the development of Vietnamese culture have created a solid foundation for advancing cultural industries and a creative economic sector, and strengthening IP protection, opening up new opportunities for Vietnam's film sector.
Titled "The Last Bullet," the film follows the remarkable journey of the Olympic shooting champion, highlighting the perseverance, discipline, coach-athlete bond and personal sacrifices behind his historic achievement.
The photo exhibition featured vivid images of Vietnam's majestic natural scenery, rich cultural heritage, distinctive customs and centuries-old traditional craft villages.
The festival conveyed a meaningful message on safeguarding and promoting ethnic cultural identities to both domestic and international audiences. It helped raise public awareness and community responsibility while creating new momentum for tourism development, cultural industries and traditional crafts closely associated with the lives of Cham people in the new era.
Jointly organised by the Vietnam Fine Arts Association, the Guangxi Arts University of China and the Lijiang School of Painting of Guangxi, the exhibition features more than 90 selected paintings which cover a wide range of subjects, including landscapes, flowers, birds and portraits.
Held from June 26 to 28 around West Lake, the festival featured a vibrant programme of cultural performances, exhibitions, hands-on experiences and tourism promotion activities, helping showcase Hanoi as a safe, friendly and culturally rich destination.
After three editions under the theme "Bridging Asia", DANAFF IV has adopted the new theme "Bridging Asia to the World", reflecting its ambition to connect Vietnamese cinema more closely with regional and global film industries.
This year’s race route once again left a strong impression as participants passed through some of Ly Son’s most iconic landscapes, including windswept coastal roads, dramatic volcanic rock formations and distinctive green garlic fields.
The two teams were selected by the the jury of DIFF 2026 after the qualifying rounds, based on criteria including concept and theme, creativity, pyrotechnic effects, synchronisation between music and fireworks, overall performance quality, and audience impact.
Centred on presenting a Vietnam that is youthful and dynamic while remaining deeply rooted in cultural identity, the festival offered a diverse programme combining exhibitions, cultural experiences, cuisine, performing arts and film, contributing to the promotion of Vietnam’s image and people to Czech and international audiences.
Xam singing, a folk art form with a history of more than 700 years, is not only a distinctive form of performance but also a living archive of Vietnamese cultural memory, reflecting everyday life, emotions, and aspirations across generations.
Themed "Vision," the two teams brought the festival's qualifying round to a spectacular close with performances that combined artistic storytelling, synchronised music and cutting-edge pyrotechnic techniques.
The pagoda preserves 896 woodblocks, including 26 sets of Buddhist texts and several unidentified pieces.
With its larger scale and broader international participation, Sports Festival 2026 is expected to become one of Vietnam's standout sporting events this summer while enriching community activities and supporting tourism during the peak travel season.
A series of activities have been held in Montreuil city from June 26-28 to mark the 115th anniversary of President Ho Chi Minh's departure for a path to national liberation (June 5) and the 80th anniversary of his 1946 state visit to France as a guest of the French Government.
"Banh mi" is a popular food in Vietnam (Photo: VNA)