Vietnam Handbook (Footprint Handbooks) [Hardcover]

John Colet (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: February 1997

The pace of economic and political change in Vietnam is fast and furious, and the implications for travellers are perpetually changing. This handbook is written by two specialists who know and understand the country well. John Colet lives and works in Saigon and speaks Vietnamese. Planning a visit to Vietnam is an interesting exercise, the country's two principal cities of Hanoi and Saigon being at opposite ends of the country. The handbook contains ideas and suggestions on how to get about and capitalize on all there is to see. Lightweight and portable, the guide contains information on: the latest information on how to get about by air, train and bus with timetables and fares; full background details on Vietnam's history, culture and landscape; an appraisal of the Vietnam war and its implications on modern Vietnam; tour operators, both overseas and in Vietnam; and how to get a visa, and regulations for tourists.

Editorial Reviews

Review

"Painstakingly researched, comprehensive, well-written and, perhaps best of all, opinionated." Business Traveller. Asia -Pacific --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

About the Author

John Colet was head of Geography at Eton College and St Paul's Girls School, London. In 1995 he left England in order to run an educational charity in Vietnam. Besides working on the Vietnam and Cambodia Handbooks for Footprint he has written numerous articles on Vietnam and Southeast Asia. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

Product Details

• Hardcover: 392 pages
• Publisher: Footprint Handbooks (February 1997)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0900751886
• ISBN-13: 978-0900751882
• Product Dimensions: 6.9 x 4.5 x 1 inches
• Shipping Weight: 12.6 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 4.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (2 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #10,161,698 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

26 of 27 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars Rough Guide better than Lonely Planet, Footprint, January 11, 2001

By A Customer

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Footprint Vietnam Handbook: The Travel Guide (Paperback)

Just came back from a three week trip to Vietnam with three books: the Lonely Planet, the Rough Guide, and Footprint Handbook.

The Rough Guide is the best guidebook around for the country. It is superior to the Lonely Planet guide in the breadth and depth of coverage and especially its accuracy. I liked LP for other countries but here they did a very poor job.

I have not found even one instance where Lonely Planet provided information that Rough did not have. If you are traveling to the north, you may want to consider reading Footprint before you leave -- it has some interesting information.

Also, all hotels -- even the top ones -- can be negotiated down in price. Send them an e-mail and ask for special rates, corporate rates, etc. You can stay at the Metropole in Hanoi for less than half their rack rate.

20 of 21 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Excellent coverage, November 23, 1999

By A Customer

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Footprint Vietnam Handbook: The Travel Guide (Paperback)

As a former expat in Saigon with family and friends all along the Mekong Delta, I'm naturally interested in the precision and breadth of guidebooks on SE Asia. This one from Footprint seems to cover all the bases in a detailed and realistic fashion. Since there's always uncovered terrain, it's the one I'll bring on my next trip over. And for new visitors, I'd also recommend the video "Raise The Bamboo Curtain: Vietnam, Cambodia and Burma", available from Amazon.