Vietnam (Lonely Planet Vietnam) [Paperback]

Mason Florence (Author), Virginia Jealous (Author)

Book Description

Series: Lonely Planet Vietnam | Publication Date: February 2003

This edition covers recommended places to stay, gives the scoop on Vietnam's gastronomic delights and how to eat them, and offers special sections on the best of Vietnam, including the Tet festival and Halong Bay.

Editorial Reviews

Amazon.com Review

From Antarctica to Zimbabwe, if you're going there chances are Lonely Planet has been there first. With a pithy and matter-of-fact writing style, these guides are guaranteed to calm the nerves of first-time world travelers, while still listing off-the-beaten-path finds sure to thrill even the most jaded globetrotters. Lonely Planet has been perfecting its guidebooks for nearly 30 years, and as a result has experience and know-how similar to an older sibling's "been there" advice. The original backpacker's bible, the LP series has recently widened its reach. While still giving insights for the low-budget traveler, the books now list a wide range of accommodations and itineraries for those with less time than money.

Lonely Planet offers a fully updated guide to the natural and cultural wonders of a country of sublime beauty. This book will help you discover Vietnam's pristine beaches, lush rainforests, best highland treks, as well as the colorful nightlife of Saigon. It also includes places to stay and eat for a wide range of budgets. Highlights include special sections on visiting hill tribes and language. --Kathryn True --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

Review

For reliable and authoritative travel information reach for your Lonely Planet guide

-- The Times

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Product Details

• Paperback: 624 pages
• Publisher: Lonely Planet Publications; 7th edition (February 2003)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1740593553
• ISBN-13: 978-1740593557
• Product Dimensions: 7.3 x 5.1 x 1 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.1 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 3.3 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (22 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,450,076 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

18 of 18 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars Not the most accurate picture of Vietnam, February 10, 2002

By 

Gerald Ford "pho_kin" (The Jack n' the Box at the corner) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Lonely Planet Vietnam (Vietnam, 6th ed) (Paperback)

I spent this summer studying in Vietnam, and it became clear that the Vietnam in the LP is quite different than the real Vietnam I saw with my own eyes.

I think the book was intended for travelling businessmen who only plan on staying in Vietnam for a few days, and have plenty of money to spend for plush hotels. This is regrettable since there is so much more to Vietnam than tourist traps, tourist-oriented restaraunts, and hotels.

For example, in my first couple weeks in Hanoi, Vietnam, I followed the book's suggestions for restaraunts, only to realize they were severely overpriced, and not nearly as tasty (or exotic) as the more "local" restaraunts. Before long, I stopped going to the LP's preferred restaraunts altogether. Only when I stopped following the LP altogether did I really start to delve into Vietnamese culture, both the good and bad.

Also, the LP tends to whitewash the more unpleasant aspects of Vietnam, such as being harassed by people on the street, who are more than eager to rip you off, and the grueling poverty. If one really wants to appreciate Vietnam, these less pleasant factors have to be taken into account.

If you plan on just "visiting", but don't really plan on getting to know the culture, this book may be enough. However, to truly appreciate both the good and bad of Vietnam, I suggest avoiding this book, or at least not relying on it too much.

15 of 15 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Lonely Planet stays on top, April 24, 2001

By A Customer

This review is from: Lonely Planet Vietnam (Vietnam, 6th ed) (Paperback)

I make regular trips to Vietnam and I've used both the Rough Guide and Lonely Planet. Having seen the two latest editions, page by page, Lonely Planet is, simply, better. LP provides far more detail, more maps (all of which are much more user friendly and accurate), is loaded with contemporary information (NGOs, motor-biking etc), has better photographs, good illustrations, and entertaining side-bars. The book introduces us to the personalities and characters who run guest houses, restaurants, bars, boutiques, and so forth, and it really makes you feel like a local. The "reader from France" seems to have a personal animus against the writers and Lonely Planet. But otherwise, what could be the problem? I found this guide well researched, consistently useful, and fun to read - that's what I want when I'm on the road.

17 of 18 people found the following review helpful:

1.0 out of 5 stars Look somewhere else, December 20, 1999

By A Customer

This review is from: Lonely Planet Vietnam (5th ed) (Paperback)

I travelled to Vietnam in Sept/99 and unfortunately was loaned this LP handbook so thought I would take advantage and use it. I was as usual disappointed with the type and presentation of the information provided. I grew tired of all the commentary in the book and so much so that it is difficult to select the facts. For example, instead of providing factual information on transport, hotels, etc., the book is filled with tidbits which are essentially useless for everyday travelling and end up being conversation between a bunch of backpackers in the travel cafe. This LP handbook has managed to dominate the minds of all travellers to Vietnam and, as in my case, I found everyone reading it and complaining, but they had no other option. I hope travellers to Vietnam can find some other guidebook so they do not follow the all to well beaten track through Vietnam as so many other backpackers do and perhaps may discover some things on their own.