Details
Description:
The Berlitz Vietnam Pocket Guide covers all the main sights, area by area, in an easily navigable format. Tourist attractions described include Ho Chi Minh City's floating markets, French colonial architecture and nearby Cu Chi tunnels, Hanoi's picturesque Old Quarter and Water Puppet Theatre, Hue's Citadel and imperial tombs, and Hoi An's traditional mercantile houses. A guide is given to Vietnam's stunning natural attractions including the extraordinary limestone islands of Halong Bay,the serene white-sand beaches of the Central Coast and the forested mountains and exotic animals of the country's wildlife reserves and national parks. The guide also contains background historical information, advice on shopping and entertainment and the low-down on eating out. There is an A-Z of practical information, listings of recommended hotels and restaurants and useful expressions in Vietnamese. You can read special features on topics ranging from temple architecture to ancient and modern music. Maps show Vietnam, Ho Chi Minh City, Hanoi and Hue, and there are dozens of colour photographs throughout.
Contents:
Maps: Vietnam; Ho Chi Minh City; Hanoi; Hue.
Introduction.
Where to Go: Hanoi; Day Trips from Hanoi; Further Afield in the North; The Centre; Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon); Day Trips from Ho Chi Minh City; The Mekong Delta.
What to Do: Shopping; Nightlife; Active Holidays; Activities for Children.
Eating Out; Handy Travel Tips; Hotels and Restaurants; Index.
Extract:
Travel in Vietnam is anything but easy. After decades of war and with an economy that was subsequently throttled, the country's infrastructure - or lack of it - can test the most hardened traveller's patience. But Vietnam is truly one of those destinations where the inconveniences pale beside the remarkable, and where the beauty of its culture seduces all. The residue of warfare is now part of the country's tourism attractions, whether for the Cu Chi tunnels outside of the former Saigon or the rusting heaps at a Hanoi war museum. However, beyond the memories of war the bright tropical sun illuminates a coastline of serene, white-sand beaches and clear, blue waters, and mists veil forested mountains that are alive with exotic animals.
