E-Book Overview
You'll never fall into the tourist traps when you travel with Frommer's. It's like having a friend show you around, taking you to the places locals like best. Our expert authors have already gone everywhere you might go—they've done the legwork for you, and they're not afraid to tell it like it is, saving you time and money. No other series offers candid reviews of so many hotels and restaurants in all price ranges. Every Frommer's Travel Guide is up-to-date, with exact prices for everything, dozens of color maps, and exciting coverage of sports, shopping, and nightlife. You'd be lost without us! Frommer’s Vietnam is an amazingly detailed guide that takes the reader through the country with practical information, late-breaking bargains, cultural insights, user-friendly maps, etiquette tips, a language glossary, advice for business travelers, and practical advice on planning the trip and getting around. This guide explores everything from the thriving expat nightlife in Ho Chi Minh City (once called Saigon) to a journey by boat into the Mekong Delta, past rice paddies and riverside pagodas. Unlike any of our leading competitors––including Lonely Planet and Rough Guide––Frommer’s Vietnam will feature excursions to Cambodia, including comprehensive coverage of Phnom Penh, Siem Riep, and the popular temples of Angkor Wat. Companion podcast available on Frommers.com
E-Book Content
What’s New in Vietnam I
n 2005, Vietnamese Prime Minister Phan Van Khai met with U.S. President George W. Bush in Washington, D.C., to commemorate the 30th anniversary of the end of hostilities between their respective countries and to discuss the future. The last 10 years since these two countries reestablished diplomatic ties have seen major changes: the lifting of embargo, reconciliation over U.S. POWs, diplomatic missions including a visit by President Bill Clinton, U.S. war ships docking in Vietnamese ports, and an increase in trade, investment, and cooperation. Despite a continued record of human rights offenses, Vietnam is trudging into the modern world with its head held high. As an important Asian trading player, it currently awaits imminent entry to the World Trade Organization. About a quarter of a million Americans visited Vietnam in 2004, second only to Chinese visitors, and the country has become a hot destination for travelers all over the world, whether in search of offthe-track adventures or the luxuries of old Indochina. Some of the most recent happenings in Vietnam’s tourism include the following: While safety is on the mind of every traveler these days, and despite the publicrelations disaster of the SARS crisis, avian influenza, and the recent tsunami in the Indian Ocean, a well-informed traveler can enjoy a trouble-free trip with manageable adventures in Vietnam. The Christmas tsunami of 2004 was on the westward-facing part of Indochina, which means that
Vietnam and Cambodia were completely unaffected. The avian influenza, or “bird flu,” is still a concern, but the disease is difficult to contract and, since December 2003 there have been just 90 cases in Vietnam, resulting in 40 deaths, hardly a pandemic (but do keep an eye on the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention website, www.cdc.gov, for the most up-to-date information). Vietnam’s paranoid authoritarian government may seem a burden, but there are absolutely no fears about terrorism under the watchful eye of Big Brother. In travel news, and thanks to a comprehensive international airline treaty between the U.S. and Vietnam, you can now connect with Vietnam directly from the United States (from the West Coast, anyway) on United (www.united.com) flights. Great new options for touring include upscale boats on Ha Long Bay, and lots of cool new city hotels and boutique resorts. Also check out the new boat connection between Can Tho or My Tho in the Mekong Delta and