THIS EDITION WRITTEN AND RESEARCHED BY

Iain Stewart, Brett Atkinson, Damian Harper, Nick Ray

Minh City

p144

p294

Ho Chip217

Coast

p93Vietnam

p399Temples of AngkorSiem Reap & the

p347Delta

VietnamCentral

Mekong

p270HighlandsSouthwest

Southeast

p50Hanoi

Northern

Vietnam

©Lonely Planet Publications Pty Ltd

Welcome to Vietnam . . . . 4

Vietnam Map . . . . . . . . . . . .6

Vietnam’s Top 20 . . . . . . . .8

Need to Know . . . . . . . . . .18

First Time Vietnam . . . . . 20

What’s New . . . . . . . . . . . 22

If You Like… . . . . . . . . . . . 23

Month by Month . . . . . . . 25

Itineraries . . . . . . . . . . . . 28

Vietnam Outdoors . . . . . 34

Eat & Drink Like a Local . .41

Regions at a Glance . . . . 46

HANOI . . . . . . . . . . . . 50Around Hanoi . . . . . . . . . 89Ho Chi Minh Trail Museum . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 89Perfume Pagoda . . . . . . . . . 89Handicraft Villages . . . . . . . 90Thay & Tay Phuong Pagodas . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 90Ba Vi National Park . . . . . . 91Co Loa Citadel . . . . . . . . . . 91Tam Dao Hill Station . . . . . 92

NORTHERN VIETNAM . . . . . . . . . . 93Northeast Vietnam . . . . . 96Ba Be National Park . . . . . 96Con Son & Den Kiep Bac . .97Haiphong . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 98Halong Bay . . . . . . . . . . . . 101Bai Tu Long Bay . . . . . . . . 113Mong Cai & the Chinese Border . . . . . . . . . 115Northwest Vietnam . . . 120Hoa Binh . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 120Mai Chau . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 121Son La . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 123Dien Bien Phu . . . . . . . . . . 123Muong Lay . . . . . . . . . . . . . 126Lai Chau . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 127Sapa . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 128Lao Cai . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 136Bac Ha . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 137Ha Giang Province . . . . . . 140

CENTRAL VIETNAM . . . . . . . . . 144North-Central Vietnam . . . . . . . . . . . . . 145Ninh Binh Province . . . . . 145

Vinh . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 154Around Vinh . . . . . . . . . . . 156Phong Nha-Ke Bang National Park . . . . . . . . . . 156Dong Hoi & Around . . . . . 160South-Central Vietnam . . . . . . . . . . . . . 162Demilitarised Zone (DMZ) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 162Dong Ha . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 165Quang Tri . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 167Hue . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 167Around Hue . . . . . . . . . . . . 181Bach Ma National Park . . . . . . . . . . 184Lang Co Beach . . . . . . . . . 185Hai Van Pass & Tunnel . . . 185Ba Na Hill Station . . . . . . . 186Danang . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 186Around Danang . . . . . . . . . 192Hoi An . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 195Around Hoi An . . . . . . . . . 211My Son . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 214Tra Kieu (Simhapura) . . . 216Chien Dan . . . . . . . . . . . . . 216

SOUTHEAST COAST . . . . . . . . . . . .217Quang Ngai . . . . . . . . . . . . 219Around Quang Ngai . . . . .220Quy Nhon . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 222Cha Ban Cham Area . . . . 226Quang Trung Museum . . . 226Tuy Hoa . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 227Tuy Hoa to Nha Trang . . . 228Nha Trang . . . . . . . . . . . . .230Around Nha Trang . . . . . . 244Phan Rang & Thap Cham . . . . . . . . . . . . 245Ninh Chu Beach . . . . . . . . 247

Remember to run the 4C > 2C script for 2 colour books (the colour of the Plan banner must reflect the Plan section)

ON THE ROAD PLAN YOUR TRIP

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NORTHERN VIETNAM P93

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VIETNAMESE CUISINE P448

Ca Na . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 248Mui Ne . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 248Phan Thiet . . . . . . . . . . . . . 255Ta Cu Mountain . . . . . . . . 256Phan Thiet to Long Hai . . 256Long Hai . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 257Vung Tau . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 258Con Dao Islands . . . . . . . . 262

SOUTHWEST HIGHLANDS . . . . . . 270Dalat & Around . . . . . . . . . 272Bao Loc . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 282Ngoan Muc Pass . . . . . . . . 282Cat Tien National Park . . . . . . . . . . 282Lak Lake . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .284Buon Ma Thuot . . . . . . . . . 285Around Buon Ma Thuot . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 289Pleiku . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 289Kon Tum . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 291

HO CHI MINH CITY . . . . . . . . . . . . . 294Around Ho Chi Minh City . . . . . . . . . . . . 340Cu Chi . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .340Tay Ninh . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 343One Pillar Pagoda . . . . . . . 345Can Gio . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .346

MEKONG DELTA . . . 347My Tho . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .350Around My Tho . . . . . . . . . 352Ben Tre . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 353Tra Vinh . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 355Vinh Long . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 357

Can Tho . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .360Around Can Tho . . . . . . . .364Soc Trang . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 365Bac Lieu & Around . . . . . .366Ca Mau . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 367Around Ca Mau . . . . . . . . . 369Rach Gia . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 370Phu Quoc Island . . . . . . . . 372Ha Tien . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 382Around Ha Tien . . . . . . . . .386Chau Doc . . . . . . . . . . . . . .388Around Chau Doc . . . . . . . 391Long Xuyen . . . . . . . . . . . . 393Cao Lanh . . . . . . . . . . . . . .394Around Cao Lanh . . . . . . .396Sa Dec . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 397

SIEM REAP & THE TEMPLES OF ANGKOR . . . . . . . . . 399Siem Reap . . . . . . . . . . .400Temples of Angkor . . . . 408Angkor Wat . . . . . . . . . . . .408Angkor Thom . . . . . . . . . .408Around Angkor Thom . . . 413

Contents

Vietnam Today . . . . . . . 416

History . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 419

People & Culture . . . . . 437

Arts & Architecture . . . 443

Food & Drink . . . . . . . . . 448

Environment . . . . . . . . . 460

Directory A–Z . . . . . . . . 468

Transport . . . . . . . . . . . . 478

Health . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 488

Language . . . . . . . . . . . . 493

Index . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 502

Map Legend . . . . . . . . . . . 511

Remember to run the 4C > 2C script for 2 colour books (the colour of the Plan banner must reflect the Plan section)

UNDERSTAND

SPECIAL FEATURES

Off-the-Beaten-Track Highlights . . . . . . . . . . . . 32

Hue Citadel 3D Illustration . . . . . . . . . . 172

Temples of Angkor 3D Illustration . . . . . . . . . . 410

Full-Colour Guide to Regional Cuisine . . . . . 451

Central Vietnam Positioned between culinary extremes, the food of central Vietnam seems to be the product of moderation and balance – except where it concerns the locals’ love of chilli. People cook from the land, turning their modest resources into fare fit for an emperor. Everything seems smaller here; baguettes and herbs are miniature versions of their southern selves, while Hue’s imperial cuisine is a procession of dainty, delicate dishes. One edible legacy of the royal court is easily found on the street: banh beo, delicate steamed cakes made from rice flour. The central Vietnamese like gutsy and spicy flavours, and briny shrimp sauce and spritely lemongrass add to the cornucopia of flavours.

Banh Khoai These hearty, dessert-plate-sized crêpes are made with rice-flour batter and cooked with copious amounts of oil in special long-handled pans. They feature a spare filling of shrimp, pork, egg and bean sprouts, are encased with fresh herbs in lettuce, and then dunked in a sauce based on earthy fermented soybeans.

Bun Bo Hue This punchy rice-noodle soup with beef and pork exemplifies the central Vietnamese proclivity for spicy food. Tinged yellow-orange by chillies and annatto, the broth is laden with lemongrass notes and anchored by mam tom (savoury shrimp sauce). Like most Vietnamese noodle soups, it’s accompanied by a riot of herbs and leafy greens.

Com Hen Room-temperature rice is served with the flesh of tiny clams, their cooking broth, and myriad garnishes that include roasted rice crackers, crisp pork crackling, peanuts, sesame seeds, fresh herbs and vegetables. Add the broth and sauce to the other ingredients in your bowl; the liquid components moisten, season and harmonise.

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1. Banh khoai (shrimp crêpe) 2. Fish market 3. Com hen (rice with clams) 4. Chillies

SURVIVAL GUIDE

Plan Your Trip

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3 WEEKS

Making the most of Vietnam’s spectacular coastline, this route hugs the shore for much of the time and is bookended by the country’s two greatest cities. You’ll have ample opportunity to indulge in some serious beach time, and be able to hit the cultural sights and explore two national parks en route.

The adventure begins in the cauldron of commerce that is Ho Chi Minh City. Spend three days hitting the markets,

browsing museums and eating some of the globe’s best cuisine. Take a day trip to discover wartime history at the Cu Chi Tunnels. Head north into the central highlands via Cat Tien National Park, home to gibbons, crocodiles and bountiful birdlife. Next up is the romantic hill sta-tion of Dalat for a tour of its quirky sights, and the opportunity to get stuck into some adventure sports such as canyoning, mountain biking or kayaking.

Then it’s a stunning road trip down to the beach at Mui Ne, a tropical idyll with towering dunes and crazy kitesurfing. Continue up the coast to the big brash

From South to North

ItinerariesBURMA

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28 ©Lonely Planet Publications Pty Ltd

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resort of Nha Trang, where party people will love the hedonistic bar scene. On the way, be sure to explore the largely undevel-oped coastline, perhaps stopping at Doc Let Beach, Whale Island and the mov-ing war memorial at Son My.

Cultured charmer and culinary mecca Hoi An is the next essential stop. This town certainly warrants three days, such is its allure. Then it’s a quick look at booming Danang and on to the old imperial capital of Hue and its citadel, tombs and pagodas. From here pause to tour the DMZ (De-militarised Zone) and its famous war sites before hitting the truly remarkable Phong

Nha-Ke Bang National Park, the world’s greatest caving region, with towering lime-stone mountains and cobalt jungle rivers.

Next it’s a long journey by road or train towards Halong Bay, with more than 2000 limestone outcrops dotting the ocean. Stop for a couple of days on rugged Cat Ba Is-land, an important adventure-sports cen-tre, before heading to the capital. Budget for at least a couple of days in Hanoi to sample its evocative Old Quarter and to view the city’s elegant architecture and memorable museums. Make the most of your last day, perhaps munching street food and sam-pling bia hoi (fresh draught beer).

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Northern Vietnam is a world unto itself: a land of brooding mountains, overwhelming beauty and a mosaic of ethnic minorities. It’s ideal terrain to cover on two wheels, with light traffic and breathtaking views, though most of the region can be tackled by public transport with a patient attitude.

Visit Hanoi to explore its Old Quarter and visit the museums. Then head west to Mai Chau, home to the White Thai people, for your first two nights; it’s a perfect introduction to ethnic minority life. Northwest where the road begins to climb into the Tonkinese Alps, a logical over-night stop is Son La.

Continue on for two nights at Dien Bien Phu, a name that resonates with history as it was here that the French colonial story ended with defeat. Tour the military sights and then continue north through stunning scenery up the Tram Ton Pass.

Sapa is the premier destination in the north-west, thanks to the infinite views (on a clear day!), and an amazing array of minority peoples. Explore the area on two feet or two wheels for around four days before heading to Bac Ha for three nights to experience the best of the region’s markets. Most colourful are the Flower H’mong people.

From Bac Ha move east to Ha Giang prov-ince, taking it slowly through stunning scenery and towns including Yen Minh, Dong Van and Meo Vac. Explore remote destinations like the Lung Cu flag tower and the Vuong Palace from Dong Van, before negotiating the vertiginous Mai Pi Leng Pass to Meo Vac. From Meo Vac, there’s no public transport further south, so you’ll need to hire a xe om (motorbike taxi) or car to get to the riverside junction town of Bao Lac.

Local buses run from Bao Lac to Cao Bang and on to Ba Be National Park. Spend about three nights around Ba Be, staying at local Tay ethnic minority homestays, and exploring the park by trekking or kayaking. From Ba Be travel back to Cao Bang for the trip south to Hanoi.

3 WEEKS Northern Mountains

Top: Rice paddies, Mai Chau (p121) Bottom: Red Dzao woman, Ta Phin (p129)

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Iain StewartCoordinating Author, Central Vietnam, Southeast Coast, Southwest Highlands Iain’s been visiting Vietnam for over two decades, and has written numerous guides for Lonely Planet, including three editions of this title. He’s been to virtually every province in the nation but has a weakness for beaches and great ocean roads. Highlights on this trip were eating the best food in the world, travelling virtually the entire coastline with mate Vinh and his family, visiting the

swim-through caves of Phong Nha, mountain biking around Dalat, hanging out in Hoi An, bar-hopping in Ho Chi Minh City (HCMC) and savouring the silence of Con Dao.

Brett AtkinsonHanoi, Northern Vietnam Brett’s been travelling to Vietnam from his hometown of Auckland for two decades, and continues to explore new areas of one of his favourite countries. In his second Lonely Planet Vietnam research trip he devoured Hanoi street food atop tiny blue plastic stools, got way off the beaten track in Ha Giang province and rested road-weary limbs in a restorative Red Dzao herbal bath near Sapa. See www.brett-atkinson.net for details of his latest travels and writing.

Damian HarperHo Chi Minh City, Mekong Delta After graduating with a degree in Chinese in the days when it was still an exotic choice, Damian relocated to Hong Kong to see out the last year of British rule. He has also lived in Beijing and Shanghai and today calls London home. He has worked on over 30 books for Lonely Planet since 1997, including China, Shanghai, Beijing and Malaysia, Singapore & Brunei. Damian’s Vietnam journey took him from the roaring streets of HCMC to the dirt roads and

idyllic beaches of Phu Quoc, via a choice of lip-smacking Vietnamese restaurants and unforgettable views of the Mekong waters.

Nick Ray Siem Reap & the Temples of Angkor A Londoner of sorts, Nick comes from Watford, the sort of town that makes you want to travel. He lives in Phnom Penh with his wife Kulikar and his young children Julian and Belle. He has contrib-uted to countless guidebooks on the Mekong region, including Lonely Planet’s Cambodia, Laos, Myanmar and Vietnam guides. When not writing, Nick is often exploring remote parts of Indochina as a location scout and manager for the

world of television and film, including everything from Tomb Raider to Top Gear.

Contributing Authors Andrea Nyugen wrote the Regional Specialities feature. Andrea is the acclaimed author of Into the Vietnamese Kitchen and Asian Tofu. She also publishes Vietworldkitchen.com.

OUR STORYA beat-up old car, a few dollars in the pocket and a sense of adventure. In 1972 that’s all Tony and Maureen Wheeler needed for the trip of a lifetime – across Europe and Asia overland to Australia. It took several months, and at the end – broke but inspired – they sat at their kitchen table writing and stapling together their first travel guide, Across Asia on the Cheap. Within a week they’d sold 1500 copies. Lonely Planet was born.

Today, Lonely Planet has offices in Melbourne, London and Oakland, with more than 600 staff and writers. We share Tony’s belief that ‘a great guidebook should do three things: inform, educate and amuse’.

OUR WRITERS

Although the authors and Lonely Planet have taken all reason-able care in preparing this book, we make no warranty about the accuracy or completeness of its content and, to the maxi-mum extent permitted, disclaim all liability arising from its use.

Published by Lonely Planet Publications Pty LtdABN 36 005 607 98312th edition – July 2014ISBN 978 1 74220 582 3© Lonely Planet 2014 Photographs © as indicated 201410 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1Printed in ChinaAll rights reserved. No part of this publication may be copied, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form by any means, electronic, mechanical, recording or otherwise, except brief extracts for the purpose of review, and no part of this publication may be sold or hired, without the written permission of the publisher. Lonely Planet and the Lonely Planet logo are trademarks of Lonely Planet and are registered in the US Patent and Trademark Office and in other countries. Lonely Planet does not allow its name or logo to be appropriated by commercial establishments, such as retailers, restaurants or hotels. Please let us know of any misuses: lonelyplanet.com/ip.

Read more about Damian at: lonelyplanet.com/members/damianharper

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