Index
A Entries in bold refer to maps
A
accidents 433
accommodation 24
price codes 24
activities 20
air travel 427, 429
ambulance 433
An Bang Beach 200
Annam 413
Annam Highlands, 414
anti-war demonstrations
368
architecture 397
Army of the Republic of
Vietnam (ARVN) 363
art 397
Contemporary
Vietnamese 398
avian flu 435
Bich Dong 135
bicycle hire 430
Binh Tay Market 269
birds 418
birdwatching 20
Black Lady Mountain
(Nui Ba Den) 275
boat travel 428, 430
books 403, 420
border crossings 428
Bo-Y 229
Buon Jun 222
Buon Ma Thuot 218
Buon Tur 222
bus travel 429
C
Cam Ranh Bay 244
Ca Na 249
Can Tho 311, 313
B
Cao Bang 112
Cao Binh Church 113
Ba Be National Park 111
Cao Dai Great Temple 274
Bac Can 110
Cao Daism 412
Bac Ha 102
Cao Dai Temple 182
Bach Ma National Park and
Cao Lanh 309
Hill Station 176
Cao Mau 318
Bac Lieu 316
Car hire 430
Bac My An Beach 186
Cat Ba Island 127, 128
Bac Son 117
Cat Ba National Park 129
Bahnar 389
Cat Cat village 99
Bai Dai Beach 244
Cau Da 243
Bai Tu Long 132
Cau Treo 144
Ba-na villages 228
Cham 396
banks 436
Cham art 398
Ba Vi National Park 56
Cham kingdom 231
beer 29
Champa 353
Ben Hai River 173
Cham Ponagar temple
Ben Tre 299
complex 231
betel nut 281
Cham villages 324
Chau Doc 320
Chieng Yen 81
children 433
China Beach 186
Cholon (Chinatown) 267
Christianity 411
Chu Pao Pass 228
climate 17
climbing 21
Cochin China 357, 413
Co Loa Citadel 54
Con Dao National Park 337
Confucianism 409
conical hat 400
consulates 433
cookery classes 20
Hoi an 199
crafts 400
Cua Dai Beach 200
Cua Lo 144
Cu Chi Tunnels 272
Cuc Phuong National Park
137
cuisine 26
customs 433
cycling 21
cyclos 430
D
Dalat 204, 206
Danang 179, 180
Danang Museum of
Cham Sculpture 179
Demilitarized Zone (DMZ)
173
Democratic Republic of
Vietnam (DRV) 357
dengue fever 434
de Rhodes, Father
Alexandre 402
Index 441
●
diarrhoea 434
Diem 363
Dien Bien Phu 86, 88, 361
disabled travellers 433
diving 21
Nha Trang 238
DMZ 173
Doc Lech 240
doi moi 384
dong 436
Dong Dang 117
Dong Duong 203
Dong Ha and the border
with Laos 148
Dong Hoi 146
Dongson culture 397
Dongson drums 399
Dong Van 107
Dragon Island 299
drama 401
drink 26, 29
drugs 433
duty free 433
dynasties
Le 351
Ly 349
Nguyen 352
Tran 350
F
fauna 416
festivals 18
films 423
fire brigade 433
First Indochina War
(1945-1954) 357
flora 416
food 26
French surrender, 1954 361
Funan 353
G
gay travellers 434
geography 413
Giac Lam Pagoda 270
Giac Vien Pagoda 270
Giarai 391
golf 22
Grottoes 80
Gulf of Tonkin Incident 364
H
Ha Giang 103
Haiphong 121
Hai Van Pass 176, 177
Halong Bay 125, 128
E
Halong City 125
Handicraft villages 56
economy 383
Hanoi 33, 36, 41
books 420
36 Streets 35
ecotourism 21
Ambassadors’ Pagoda
Ede 391
44
electricity 433
Ba Dinh Square 46
elephant rides, Pleiku 226
Citadel, The 52
embassies 433
Den Hai Ba Trung 54
emergency 433
Fine Arts Museum 51
Emperor Tu Duc 357
history 39
ethnic Chinese 396
Hoa Lo Prison 44
Ethnic groups 81
Ho Chi Minh Museum 48
ethnic minority homestays
Ho Chi Minh’s house 46
Kontum 230
Ho Chi Minh’s
Mausoleum 45
442 Index
●
Ho Tay 52
Ho Truc Bach 52
listings 57
Ly Quoc Su Pagoda 40
Museum of Ethnology
and B-52 memorials 53
Museum of the
Vietnamese Revolution
42
Museum of Vietnamese
History 42
Old Quarter 35
One Pillar Pagoda 46
Opera House 40
Paul Doumer Bridge 52
Presidential Palace 46
Quan Thanh Pagoda 52
Saint Joseph’s Cathedral
40
Sofitel Metropole 42
Stone Lady Pagoda 40
street food 61
street names 45
Tay Ho Pagoda 53
Temple of Literature
48, 50
Tran Quoc Pagoda 52
urban renewal 43
Vietnamese Women’s
Museum 52
Vietnam Military History
Museum and Citadel
51
Ha Tien 327
health 434
Hien Luong Bridge 146, 174
Highland people 388
hill tribes 388
Hinduism 412
history 349
ancient 349
books 421
colonial 356
Pre-colonial 349
resistance to the French
357
HIV 434
Hmong 392
Hmong Kings 108
Hoa 396
Hoa Binh 79
Hoa Hao 412
Hoa Lu 134
Hoan Kiem Lake 33
Ho Chi Minh 144, 357,
379, 383
Ho Chi Minh City 253,
256, 259, 261, 266
Archbishop’s Palace 260
Ben Thanh Market 264
Botanical Gardens and
Zoo 262
Continental Hotel 255
Fine Arts Museum 265
General Post Office 257
Ho Chi Minh City
Museum 264
Hotel Caravelle 255
Independence Palace
258
Lam Son Square 253
Le Duan Street 262
listings 276
Mariamman Hindu
Temple 264
Museum of Vietnamese
History 263
Nguyen Hue Boulevard
255
Notre Dame Cathedral
256
Opera House 253
Phung Son Tu Pagoda
266
War Remnants Museum
260
Xa Loi Pagoda 262
Ho Chi Minh Trail 173
Hoi, Assembly Halls 191
Hoi An 189, 192
Merchants’ houses 193
homosexuality 434
Hon Chong 240
honda ôm 430
Hon Mun 239
Hon Rom 343
hospitals 434
hostels 25
hotels 24
price codes 24
Hre 395
Hué 152, 157, 159
Amphitheatre and
Elephant Temple 172
city centre 157
sights 152
Thien Mu Pagoda 166
Tomb of Dong Khanh
171
Tomb of Duc Duc 170
Tomb of Emperor Gia
Long 166
Tomb of Emperor Minh
Mang 168
Tomb of Khai Dinh 171
Tomb of Thieu Tri 169
Tomb of Tu Duc 169
Hué architecture 398
Hung Kings’ Temples 54
Huong Giang 152
J
Japanese Covered Bridge
189
Japanese ‘occupation’ 357
Johnson, Lyndon 364
K
kayaking 22
Kontum 230
Kenh Ga 138
Kennedy, John F 362
Khe Sanh 173, 370
Kim Lien village 144
Kinh 395
Kissinger, Henry 371
kitesurfing 22
Kontum 226
Ky Sam Temple 112
L
Lacquerware 400
Lac (White Thai village) 80
Lai Chau 91
Lak Lake 222
Lang Co 177
Lang Ga (Chicken Village) 210
Lang Son 116
language 402, 435
Lao Bao 148
Lao Cai 100
I
Lat village 210
Lau Chai village 98
immigration 439
laundries 25
Imperial City
law 436
Hué 152
Le Dynasty 351
Indochina Communist
Le Loi 351
Party (ICP) 357
lesbian travellers 434
Indochina Wars 357, 361
Le Thanh Ton 351
insurance 435
Le Van Duyet 272
internet 435
literature 403
Invasion of Cambodia 377
novels 421
Islam 412
Lung Cu 107
Ly Dynasty 349
Index 443
●
M
N
Mac Kings’ Temple 113
Mahayana Buddhism 407
Mai Chau 79
malaria 434
Marble Mountains
(Nui Non Nuoc) 187
Marco Polo 356
markets 28
media 435
medical services 434
Mekong Delta
geography 414
hydrology 302
Mieu Island 239
Ming Dynasty Assembly
Hall 268
Minh Danh 244
minibuses 429
M’nong villages 222
Mnong 393
Moc Chau 81
money 436
Mong Cai 132
Montagnards 388
motorbike hire 430
motorbike taxi 430
mountain biking 21
Buon Ma Thuot 220
Mount Fan Si Pan 98
Mui Ca Mau National Park
318
Mui Ne 342
Muong 393
Muong Lay 90
Museum of Vietnamese
Traditional Medicine 272
My Khe Beach 186
My Son 201
My Tho 296, 297
Nam Can 144
Nam Cat Tien National
Park 216
Nam Dinh 134
Nam Khan 144
Nam O 178
Nam Phao 144
National Liberation Front
of Vietnam 362
newspapers 435
Ngang Pass 145
Nghia An Assembly Hall
267
Ngoan Muc Pass 249
Ngoc Son Temple and
bridge 33
Ngo Dinh Diem 361
Nguyen Dynasty 352
Nguyen Trail 352
Nha Trang 231, 233
Ninh Binh 133
Ninh Chu Beach 248
Ninh Van Bay 240
Nixon, President Richard
371
Non Lá 400
Non Nuoc Beach 187
Northeast frontier 116
Nui Sam (Sam Mountain)
323
Nung 393
O
Oc-Eo 327, 353
opening hours 436
open tour bus 429
P
Pac Bo 114
Paracel Islands 380
Paris Agreement (1972)
371
444 Index
●
people 388
People’s Liberation Armed
Forces (PLAF 362
Perfume Pagoda 56
Perfume River 152, 165
Pham Ngu Lao 266, 266
Phan Rang 247
Phan Thiet 342
Phat Diem Cathedral 136
pho 26
Pho Bang 106
Phoenix Island 299
Phoenix Programme 370
Phong Nha Cave 146
Phong Nha-Ke Bang
National Park 146
Phung Son Pagoda 270
Phuoc Hai Tu (Emperor of
Jade Pagoda) 271
Phu Quoc Island 330, 332
Po Klong Garai 247
police 433, 436
politics 379
books 420
Po Ro Me 247
Porte díAnnam 145
postal services 436
price codes 24
public holidays 17, 19
Pu Luong Nature Reserve
80
Q
Quan Am 48
Quan Am Pagoda 269
Quang Ngai 242
Quan Lan Island 132
Quoc Dan Dang (VNQDD)
357
R
Rach Gia 325
rail travel 428, 430
Red River Delta 413
religion 407, 432
Christianity 411
Confucianism 409
Islam and Hinduism 412
Mahayana Buddhism
407
Taoism 410
restaurants 26
children 28
price codes 24
Rhodes, Father Alexandre
402
rice wine 29
river travel 430
road travel 428, 429
Rock Pile 174
S
Sa Dec 305
safety 437
Salangane islands 239
Sam Son 143
Sapa 92, 93, 98
Sa Phin 107
SARS 434
Second Indochina War
(1954-1975) 361
Sedang 395
Sen 144
17th Parallel 173
Sin Chai village 99
Sin Ho 90
snake wines 29
snorkelling 21
Socialist Republic of
Vietnam (SRV) 376
Son La 82
Son My (My Lai) 242
Son My (My Lai) Massacre
243
spas 22
Special Air Service (SAS)
368
sport 20
Spratly Islands 380
Stieng 395
strategic hamlets 363
student travellers 437
syndicated loans 47
T
Tam Coc 135
Tam Son Assembly Hall
267
Taoism 410
Ta Phin 97
Ta Van village 98
taxis 430
Tay 393
Tay Son Rebellion
(1771-1788) 241, 353
telephone 437
television 435
Tet 18
Tet Offensive 369
Thai 394
Thai Nguyen 110
Thanh Hoa 143
Thap Ba Hot Springs 240
Thap Doi Cham towers 242
theatre 401
Thien Hau Temples 268
Thuan An Beach 175
time 437
tipping 437
Tomb and Temple of
Marshal Le Van Duyet 272
Tonkin 413
tourist information 437
tour operators 438
Trai Mat 210
train travel 428, 430
Tra Kieu 203
Tran Dynasty 350
Tran Hung Dao Temple 271
transport 427-431
traveller’s cheques 436
Tra Vinh 304
Treaty of Tientsin 357
trekking 22
Kontum 230
Tri An Lake 217
Trung Nguyen 18
Trung sisters 55
Truong Son Mountain
Range 414
Tuan Tu 248
tuberculosis 434
U
U Minh Forest 318
Unicorn Island 299
V
Van Long Nature Reserve
137
VC, see Viet Cong 362
Viet Cong 362
Viet Kieu 397
Viet Minh, creation of 357
Vietnamese Communist
Party (VCP) 379
Vietnam wars 357
Vietnam War tours 23
Vinh and around 144
Vinh Long 300
Vinh Nghiem Pagoda 271
visas 439
voluntary work 440
W
waterparks, Nha Trang
238
water puppet theatre 401
weather 153, 215, 254
Westmoreland, General
William 366, 370
windsurfing 22
wine, rice 29
work in Vietnam 439
Index 445
●
X
Y
xe ôm 430
Xtieng 395
Xuan Thieu Beach 178
Yen Minh 106
Yen Tu Mountains 126
Yersin, Alexandre 205, 235
yin and yang 410
Yok Don National Park 223
Acknowledgements
For help on the road my thanks go to: Ashley Carruthers, Allan Goodman, Ben
Mitchell, Caroline Mills, Cyril Boucher, Deb and Howard Limbert, Etienne Bossot,
Kon Sa Nay Luet, Khiem Vu, Linh Phan, Luke H Ford, Nguyen Tuan Dung, Nguyen
Thanh Truc, Binh, Bamboo and all the other guides at Oxalis, Ryan Deboodt, Sophie
Hughes, Soeren Pinstrup, Tran Nhat Quang and Van Phan Trang. I am also indebted
to Claire Boobbyer, previous author of this book. Lastly, huge thanks to my wife
and best friend, Beck.
446 Index
●
FOOTPRINT
Features
A gift for Phuc Khoat 322
Alexandre Yersin 235
A nation at sea: the boat people 372
Animals Asia 417
A Spanish account of Champa circa 1595
354
A war glossary 366
Battle at Khe Sanh (1968) 174
Battle of Dien Bien Phu 86
Betel nut 281
Bird’s nest soup 27
Bishop Cuenot 227
Brilliance in bronze: rain drums of
Dongson 399
Buddhist martyrs: self-immolation as
protest 265
Buon Ma Thuot’s strategic importance
219
By train from Hué to Danang 165
Danang - past to present 181
Danang specialities 184
Death and burial of Emperor Gia
Long (1820) 167
Eunuch power 156
Forward thinking 123
From cave to Congress 115
Guild street name meanings and their
current trades 45
History of the city 263
Hmong Kings of Sa Phin 108
Ho Chi Minh: ‘He who enlightens’ 358
Ho Chi Minh Trail 175
Hydrology of the Mekong Delta 302
In Siddhartha’s footsteps: a short
history of Buddhism 408
Into the deep 147
Mekong homestays 301
Military might 328
Nguyen Trai 352
People of the north 81
Prisons to paradise 338
Resistance in Son La 83
Rice research 315
Rite of passage: from baby to infant 390
Silk worms 201
Son My (My Lai) massacre 243
Street food 61
Superior God of the Southern Sea 244
Syndicated loans keep the sharks away
47
Tay Son Rebellion (1771-1788) 241
The Anzacs in Vietnam 368
The changing face 258
The examination of 1875 50
The Frontier Campaign of 1947-1950 118
The funeral of Khai Dinh 170
The Mekong: mother river of Southeast
Asia 415
The story of Quan Am 48
The Trung sisters 55
The White Hat Revolt 105
UNESCO support 158
Urban renewal 43
Visiting minorities: house rules 389
Vo Thi Sau 339
Advertisers’ index
Asia Pacific Travel , Vietnam 438
Buffalo Tours, Vietnam inside back cover
David W Lloyd Photography, Vietnam
inside back cover
Footprint Travel, Vietnam 69
Luxury Travel, Vietnam 70
See Asia Differently, Cambodia 439
Index 447
●