LINKS

Here’s my ongoing list of favorite web resources:

Lonely Planet’s Thorn Tree remains the best online forum for travel anywhere in the world. Some million users go online and exchange fresh reports from the field. “Hong Ha” is one of several trusty sources for Vietnam, who frequently posts comments and pulls together useful notes in the FAQ/Vietnam section.

Travelfish.org is a superb Southeast Asia–focused travel site with heaps of free travel-planning tips on Vietnam and other regional countries. They’ve started their own $3.95 download guides — including Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon), published in April 2007 — the rest of the info is free.

Lohnes+Wright, an Oakland-based cartography company, designed the maps on this site.

Hey, Budget Travel Magazine’s website let me host as ‘Vietnam expert’ on Feb 19, 2008, to answer questions about trips there. Click the link to read the real-time transcript of the online chat.

Trip Advisor is great online resource to read opinions and compare prices on hotels and vacations in Vietnam, and elsewhere.

I Need Coffee This blog focuses on the making and drinking of the world’s greatest drug. Click here to find out how to make Vietnamese coffee.

Run by a Saigon ex-pat, ConnectionsVietnam is an interesting way to set up cultural exchanges with locals to learn how to cook or study (or just hang out with) English-speaking locals.

GoNomad.com is a travelers site with blogs, book excerpts and plenty of travel related postings.