Destination Saigon

Get a taste of the real Vietnam and its people on a sometimes funny, always fascinating journey from the bustling cities to out of the way villages, into Buddhist monasteries and along the Mekong - a real delight for armchair travellers and those contemplating their own adventure.

From the crazy heat and colour of Saigon to the quieter splendour of Hanoi, Walter Mason gives us a rare, joyous and at times hilarious insight into twenty-first century Vietnam. Seduced by the beauty and charm of its people, and the sensuousness of its culture, we can almost taste the little coconut cakes cooked over a fire in a smoky Can Tho kitchen, or smell the endless supplies of fresh baguettes and croissants just out of city ovens.

As colourful city cafes and bars make way for visits to out-of-the-way shrines and temples, we take an impromptu visit to forbidden fortune tellers, and glimpse a little of the Cao Dai religion, made famous in Graham Greene's The Quiet American. Escaping on impulse to a far-flung province, a brief imprisonment culminates in an invitation to local wedding celebrations.

Travelling off the beaten track to far-flung villages and lesser-known towns, we cruise along the Mekong, board hopelessly overcrowded local buses or perch perilously on the back of motorbikes. Behind-the-scenes visits to Buddhist monasteries reveal a quieter and more transcendent world beyond the busy day trips of tourists. And in the process we begin to see the country through the eyes of its people.

Walter, a former bookseller is well known in industry, has several blogs, and is a popular figure on the speaking circuit. He's a brilliant raconteur, good media talent, and has a strong eye for the quirky.

"captures the colour, smells, everyday life and cultural contradictions that is Vietnam" Sunday Telegraph

"interesting... well written... engrossing" SMH, The Age

"fascinating and entertaining..." Courier Mail

"an entertaining insight..." Herald Sun

"Between the soft chanting of ghosts, the mischievousness of fairies and a hysterical account of a night of karaoke with a group of fishermen this book is a gem." Nova Magazine

"A rare insight into Vietnam's rich history and culture" MiNDFOOD

About The Author

Walter, a former bookseller is well known in industry, has several blogs, and is a popular figure on the speaking circuit. He's a brilliant raconteur, good media talent, and has a strong eye for the quirky.