gtrekker

The BBC Profiles provide an economic, historical, and political overview, with a section on current leaders. The Profiles also list the media outlets, which include television and radio stations and the press.

National Geographic's People and Places feature provides a short overview of the destination and include a Features section with related articles, photos, and videos, depending on the destination.

Travel + Leisure Magazine's guide to the greatest hotels worldwide as selected by its team of reporters and editors.

Weatherbase provides historical weather information such as "average number of day above 90," "average number of days with thunderstorms," and other similar types of data.

Up-to-date information provided by the State Department on matters such as passport and visa requirements, safety and security, crime, health and medical issues, any areas of instability, and the location of the nearest U.S. embassy or consulate. It also links to Travel Warnings for that country, if there is one.

From website: Lying on the eastern part of the Indochinese peninsula, Vietnam is a strip of land shaped like the letter S. China borders it to the north, Laos and Cambodia to the west, the East Sea to the east and the Pacific Ocean to the east and south...click for website

Frommer's Forums are divided into countries, and all the messages relating to a country are presented in a list that makes it easy to browse through the topics.

Review site with hotel reviews and candid photos posted by users.

Asiarooms.com Travel Guides provide information on topics such as Culture, Tourist Attractions, Festivals, Things to do, How to get in, and Where to Eat.

Concierge.com destinations guides include information on getting there, getting around, lodging, places to eat, see and do, ... etc. Although Concierge.com may not have as many hotel recommendations as some guide books, they provide hotel photos along with the recommendations. The destinations guides also have links to articles about the destination published by Concierge.com or Conde Nast Traveler.

Frommer's has put a substantial amount of content online, making Frommers.com a good resource for travel planning. The site is easy to navigate since all the destinations are organized by similar topics such as "Getting There," "Restaurants," and "Suggested Itineraries."

USA Today's Country Guides have information on topics such as Money, Health, Accommodations, Entertainment, Top Things To Do and See, Getting There, Getting Around, Climate, and Map. You can also select the topics you are interested in and create a mini guide that puts all the information on one page for easy reading.

From Conde Nast Traveler
Published June 2006
It's dusk, and as you step out on your private balcony to take in the majestic view, the hills are alive with the sound of...Wait, these are not those hills but the verdant Hoang Lien Mountains (known as the Tonkinese Alps since French colonial times). Nevertheless, this region in northern Vietnam is euphonious, from the birdsong of the 150 species found around these peaks to the melodious dialects spoken by ethnic minorities including the Tay, the Ban Ho, and the Black H'mong, all of whom reside around the former hill station of Sapa, 11 miles away. ... click for full article

From Conde Nast Traveler
Published October 2005
The rewards of a trip to Asia are many, but so are the potential challenges. Herewith, some hard-won tips for clearing the most common hurdles
To the uninitiated, Asia can be one of the world's great obstacle courses. Bus-loads of tourists block your path at famous monuments. There are long lines and bizarre rules for buying, reconfirming, and using plane, train, and ferry tickets. Westerners often are not allowed to rent cars, which puts you at the mercy of hired drivers who may be more interested in extracting more money from you than in getting you to your destination promptly. Sources that ought to be reliable-tourist offices, train stations, English-speaking guides-commonly spread misinformation. And in many countries, there is a seemingly endless stream of locals who try to badger you into buying stuff you don't want. ... click for full article

From Conde Nast Traveler
Published April 2005
Thirty years ago, Vietnam won the "American War" and set out on a path toward its miraculous rebirth. Susan Hack finds a land that has unified not only North and South, but an honored past and a rich future

In his Hanoi atelier, decorated with antique Buddhas and other family heirlooms, the Vietnamese artist Le Quang Ha shows me canvases that recently caused consternation among officials of the ruling Communist party. From a red backdrop, dogs with black eyes and oversized teeth snarl at the viewer; in another painting, a woman performs fellatio on a man with an American flag draped over his head. Artists who once served the state are now free to paint what they want in Vietnam, and much of the contemporary market consists of peaceful rural scenes and graceful girls in flowing white ao dai, subjects that had been banned as frivolous but which now appeal to artists able to explore them for the first time-and to Western buyers with a romanticized view of the country's past.. ... click for full article

From Conde Nast Traveler
Published December 2005
What do America's favorite take-out cuisines—Chinese, Thai, and Vietnamese—taste like in situ? Alan Richman learns to accept no substitutes

There's takeout, and then there's the opposite. I could have done this the easy way: phoned in my order and driven over to pick it up. Or, if I lived in Manhattan, a guy on a bike would have pedaled over to my apartment, chained his bike to a railing, climbed five flights of steps, and nodded gratefully after I'd handed him a buck tip. That's the state of Asian dining in America. It doesn't have much to do with Asia. ... click for full article

From Conde Nast Traveler
Published July 2003
Bonaire
A pioneer and the model for other islands, it's been charging divers $10 a year since 1992 to coffer management costs, including educational programs and patrols.

Bunaken, Indonesia
The local dive operators association lobbied to have a fee imposed, and the revenue has been used to reduce cyanide- and blast-fishing.
Cayman Islands
... click for full article

Virtual Tourist has user reviews on topics such as Hotels, Things To Do, Restaurants, Local Customs, Nightlife, Off the Beaten Path, Tourist Traps, Transportation, ... etc.

Gayot's 72 Hour Vacations describe a 3 day itinerary with suggestions of where to eat, what to see, and where to stay.

Virtual Tourist has user reviews on topics such as Hotels, Things To Do, Restaurants, Local Customs, Nightlife, Off the Beaten Path, Tourist Traps, Transportation, ... etc.

Gayot's Business Travel Guides provide a short list of Where to Stay and Where to Dine. The suggestions are accompanied by a short description.

Destination South East Asia
Joe Cummings has a bunch of Southeast Asian secrets he's willing to share. Here he blows the lid on the region's most authentic curries.

From Lonely Planet
The southern tip of Saigon's District 10 is not the city's next hip neighbourhood. It's fairly central (just east of District 1 and directly above District 5), but the neighbourhood's most prominent feature is the drab Khu Pho 5 housing block, which was built by the US in the late 1960s....click for full article