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Destination Saigon: Adventures in Vietnam
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.
273 pages, Kindle Edition
First published March 1, 2010
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 41 reviews
July 9, 2012
entertaining and funny travel book about modern vietnam, ho chi min city centric, but lots of trips too to Hanoi, hue, mekong delta and coa area, and even to the south west khemer region where the author basically got run out of town by the local cop (an old school commie still, which it seems is a passing type). so aussie author mason, married to a vietnamese takes the reader with him to lots of temples, cafes, beaches, and friends homes to see a more non-tourist type tourist experience and has some very funny, though of course perhaps too generalized, generalizations of what makes vietnamese tick. they seem sharp tongued and sarcastic, and love to point out the foibles of fat westerners, and fat gay westerners are a constant source of comedy, it seems. mason also embraces the Buddhist philosophies of compassion and satisfaction and visits with many monks to delve into that world. he also uses the temples as places to be alone as vietnam is both crowded and culturally cannot abide people being alone for any reason. a fun and insightful little book.
September 18, 2019
What a entertaining and uplifting book, funny and very enjoyable, from start to finsish the book is just an enjoyable read, the book does not take itself too serious in my opinion, the writing style is brilliant, for any person interested in visiting Vietnam in the future, this book will be well worth a read. Easy to read, easy to enjoy, No editorial errors, no structure faults, a good enjoyable travel book. I am very impressed with this book.
March 22, 2014
Among those who have visited Viet Nam this book will bring forth memories and amusements, for those who are going it is an easy 'reader' on some facets of the amazing nation which is about to be unfurled before them.
The observations regarding clumsy westerners, fat westerners and hairy westerners should bring a chuckle and a wry smile to the face of any clumsy, fat, hairy westerner who has visited.
Destination Saigon flits across the surface of contemporary Viet Nam seldom delving too deeply. It will familiarise the visitor with the peculiarities of street life, the sacred, the profane and sundry other cultural mores. Mason's book is fun and flirty.
For readers wanting a little more than travel narrative I would recommend Bill Hayton's commendable Vietnam: Dragon Rising (Yale, 2010).
The observations regarding clumsy westerners, fat westerners and hairy westerners should bring a chuckle and a wry smile to the face of any clumsy, fat, hairy westerner who has visited.
Destination Saigon flits across the surface of contemporary Viet Nam seldom delving too deeply. It will familiarise the visitor with the peculiarities of street life, the sacred, the profane and sundry other cultural mores. Mason's book is fun and flirty.
For readers wanting a little more than travel narrative I would recommend Bill Hayton's commendable Vietnam: Dragon Rising (Yale, 2010).
July 10, 2010
For anyone that has spent some time in Vietnam, this book will be filled with nostalgia.
Walter Mason has spent a considerable amount of time in Vietnam, in particular Saigon. His fluency in Vietnamese provides some 'inside' knowledge on what the locals are saying about us!!
His humorous account of his travels across the country, particularly his experiences in the Buddhist Monasteries are inciteful. I enjoyed his observations on traditional and cultural beliefs and daily life.
Many of the locations of his tales, are places that I have been and many times I was laughing out loud and nodding in agreement. I couldn't believe the similarities in his experiences - right down to the repetitive dance track that was repeatedly played during his trip to the Mekong Delta - Same Same (and surprisingly Not Different).
Walter Mason has spent a considerable amount of time in Vietnam, in particular Saigon. His fluency in Vietnamese provides some 'inside' knowledge on what the locals are saying about us!!
His humorous account of his travels across the country, particularly his experiences in the Buddhist Monasteries are inciteful. I enjoyed his observations on traditional and cultural beliefs and daily life.
Many of the locations of his tales, are places that I have been and many times I was laughing out loud and nodding in agreement. I couldn't believe the similarities in his experiences - right down to the repetitive dance track that was repeatedly played during his trip to the Mekong Delta - Same Same (and surprisingly Not Different).
April 8, 2019
More resonant for the spiritual seeker (and gay man) than the average tourist or armchair traveller, this book addressed the conflicting feelings of relief and melancholy I have had upon returning to Australia from Vietnam.
June 7, 2024
This is a beautiful book, highly entertaining, deeply personal, and often very funny. You can tell Mason has a deep connection to Vietnam and his detailed observations made me want to visit immediately. A wonderful read.
November 2, 2025
Teribble. Mundane, boring anecdotes mostly about the author being fat.
June 24, 2013
MY REVIEW OF “DESTINATION SAIGON” by Walter Mason.
Sydney author, Walter Mason, is a man of genuine humanity, spirituality and charming sense of humour and these qualities shine out from his writing. His latest book, “Destination Saigon”, is a portrait of his odyssey through his ‘spiritual homeland’, Vietnam. Mason captures the rich and crazy tapestry of life in modern Vietnam, though in so many respects that ‘modernity’ is defiantly ancient, timeless. Mason takes the reader right with him on his journey through Vietnam’s cities and countryside - with many a rewarding motorbike-passenger near-death experience, dance frolic and quiet meditative moment on the intensely spiritual place that is Vietnam. Indeed, Mason takes the reader with him on a highly personal journey of spiritual insight and revelation.
His portrait of the Vietnamese people is inspirational - a people of such kindness and generosity in such a poor country. Mason’s profound human ‘connection’ with such souls will long resonate with the reader, especially for the life-changing truths revealed to Mason as a result. Indeed, from my own war-historical perspective, Mason’s portrait of the Vietnamese people could not be more ironic, and triumphantly so: A population which, having endured unimaginable violence, horror and loss, is capable of the most profound gentleness. Indeed, “Destination Saigon” provided me with a very good insight into Buddhism, Vietnam’s omnipresent faith, which permits no form of violence: As Mason captures it so beautifully, “not even towards a bell”, the Buddhist monks instead “inviting the bell to sound”. But most resonantly of all, Mason captures the profound humility of Buddhism in the context of one Buddhist 'master': the humility of the truly great in that they do not see themselves as separate from those less fortunate.
Mason evokes too Vietnam the nation of staggering contrasts and extremes, subtly, hilariously capturing the colour, craziness and contradictions of the maelstrom of Vietnamese city life: One of my favourite moments was his civic portrayal of a place dear indeed to his heart, the Kwan Yin temple in Cholon of which Mason writes, “though ostensibly dedicated to the Buddhist goddess, is in fact still a repository for dozens of different deities and spirits. So many, in fact, that staff at the shrine have a hard time identifying some of them. It is situated down the romantically named Lao Tzu street, within walking distance of several other temples as well as a porno theatre, a gay sauna and several hundred brothels. You’ve got to love Cholon.”
“Destination Saigon” presents Vietnam as a nation which, by the very nature of its people, has always survived and will always survive. The book touches on the Vietnam War, known in Vietnam as ‘the American War’, only briefly; for the Vietnamese people it is something in the far past. Something survived. So one of the book’s most enduring scenes for me was one I didn’t see coming. One where, in a brief aside from insanely happy celebration, ghosts are felt. In a nation full of ghosts.
“Destination Saigon” is a lovely book. Mason’s irrepressible curiosity, passion and respect for Vietnam and its people render it a highly rewarding read.
-- JUSTIN SHEEDY
Sydney author, Walter Mason, is a man of genuine humanity, spirituality and charming sense of humour and these qualities shine out from his writing. His latest book, “Destination Saigon”, is a portrait of his odyssey through his ‘spiritual homeland’, Vietnam. Mason captures the rich and crazy tapestry of life in modern Vietnam, though in so many respects that ‘modernity’ is defiantly ancient, timeless. Mason takes the reader right with him on his journey through Vietnam’s cities and countryside - with many a rewarding motorbike-passenger near-death experience, dance frolic and quiet meditative moment on the intensely spiritual place that is Vietnam. Indeed, Mason takes the reader with him on a highly personal journey of spiritual insight and revelation.
His portrait of the Vietnamese people is inspirational - a people of such kindness and generosity in such a poor country. Mason’s profound human ‘connection’ with such souls will long resonate with the reader, especially for the life-changing truths revealed to Mason as a result. Indeed, from my own war-historical perspective, Mason’s portrait of the Vietnamese people could not be more ironic, and triumphantly so: A population which, having endured unimaginable violence, horror and loss, is capable of the most profound gentleness. Indeed, “Destination Saigon” provided me with a very good insight into Buddhism, Vietnam’s omnipresent faith, which permits no form of violence: As Mason captures it so beautifully, “not even towards a bell”, the Buddhist monks instead “inviting the bell to sound”. But most resonantly of all, Mason captures the profound humility of Buddhism in the context of one Buddhist 'master': the humility of the truly great in that they do not see themselves as separate from those less fortunate.
Mason evokes too Vietnam the nation of staggering contrasts and extremes, subtly, hilariously capturing the colour, craziness and contradictions of the maelstrom of Vietnamese city life: One of my favourite moments was his civic portrayal of a place dear indeed to his heart, the Kwan Yin temple in Cholon of which Mason writes, “though ostensibly dedicated to the Buddhist goddess, is in fact still a repository for dozens of different deities and spirits. So many, in fact, that staff at the shrine have a hard time identifying some of them. It is situated down the romantically named Lao Tzu street, within walking distance of several other temples as well as a porno theatre, a gay sauna and several hundred brothels. You’ve got to love Cholon.”
“Destination Saigon” presents Vietnam as a nation which, by the very nature of its people, has always survived and will always survive. The book touches on the Vietnam War, known in Vietnam as ‘the American War’, only briefly; for the Vietnamese people it is something in the far past. Something survived. So one of the book’s most enduring scenes for me was one I didn’t see coming. One where, in a brief aside from insanely happy celebration, ghosts are felt. In a nation full of ghosts.
“Destination Saigon” is a lovely book. Mason’s irrepressible curiosity, passion and respect for Vietnam and its people render it a highly rewarding read.
-- JUSTIN SHEEDY
November 3, 2017
Written as a series of short “chapters” between three and eight pages, Destination Saigon brings to light the peculiarities of Vietnam and the Vietnamese people as seen through his eyes and with a healthy dose of humour.
Despite its title, although mostly based around Saigon and Hanoi, the book ranges across the entire country taking us to out the way destinations that aren’t on the typical tourist to do list and is great read for those looking to travel to this country or for those who have returned and want to make some sense of their time while they were there.
Despite its title, although mostly based around Saigon and Hanoi, the book ranges across the entire country taking us to out the way destinations that aren’t on the typical tourist to do list and is great read for those looking to travel to this country or for those who have returned and want to make some sense of their time while they were there.
April 16, 2012
Surprisingly enjoyable! More fun than your average travel book. Walter Mason has effectively delved into the culture and lifestyle of the Vietnamese. Essential reading for anyone planning to visit that country. You'll learn why you are asked for money at every corner, recognise just how wealthy you really are. The book will also help you appreciate the simple quiet of their temples. Vastly different from the over-stimulation of street life there.
June 7, 2013
Warm, engaging and beautifully written. I feel as though I've been temple-hopping in Vietnam with a wonderful and very large man. Walter has a delightful style of writing and observation that captivates thoroughly.
August 5, 2010
Love this guy, what a treasure. Travel writing at its best.
June 18, 2021
This gentle re-counting of a man’s sojourn in Vietnam, at least 20 years ago, is pleasant, light reading. It actually reminds me of some of the travelogues about the Mekong region from the 1950s-1960s and by this time, almost as dated. Honestly, that’s that’s all the more reason to read it!
I also appreciated Mason’s personal exploration of the spiritual/religious side of Vietnam, at the neighborhood level, and his gift for friendships.
As a bonus, it has a great bibliography.
I also appreciated Mason’s personal exploration of the spiritual/religious side of Vietnam, at the neighborhood level, and his gift for friendships.
As a bonus, it has a great bibliography.
May 2, 2024
In this compact but rich book Walter Mason takes us on a whimsical tour to places meaningful to him - lots of temples of all sorts of worship, but also karaoke bars, cafes, beaches, supermarkets and various malfunctioning toilets… The overall result is an entertaining and finely observed kaleidoscopic picture of this complex, history-loaded country - narrated in a beguilingly warm and reflective voice.
February 20, 2018
Mixed feelings about this one. Some of the stories were interesting but overall he seems to have a distain for the Vietnamese people and culture. All the waiters are rude or lazy, everyone is trying to take advantage of him etc. Also, it's weird that he just swans off to random villages written people be barely knows.
January 16, 2026
Great piece of writing well written humerous engaging and human, really sums up Ho Chi Minh City
August 24, 2019
I so enjoyed reading this book. It nicely complemented the other book I took with me to Hanoi - 'Vietnam Now'. 'Destination Saigon', however, is more reflective of the present - published in 2010, it carries almost no mention of the war years, recognising that these are not in the living memory of much of Vietnam's youthful population. In many ways this was a lighter read, and very funny, but it was much more than that. There were some moments of profound sadness and self awareness and moving spiritual reflection. I resonated with some of the spiritual journey the author was making, his sense of connection with Guan Yin and the divine feminine, the liquid nature of belief and identity, the shared longing for love, the need and meaning of solitude. He visited places I have been plus all the sorts of places I am interested in, with many similar questions. I envied him the access he gained through being able to speak Vietnamese, and his experience of so many private scenarios that are unavailable to the average tourist. So I am grateful for his sharing, and for opening a curtain on parts of Vietnamese life and character that I have only been able to observe dumbly from the sidelines.
June 12, 2011
I loved this charming and informative book by Australian author Walter Mason. What makes "Destination Saigon" stand out from other nonfiction/travel books about Vietnam is the author's delightful literary voice and presence. He does not provide the usual outside v. native approach to writing about traveling to another country. Rather he recounts great stories with insight, humor, candor and grace. I loved his descriptions of the various monks and monasteries he visited. These are not paper saints but flesh-and-blood characters whose individual personalities, quirks, even insults (about the author's weight, for example) are detailed in vivid prose. Walter Mason is fluent in Vietnamese and has studied in Vietnam, which makes him quite knowledgeable about the culture and people he describes. Best of all, he's a great storyteller. Loved this book! I recommend it to both people interested in traveling to Vietnam and armchair travelers alike.
March 21, 2012
I wanted to read this book as I am soon visiting Vietnam. I hoped it would give me an overview of the history of the place, some handy tips and advice about where to visit. Although the book does give a very basic primer of the history (little bits here and there about French colonial rule and Communist Rule) the book focuses mainly on the author's spiritual experiences. Nearly every chapter is Mason visiting a buddhist monestery. The authors little adventures in each chapter are mildly amusing and the way it is structured makes it a very easy and fast read. Another gripe with it I have is the book is almost solely set in the South of the country and doesn't have that many suggestions of interesting places to go - I think by wanting to avoid any 'touristy' places the author has missed any place of great interest. Still, not a bad place to start if looking into faith in Vietnam. I wasn't unfortunately.
September 23, 2014
this was a funny read. I didn't know anything about the author before reading it. I kept thinking that he was working toward an understanding of his familial ties to Vietnam or that their might be some deeper dilemma or spiritual strife uncovered. there wasn't. it was purely a fun journal of some wacky adventures abroad.
this also read like a genuine and intimate description of Vietnamese cities, villages and their culture. in my opinion, a different but excellent choice for doing some Vietnam travel research.
this also read like a genuine and intimate description of Vietnamese cities, villages and their culture. in my opinion, a different but excellent choice for doing some Vietnam travel research.
September 6, 2012
I loved this book. I have always been fascinated by Vietnam, and hope to visit someday. I thoroughly enjoyed reading about the author's travels, humorous escapades and historical and spiritual discoveries. I took my time getting through it, not wanting it to end and frequently going online to look up further historical information and images of the places and people mentioned. Highly recommended!
March 16, 2013
I enjoyed reading Walter Mason's amusing vingnettes on his experiences seeking the spiritual in Saigon. His book brought back to me the sites and sounds that make Saigon such a boisterous destination and Vietnam such a wonderful place. Mason writes with humour and wit and his book should certainly not be mistaken for a travel guide but simply enjoyed for what it is - a delightful detour.
March 22, 2010
If you want to travel to Vietnam or enjoy reading about other people's travel experiences then you should enjoy this easy to read story. Walter shares a humourous insight into this amazing country and its people.
May 18, 2013
This wonderful travel memoir by Walter Mason gives an indepth insight into life in Vietnam. The chapters are short & easily to digest. In places it's laugh-out-loud funny. Mason writes with warmth and sensitivity about a country dear to his heart.
August 20, 2013
An easy to read journey through some of the spiritual aspects of Vietnam. The descriptions of people, places, sights, smells, food, drinks and experiences were a reminder of why I can't wait to be back there, as well as some of the more daunting aspects! I also found some new places to visit :)
July 26, 2016
Seemed like a good thing to read before I travel to Vietnam this summer. Written by a man whose husband is Vietnamese and who has travelled to Vietnam numerous times. Great perspective on the people and culture. I hope I can track down a few of the places he talks about in the book.
September 2, 2014
Was looking for a light read for future travel inspiration, but I have to admit I found the 2nd half of the book a bit dry and redundant, as all he seemed to do was visit temple after temple. Still, a decent read, with a few laugh out loud scenarios. Overall well written, descriptive and creative.
April 29, 2016
I read this book whilist travelling around Vietnam and found it to be both a very entertaining and useful read. It was a good peek into the Vietnamese psyche, explaining a few events and traits that we had noticed during our travels too.
March 7, 2016
Delightful.
Off-the-cuff field reporting of diving headfirst into Vietnamese culture and pretty much staying off the beaten track. The book is a collection of short anecdotes told with understated humor by an unusual tourist who has a predestined relationship with Vietnam.
Off-the-cuff field reporting of diving headfirst into Vietnamese culture and pretty much staying off the beaten track. The book is a collection of short anecdotes told with understated humor by an unusual tourist who has a predestined relationship with Vietnam.
October 5, 2021
A great read for anyone, but it gave a great insight into Vietnam behind the tourist front and gave a great understanding of some of the Vietnamese customs... a must read for the traveller hitting Vietnam!
Displaying 1 - 30 of 41 reviews