Samantha Coomber

Location: Ho Chi Minh City, Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam

Member Since: 8 January 2001

Professional Associations

 Travelwriters.com

Introduction

Samantha Coomber is a British freelance travel writer and lifestyle writer/ author, originally from London, England, and now based in Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam. She worked for 14 years in the UK travel Industry, with positions ranging from holiday representative for UK tour operators in Europe, to sales and marketing in London. She has travelled extensively, especially across Asia and Europe. Since leaving England eleven years ago, she has spent three years in Sydney, Australia and more than nine years living, working and travelling in Vietnam. Her writing credits include numerous articles in international publications,including National Geographic Traveler, Travel+Leisure, DestinAsian, Homespa and Asia Spa magazines, Qantas, Air Canada, Cathay Pacific, Philippine, Jetstar, DragonAir and Tiger Airways in-flight magazines, plus The Australian and The Wall Street Journal Asia newspapers, i-escape.com and ThingsAsian.com and Fodor's guidebook (Australia).

During her time in Vietnam, Samantha has researched, updated and co-written one Rough Guides Vietnam and two Rough Guides South-east Asia (Vietnam) guidebooks, travelling extensively throughout Vietnam. Headhunted by the Vietnamese Government's Tourism Department (Vietnam National Administration of Tourism) in 2002, Samantha helped set-up and launch a monthly magazine for ex-patriates and tourists, based in Hanoi. For three and a half years, she was employed as chief writer, editorial consultant and co-editor on the Vietnam Discovery magazine, until going freelance, based first in Hanoi and then Ho Chi Minh City.

Her first book, the first edition Insight Pocket City Guidebook to Hanoi and Northern Vietnam was published worldwide in 2005. She also co-wrote the first edition and new style format Insight Smart Guide to Ho Chi Minh City and Hanoi, published worldwide 2009, as well as help update / rewrite Insight Vietnam and Insight Pocket Vietnam travel guidebooks. Samantha contributed five articles in the recently published travel compilation book, "To Vietnam With Love". Samantha also wrote a high-end spas, resorts and hotels Vietnam directory, "Rest and Relax Vietnam," and in similar vein for shops, "Shopping Vietnam", both the first of their kind in Vietnam. She regularly updates and edits LUXE City Guides Ho Chi Minh City, plus contributes to numerous international and local magazines and websites.

Experience & Expertise

Samantha is a leading authority on Vietnam in her field of travel and lifestyle and has lived, worked and travelled in Vietnam for more than eight years. This includes travelling extensively and solo on-off for a total of 15 months throughout Vietnam; sometimes off the beaten track and where few foreigners venture. Samantha has been based permanently in Vietnam since 2002. Since then, she has also travelled around the country on press / fam trips on the opposite end of the scale: "researching" all the luxury, exclusive resorts, boat cruises and spas that have opened for business in Vietnam. (Someone really has to do this). <p> Samantha has updated, rewritten and researched numerous guidebooks on Vietnam, including the Rough Guides, Insight and LUXE titles. When Samantha worked on Vietnam Discovery, she was the first foreigner to be employed full-time by the Vietnam National Administration of Tourism (VNAT),the governmental department of tourism. This was also the first-ever English language magazine officially published by the VNAT. Samantha has given two one-hour audio-visual lectures in Danang, Vietnam, for visiting high profile US CEO's on the subjects of Hoi An Ancient Town and the socio-economic development of Ho Chi Minh City. In 2007, Samantha was personally invited to be a judge for Asia Spa magazines’ AsiaSpa Awards 2007, on the panel of judges contributing to the results of these prestigious spa awards in 2007.

Publishing Credentials

Insight Pocket Guide to Hanoi and Northern Vietnam guidebook (Author), Insight Smart Guide to Hanoi and HCMC (co-Author), Insight Vietnam guidebook, Insight Pocket Guide to Vietnam, Fodor's (Australia) guidebook, Rough Guides Vietnam guidebook, Rough Guides South-east Asia (Vietnam), Body and Soul Escapes (UK; compilation book), To Asia with Love (US; compilation book), To Vietnam with Love (US; compilation book), Traveller's Tales from Heaven and Hell (UK; compilation book), DestinAsian magazine (Asia Pacific), Travel+Leisure magazine (Asia Pacific), National Geographic Traveler magazine (Worldwide), The Wall Street Journal (Asia) Spa Asia magazine (Asia Pacific), Asia Spa magazine (Asia Pacific), Asia Pacific Tropical Homes (Asia Pacific), Destination of the World News (Worldwide), Air Canada EnRoute in-flight magazine, Tiger Airways, Tiger Tales in-flight magazine, Cathay Pacific, Cargo Clan and Discovery in-flight magazines, Qantas The Australian Way in-flight magazine Philippines Mabuhay in-flight magazine JetStar Pacific in-flight magazine Turbojet Horison in-flight magazine Dragonair Silkroad in-flight magazine Homespa magazine (Canada), Holiday Asia Magazine (Asia-Pacific), The Australian Newspaper(Australia), She And More Magazine (New Zealand), Vietnam Economic Times (Vietnam), Australian Traveller Magazine (Australia), www.I-escape.com (UK + international website), www.ThingsAsian.com (US+ international website), www.vietnamadventures.com (US + international website), Vietnam Discovery Magazine (Vietnam), AsiaLife HCMC (Vietnam), Saigon City Life (Vietnam), Rest+Relax Vietnam, Shopping Vietnam.

Awards Received

BA (Honours) degree in Humanities, majoring in Urban and Human geography (UK). Placed fourth out of 3,500 entrants in a nationwide UK competition to be included in the travel adventures compilation book, "Travellers Tales from Heaven and Hell"(1997). Certificate of Merit (Highly Commended) in Third Annual Wellspring Women Writers' Competition 200O (Australia)- Article published in "From the Circle of Women" volume 3, 2001.

Clips & Samples (View All 16)

Victoria Sapa Resort and Spa Review, I-escape.com

Saigon Spring, Travel & Leisure

Design Central, Cathay Pacific Discovery magazine

La Residence Hue, I-escape.com

Across the river and into hell, Vietnamadventures.com