If you are staying in Vietnam then you inevitably will be looking for somewhere to get books. Although you may have come equipped with a kindle, there is nothing like the feel of a real book and this article guides you through the types of books in Vietnam. We also provide a few suggestions on where to get them in Vietnam!
The good news is that there is quite a range of books in English for sale in Vietnam and if you are open to trying books that you wouldn’t usually read then you will always be supplied with enough reading material.
Where to look for new books in Vietnam
The first and easiest place to look for books are traditional book shops. Fahasa is the largest chain of bookstores in Vietnam and you will find them in almost all cities or towns. They also have a very quick and efficient online service with a range of free or almost free delivery charges.
Self-help books
Self-help is actually a common type of books in Vietnam. Fahasa has a huge selection of them – this is the largest category of books in English. These range from leadership self help e.g. how to be a great manager to positive psychology type e.g. how to be happy / Tony Robbins / The Secret / Dale Careneighe style of books.
These range in price from about 200,000 VND to about 300,000 VND – with prices usually relating to the thickness of the book and where they are hard or soft covered.
Fiction books
Fahasa has a selection of fiction books, although these are usually related to the more popular writers so there is a limited selection – but if you are looking for something to read then you will not necessarily be too fussy! These are usually priced from 150,000 VND upwards.
Children books
If you are looking for children books in Vietnam, then Fahasha is also worth a visit. With usually one whole floor or selection of the shop being devoted to books for children, it ranges from hard-backed picture books all the way up to the complete collection of the diary of a wimpy kid. These are reasonably priced – starting at about 70,000 VND for a small hardback book for toddlers.
A large selection of books – especially self-help books – can be found in Fahasa.
Tan Viet book chain
Tan Viet is a book chain that is rapidly increasing its number of stores – this book store offers a nice range of books – with a large selection of self-help and fiction for adults – with there being a wider variety than you will find in Fahasa. However, you will find that the adult books in Vietnam in general are significantly more expensive than the ones you will find in Fahasa. Therefore, it’s unusual to find a book there which is under 300,000 VND.
On the other hand, their children’s selection is extensive and very reasonably priced – so should be your first port of call if looking for a children’s book.
Where to look for old books?
Book street in Vietnam
In Ho Chi Minh City, the best place to go for second-hand books is book street This is a street totally devoted to books – both old and new / in English and Vietnamese. It is located opposite the cathedral and next to the post office right in the centre of the city.
The second-hand books here are those sold by travellers, so there is a very varied array of books to choose from. They range in price from about 75,000 VND upwards and there are sometimes sales which offer even more of a deal!
This is a really nice place to go and browse – there are lots of lovely cafes along the street as well, so you can really make the trip to get a book a real outing!
Book street in HCMC is a lovely place to book browse
Hanoi – BOOKWORM
Although there is a book street in Hanoi as in Ho Chi Minh City there are very few books in English to be found there and no second-hand books. Instead, the best books are found in Book Worm which is located not too far from the old quarter.
This compact shop has 99 % second-hand books which are priced according to the popularity of the author/topic and the thickness of the book. As all of the books have been sold to the store from travellers etc there is a wide variety which will enable you to explore authors outside of the mainstream ( as with the new book stores )
This shop also has an online shop so you can order online if you find it hard to go to the shop and browse for books in Vietnam. However, it is a cute shop – which also has a small healthy food café on the premises – so if you can, then try to visit the shop itself for a wonderful relaxing browse.
American embassy
The American Embassy library has a large selection of books
There is a library located at the American Embassy which lends out books in English – although you do need to first join the library. The only problem with this library is that it is open only during working hours – which if you are a full-time teacher is problematic as it is hard to get the time to go along. However, if you work in a variety of centres then you may be able to find time during the working day to pop along and investigate further.
How about the online options?
You may initially be disappointed to realise that Amazon does not deliver to Vietnam as the post is not reliable enough. However, there are two reliable online options which offer free postage charges so are a very viable option. The first is the book depository – this offers a variety of new and second-hand books at around normal book costs but with free shipping.
Please note that post in Vietnam is not the best so it is essential that you include a phone number. As a result, it may be better ( if possible ) to have the books sent over to your school as that will be well known – if you simply send it to your home address then they will not deliver but instead phone you up ( if you are lucky ) and you can go to the local post office and collect.
Another option is Better world books ( there are UK and USA options ) which offers a wide range of new and second-hand books. Although they used to offer free postage regardless of the amount spent, they are currently only offering free postage for orders over 15 US dollars – so they may revert back again soon.
Overall, books are an essential part of life – so use this guide to find out where to go and find your favorite books in Vietnam! Don’t forget to spend a lovely afternoon curled up with a book in the sun underneath an umbrella.
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