I'm British-Australian with dual passports and a BA (Honours) graduate, with a lifelong passion for travel both professionally and personally. I've travelled the globe extensively for decades to 27 countries and employed in seven countries multiple times - and am currently based in Sydney, Australia.

I've been a travel industry professional for 14 years in my native UK, with positions covering holiday resort representative for summer and ski seasons based in Europe (Italy, Franch, Spain and Greece), and as sales manager, agency sales supervisor and marketing & PR executive for London-based, Australasian tour operators.

Since 1998, I've been a full-time professional freelance travel & lifestyle writer / editor based in Asia Pacific: 13-years plus in Vietnam (Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City, plus around 14 months cumulatively backpacking the entire length of Vietnam); eight years in Bali, Indonesia and six years-plus in Sydney, Australia. Having lived the dream in Southeast Asia for 19 successive years, I consider myself an authority on this region, especially Vietnam and Indonesia – the source of inspiration for much of my writing work.

For over two decades, I've written for countless international magazines, newspapers and websites, including The Australian, Wall Street Journal Asia, National Geographic Traveler, Conde Nast Traveller UK & India, Tatler UK & Indonesia, South China Morning Post, in-flight magazines such as Qantas, Thai, Singapore, Royal Bhutan and Cathay Pacific airlines and many more. I've also extensively contributed to numerous travel guidebooks - including Fodor's, Frommer's, Rough Guides, LUXE City guides and Insight Guides - and am author of the first edition, Insight Guides, Hanoi & Northern Vietnam Pocket Guide and co-author of first edition, Insight Guides, Hanoi & Ho Chi Minh City smart guide.

Besides mainly features and editorial work, I've also undertaken numerous projects and assignments covering content writing, copywriting, editing and administrative duties for corporate and hospitality brands, creating website content, brochures, press releases, e-newsletters, mission statements and more. I've been hand-picked to contribute to several travel anthologies and as a guest lecturer for a US-based CEO delegation tour of Vietnam, international judge for the prestigious Asia Spa Awards and guest speaker for two Australian podcasts, covering my illustrious travels.

I've also worked under contracts for office-based positions. I was headhunted by the Vietnam National Administration of Tourism (VNAT), Vietnam's state-run tourism department, to help set-up, launch and jointly-run a pioneering new English-language tourist magazine, Vietnam Discovery, in Hanoi. Working with an all-Vietnamese team as chief reporter, editorial consultant and sub-editor from 2002 to 2004, I was the first foreigner employed full-time by the VNAT.

In Bali, 2015, I was Senior Editor (Bali Branch) for a luxury Indonesian publishing house, overseeing and contributing the main content for two glossy lifestyle and gourmet magazines. From 2018 to 2020, I worked full-time as a Senior Marketing Content Writer/ Editor for a Viet-American boutique tour operator at their global head office in Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam, responsible for writing Asian-focused travel content for the company website and brochures.

I relocated from Vietnam back to Sydney, Australia, in 2021. After a couple of full-time, office-based positions as a senior content writer, including Imagine Holidays (cruise holidays tour operator), I'm now currently employed as Manager, Copy and Product Content (Emerald Cruises), for Scenic Luxury Cruises and Tours, in Sydney's CBD.

I'm always open to new and exciting writing and travel opportunities and hope to finally write my memoirs about my extraordinary two decades as a luxury travel writer based full-time in Southeast Asia.

Please email me at: sammycoomber@yahoo.co.uk

LinkedIn: http://www.linkedin.com/in/samanthacoomber

Blog: The Jaded Empress Chronicles - https://thejadedempress.blogspot.com

Podcast interview #1:Women Who Walk
https://louiseross.com/19-years-in-vietnam-indonesia-with-asia-pacific-travel-lifestyle-writer-londoner-samantha-coomber/

Podcast interview #2: What About Vietnam
https://www.whataboutvietnam.com/series-3/episode-3/best-districts-of-saigon-hcmc-2021

https://whataboutvietnamtripplanning.buzzsprout.com/1072600/8703886-what-about-vietnam-s3-3-saigon-hcmc-s-best-districts-to-visit-in-2021-and-beyond