To say Vietnam exceeded my expectations is an understatement. It is one of those places that gets under your skin in the best possible way.

We flew from our local airport in Newcastle with Emirates, which made the whole journey surprisingly easy. No long trek to a distant airport, just a smooth start and end to the holiday. Connection times in Dubai are really well timed with flights from the UK, so after only a short layover we were on our way to our first stop: Hanoi, Vietnam’s captivating capital.

Hanoi, set on the banks of the Red River, is a full sensory experience in the best possible sense. It is busy and brimming with life: mopeds threading their way through tiny streets, piled high with everything from fresh flowers to entire families; fruit sellers balancing baskets or pedalling bicycles stacked with produce. My top tip is to find a café with a view, order a rich Vietnamese coffee (or an ice‑cold beer) and simply watch the city play out beneath you.

Hanoi is perfect to explore on foot. It has a French colonial heart, yet you will notice Chinese and Russian influences too. The food is superb: think crisp bánh mì baguettes, translucent rice paper spring rolls stuffed with bright herbs, vegetables and seafood, and steaming bowls of fragrant noodles. My personal preference is always for smaller, boutique hotels, but there is a wide range of accommodation for every taste and budget. We stayed in the atmospheric Old Quarter around Hoan Kiem, where you can wander to the lake, soak up street life and even catch a traditional water puppet show.

From Hanoi, we travelled to one of Vietnam’s true icons: Halong Bay, for a two‑day, one‑night cruise. If you only do one thing in Vietnam, make it this. Halong Bay is a UNESCO World Heritage Site and it is simply magical. Sailing between towering limestone karsts that rise dramatically from emerald‑green water feels like drifting through a film set. Our cruise included a visit to Titop Island, one of the most picturesque in the bay, and we chose to kayak into the serene Luon Caves. Back on board, we watched a spectacular sunset melt into the horizon, then woke to a sunrise that was every bit as special. There was even the chance to join a sunrise Tai Chi class on deck, which felt almost spiritual in such a peaceful setting.

After Halong Bay, we flew south to Da Nang and continued by road to Hoi An. Another UNESCO‑listed gem, Hoi An stole my heart. Yellow merchant houses line the canals and the architecture hints at the town’s trading‑port past. In daylight it is charming, but when the sun goes down it becomes something else entirely. Lanterns in every colour are strung across streets, bridges and markets, casting a magical glow over the town. Stand on one of the bridges and watch as tiny paper boats carrying tea lights drift along the river, or buy one yourself, make a wish and let it float away. One afternoon we hired bamboo bicycles and cycled out to the beach just beyond town, a lovely way to see the countryside at a slower pace.

Vietnam is a country with so much to see that I always recommend building in a few days purely for rest and relaxation. That is exactly what we did next. From Hoi An we flew to the island of Phu Quoc, which actually sits closer to Cambodia than mainland Vietnam. It is a little slice of tropical paradise, with white‑sand beaches and a string of resorts lining the palm‑fringed southwest coast. More than half of the island is protected as Phu Quoc National Park, where you can escape into dense tropical jungle, follow hiking trails into the hills and look out for wildlife. It is the perfect place to slow down, read a book by the pool and recharge.

After three nights in Phu Quoc, our final stop was Ho Chi Minh City in the south. Still often referred to by its old name, Saigon, it is Vietnam’s largest and most populous city, with more than 8.9 million residents. Sleek hotels, modern restaurants and contemporary shopping centres give it a real buzz, but it remains full of character. You will still find elegant French‑colonial buildings, bustling markets and peaceful temples tucked among the skyscrapers.

From here it is possible to visit the Cu Chi Tunnels, the hidden underground network used by the Viet Cong during the French‑Indochina and Vietnam wars. Sections have been slightly enlarged for visitors, so you can get a glimpse of life below ground, but if you suffer from claustrophobia it may not be the excursion for you. In that case, I would point you towards a rooftop bar instead, where you can sip a cool drink and take in some of the best views over the city as the lights come on.

Vietnam is truly magical and wonderfully diverse: ancient cities and modern skylines, jungle‑clad islands and dramatic bays, street food stalls and sky‑high cocktail bars. If this sounds like your kind of adventure, get in touch and I would love to create a bespoke Vietnam itinerary tailored to how you like to travel, so you have the perfect trip to look forward to.