Deal

Good Morning Vietnam! Wake up early on your first full day to explore two faces of Hanoi. We’ll team you up with a knowledgeable guide who’ll first introduce you to daily life in the capital. At 5.30am head to Long Bien Market to see fruit and vegetable wholesalers in full swing. Stroll around Hoan Kiem Lake, then do as the locals do by joining a tai chi class.

Having worked up an appetite, tuck into the Hanoian breakfast of choice, a steaming bowl of pho noodles washed down with a sweet Vietnamese coffee. In the afternoon, the focus is on history at the 1,000-year-old Temple of Literature and One Pillar Pagoda. Visit the house where Ho Chi Minh lived to learn about his life and legacy.

Head east from Hanoi to Lan Ha Bay, one of the most spectacular seascapes in the world, where hundreds of limestone karsts dot the ocean. Neighbouring Halong Bay is the famous spot but these days its chock-a-block with cruise boats. That’s why we recommend peaceful Lan Ha which is just as beautiful, with the added bonus of white beaches on some of the islets. You’ll spend a day and a night aboard a gorgeous traditional junk. They’ve got a whole menu of activities for you: kayaking, squid fishing and cooking classes, as well as island excursions. Of course, nobody’s going to blame you if you opt instead to relax with a cocktail and watch the scenery drift past your cabin balcony.

There’s a vintage Vespa waiting for you in Hoi An. Riding pillion, you’ll zip through the old town, past 15th century merchant houses and ochre villas, before heading into the countryside. Whizz past rice paddies, boatyards and villages where the locals make rice crackers, weave baskets and tend the land using traditional techniques handed down the generations. The rest of your time in Hoi An is yours to spend as you please.

Soak up the sun on An Bang beach, visit a tailor to order a made-to-measure suit or discover how silk lanterns are made. As night falls, check out the vibrant restaurant scene where local specialities include white rose dumplings and cao lau pork noodles.

By now, you’ve travelled over 1,000km from Hanoi to Vietnam’s second metropolis, Ho Chi Minh City. It’s fascinating to compare the two: one steeped in tradition, the latter forward-thinking and spontaneous. We’ve got a clued-up local guide to show you Ho Chi Minh City’s most beautiful French colonial architecture, plus hidden boutiques and cafés run by young Vietnamese creatives. In the evening, tuck into crispy pancakes, hearty Chinese soup, rice and pork ribs on a street food tour.

On your second morning, you’ll head out to the Cu Chi Tunnels where the Viet Cong lived below ground to escape shelling – a moving place to get an understanding of the US-Vietnam War.

Welcome to Cambodia. Kick off with a night out of cocktails, Khmer cuisine and live music in Phnom Penh. Next morning, you’ll explore the backstreets on foot with our hand-picked local guide to see how people actually live in the capital. Wander residential streets, glimpse local markets and shops, and stroll down the waterfront. You’ll also visit the magnificent Royal Palace built in 1866.

Of course, there’s a dark side to recent Cambodian history in the form of the Khmer Rouge, which you’ll discover at Tuol Sleng Genocide Museum and the Killing Fields of Choeung Ek. Sobering yes, but visiting these places gives a vivid sense of the suffering endured by the Cambodian people.

You’ll see idyllic Cambodian countryside today, stopping off for a boat trip across Tonlé Sap, Southeast Asia’s largest freshwater lake, to explore villages built on stilts. Arriving in Siem Reap, head out for a street food safari.

Try deep-fried insects if you dare, as well as pancakes in the night market, rice wine and beef skewers served from family-run shacks. But the best is still to come: the ancient city of Angkor. Catch the sunrise over Phnom Bakheng temple, then spend your final day exploring the ruins: Ta Prohm tangled in vines, magnificent Angkor Wat and the enigmatic stone faces of Bayon. Toast the end of your trip on a gondala cruise along the moat of Angkor Thom.