FLAGSHIP VIETNAM

Your first stop is the atmospheric capital, a fusion of French influences and Asian flavours, where you’ll be transferred straight to your stylish colonial hotel, Sofitel Legend Metropole, in Central Hanoi. During your stay, you’ll be taken on a full day city tour of Hanoi on a cyclo, taking in the beautiful Old Quarter, a tangle of streets dating as far back as the 13th century. The area is home to timeworn temples, European-influenced architecture and the famous ‘tube houses’, tall and narrow buildings that appear to have jumped from the illustrations of a children’s book, which you’ll be able to see from the comfort of your seat. In your free time, we’d recommend visiting the scenic Hoan Kiem Lake, the revered temple complex the Temple of Literature, or for something really special, taking in the spectacle of some water puppetry, an art over a thousand years old, to the soundtrack of a Vietnamese orchestra to round off your stay.

We’ll take you from your hotel in Hanoi to Halong Bay, where you’ll board the Halong Violet, an intimate and opulent junk that cruises amongst the stunning limestone karsts rising dramatically from the greeny-blue waters. You’ll be served lunch on board before paying a visit to the mystical Tien Ong cave, adorned with a glittering collection of stalactites and stalagmites; then you’ll proceed to the floating fishing village of Cua Van, complete with its own clinic and primary school. Back on the boat, you’ll pick up some tips in a cooking class with the ship’s chef before watching the sun sink behind the bay’s forest-topped pillars. Rise early for a little Tai Chi on the upper deck before visiting the beach on Ti Top Island where, if you’re craving some exercise, you can make the short climb to the island’s pyramidal peak.

In the old imperial capital of Hue, your home for the next three nights will be the boutique La Residence, a former French governor’s residence alongside the Perfume River. You’ll be met by a renowned historian and researcher for a cultural talk and then go on a guided city highlights tour. You’ll be able to visit the magnificent citadel, bombed heavily during the war but still surprisingly well-preserved and lovingly restored in places, and the Thien Mu pagoda, a seven-tiered ancient temple on the banks of the river. You’ll visit the elaborate Khai Dinh Royal tomb, a medley of eastern art and western design, and the feng shui-inspired Tu Duc Royal Tomb, both set in stretches of peaceful and pretty gardens. The next day, it’s all about experiencing the local life with a tour that explores the monastic lifestyle, where you’ll have the opportunity to meet and talk with a Buddhist nun.

Heading further south, you’ll fly to Saigon, where your base will be the sophisticated Park Hyatt. Take the afternoon to relax before embarking on a guided evening street food tour in style, travelling the city on the back of a retro Vespa, stopping off to sample the city’s best fare, including popular snail dishes and banh xeo, a rice pancake with pork and prawn, and winding down at a local cafe to sip a coffee – Vietnamese coffee is some of our favourite in the world: dark, strong and sweetened with condensed milk. The following day, you’ll be taken on a guided tour around Saigon in an epically cool vintage car before visiting the intriguing Cu Chi tunnels, a network of underground passages used by the Viet Cong during the war – descend, crouch and run along them to appreciate the cramped conditions of the time. Back in Saigon, you can spend the afternoon walking around the city’s main landmarks, from the red-brick Notre Dame cathedral to the memorable War Remnants Museum.

You’ll catch a flight to Con Dao, an island of striking natural beauty with powdery beaches and spectacular coral reefs; your base will be the stunning Six Senses resort, where home is your own luxurious personal villa, complete with its own infinity pool appearing to flow straight into the turquoise sea just a few paces away and where you’ll feel like there’s not another soul around. Here you can do as much or as little as your heart desires – laze on the beach with gourmet picnic lunches or do a little snorkelling or diving, with the chance of seeing the elusive dugong, a sea mammal similar to the manatee. Treat yourselves to a spa treatment accompanied by a glass of champagne and later watch the breathtaking sunsets over the South China Sea.