From romantic Hôi An to the buzz of Ho Chi Minh City, you’ll fall in love with this Asian gem

WHO knew Vietnam was so romantic? Not me.

I knew it was good value, with incredible food. But I didn’t realise just how seriously pretty it is.

In the riverside town of Hôi An, on the central coast, lanterns are strung across streets that are filled with cute boutiques, colourful temples and rustic coffee shops, such as Cocobox, where the chocolate and orange coconut milk is dangerously good.

Even places that sound boring, such as the Assembly Halls, are striking temples with pretty courtyards.

And a £4 old town ticket gets you into five attractions – bargain!

Tailor-made

Within two hours of setting foot in the old town, where cars are banned, myself and husband Andy are seduced by the tailors.

Apparently there are over 300 in Hôi An, and I feel like a celeb as a team of women at measure me up.

I buy three dresses – all custom-made within 24 hours and each costing half the price of Topshop.

My favourite find, though, is , which employs disabled staff to make beautiful tea sets, lanterns and linens, and has a cute tea room.

By the time we hit the sack at Hoi An , traditionally styled complete with pool and just steps from the old town, we’re exhausted and a little bit poorer.

The next day, we book a tour with to cycle through rice fields, stopping to help an old farmer harvest his peanut crop and use a traditional yoke across our shoulders to water the plots. he tour costs £9 per person and our guide Flower is fantastic.

Tourist-fave – with its huge menu – makes a decent lunch stop, especially the street food appetisers.

But for dinner, the plum cocktails, duck curry and passionfruit crème brûlée at come with a more romantic setting by the twinkling river. Dinner costs about £30 for two.

Cooking up a storm

Learning to cook makes special memories, too.

We choose , and the morning begins with our guide picking ingredients at the market and sharing tips like how to tell the sex of crabs by the markings on their tummy.

The girl crabs are tastier, BTW.

We then hop on a boat up the river to learn how to make pork and shrimp pancakes, rice paper from scratch and beef curry served in a pineapple.

Lessons cost £23 for a half day.

I could have happily stayed in Hôi An, but craving a white beach, we hit Nha Trang, home to the , set in its own bay with private villas and infinity pools.

Even in the humid 35°C heat, you’ll feel chilled-out here, with the gorgeous spa and each villa’s outdoor rain showers.

There are three restaurants: the Italian, La Baia, is perfect for breakfast with views, cliff-top Mojito’s – a cocktail and snack bar – and Sandals, the main dining space right on the beach.

Don’t Miss Saigon

A few days later, we head south to our next base, Saigon – renamed Ho Chi Minh City in 1976, after the war ended.

The Central Post Office has cool telephone booths worth a selfie, but the Reunification Palace with its 1960s decor has official meetings taking place, so we can’t go in.

Instead, we visit the , entry 50p, to learn about the heart-breaking Agent Orange war and the torture of prisoners, as well as gaze at the huge planes and tanks once used. What we see leaves me in tears.

I need a drink – thankfully the city is awash with rooftop bars, such as Saigon Saigon at the Caravelle hotel.

A £7 taxi ride to French restaurant is well worth it, too.

Set in an old colonial villa, we feast in the garden (complete with a trolley of cheese) and it’s romantic and peaceful – far removed from the craziness of the city, where just crossing the road is a mission.

Four courses cost £30.

After a kip in the modern , it’s an early start for our last day.

I worry I’ll find the Cu Chi tunnels – old underground war passages – too claustrophobic to crawl down, but we catch a boat along the river surrounded by lush greenery before exploring the incredible network on a tour with .
A half-day tour costs £62 per person.

Learning about the tricks the Vietnamese played to escape capture and the clever traps they had set was awe-inspiring – which pretty much sums up our trip. 

offers two nights at Hoi An Historic Hotel, two nights at Mia Resort Nha Trang and one night at Liberty Central Saigon Riverside, from £1,688 per person departing December 2, 2016.

This includes return non-stop Dreamliner flights from London Heathrow with Vietnam Airlines and transfers.