With its higgledy-piggledy alleyways stuffed with mouthwatering street food and after-hours fun, Hanoi’s Old Quarter is the beating heart of the city. Head out from here on a tour tailored to your interests — perhaps uncovering local history in the guild streets, visiting the thousand-year-old Temple of Literature, reliving the Vietnam War at former Hoa Lo Prison (AKA the “Hanoi Hilton”) or exploring the role of women in Vietnam’s culture and society at the excellent Women’s Museum. Then, head out with your guide for an education in Hanoian food culture, all washed down with a bia hoi (or several). You’ve only got one full day in the capital, so we thought we’d better make it count!

After an action-packed introduction to Hanoi, your next two days slow the pace right down and head over to Lan Ha Bay: Halong’s more secluded sibling. With thousands of karst islets spread out for miles across the glittering sea, the area is best explored slowly, which is why we're including a two-night cruise for you rather than the usual one-night. From your perspective, the limestone pinnacles tower over the passing boats, offering numerous opportunities for adventures by kayak through floating villages, or on foot or bike on the many islands.

With its mish-mash of influences from cultures as diverse as Portuguese, Japanese, Chinese and Dutch, this beautifully preserved 15th-century port town is a bougainvillea-draped, lantern-strung gem. Start with a morning of fabric shopping and get measured up by one of Hoi An’s tailors, then meet a conservation expert for a walking tour and learn about the fascinating origins and conservation challenges of this World Heritage town. Though the architecture of the riverfront is Hoi An’s main draw, it’s the rural outskirts we love the most — so head out on your bike through rice paddies and coconut groves to time-warp villages, visiting wood carvers and basket boat weavers along the way.

For the next leg of your trip, the journey is as important as the destination. Boarding the Vietage train in Danang, you’ll enter the world of vintage rail travel (if vintage rail travel had included Wi-Fi, power outlets and a mini spa). For six hours, enjoy gourmet food, free-flow drinks, and head-and-shoulder massages as the countryside slips past. Then, arrive at your luxury hotel, where you’ll have two full days to enjoy relaxing at the beach and by the pool. You can take time out of your busy schedule of relaxation to take a martial arts class or head out on a guided hike in the mountains — but we wouldn’t blame you if you just stayed put.

For your final stop on your Vietnam trip, it’s another change of pace as you land in Vietnam’s biggest city. By now, you’ll have noticed that the moped is the quintessential Vietnamese mode of travel, so on your first evening in the city you’ll hop on the back of a vintage Vespa for a tour of the city’s craft breweries. There’s no better way to get into the swing of Saigon! Take a speedboat tour out to visit the labyrinth of Viet Cong tunnels at Cu Chi, visit the former Presidential Palace to see the “war rooms”, and visit the city’s most magnificent French-colonial buildings — now repurposed as shops, art spaces and museums. Saigon is your oyster, and there’s no end of excitement.