Vietnam & Angkor Wat

Our first evening in Hanoi took us around Hoàn Kiếm Lake, across the red Thê Húc Bridge to Ngọc Sơn Temple, on to a traditional water puppet show, and finally to a bowl of phở bò in the busy streets near the lake.

With just one full day in Hanoi, we wanted to see as much of the city as we could while still leaving time simply to wander. As my first real experience of Southeast Asia, much of the appeal was in taking in the atmosphere, the streets and the constant flow of everyday life around us.

Our three-day Lan Ha Bay cruise began with an early hotel pickup in Hanoi and a transfer to Tuan Chau Marina, before we boarded our ship and sailed into a landscape of towering limestone islands, hidden coves and calm green water, with our first afternoon spent exploring around Ba Trai Dao, the Three Peach Beaches.

Our second day in Lan Ha Bay took us by speedboat to Cat Ba Island, where we cycled through the forest to Viet Hai Village, stopped for a local lunch, and later raced back through the limestone islands by motorboat before returning to the cruise ship.

Our final morning in Lan Ha Bay took us through the Dark and Bright Cave area, paddling beneath limestone arches and into hidden lagoons before returning to Tuan Chau Marina. From there, there was little time to pause — we headed straight for the airport and a flight to Siem Reap, where the temples of Angkor Wat awaited the next stage of our journey.

Our first full day exploring Angkor took us beyond the main temple circuit to four very different sites: Pre Rup, Banteay Srei, Neak Pean and Preah Khan, from towering brick sanctuaries and intricate carvings to water temples and jungle ruins.

Our second day at Angkor began before dawn at Angkor Wat, followed by the giant stone faces of Bayon and the tree-covered ruins of Ta Prohm.

Our final day around Angkor took us to Phnom Kulen, beginning at the rocky Poeng Ta Kho viewpoint before visiting the River of a Thousand Lingas, the reclining Buddha at Preah Ang Thom and the waterfalls.

An early morning flight took us from Siem Reap back into Vietnam, exchanging the temples of Angkor for the energy, traffic and bright lights of Ho Chi Minh City.

Our first full day in Ho Chi Minh City took us through some of the defining locations of Vietnam's modern history before ending with an evening wandering the streets of Saigon.

Leaving the traffic and high-rise buildings of Ho Chi Minh City behind, we spent the day exploring the waterways and villages of the Mekong Delta.

Leaving the bustle of Ho Chi Minh City behind, we flew north to central Vietnam and arrived in Hội An for the next stage of our journey.

Our first full day in Hội An combined the historic streets of the old town with a leisurely cycle through the surrounding countryside, a swim and lunch by the beach, and a beautiful sunset across the rice fields.

With an evening flight back to Ho Chi Minh City, we still had time for one last wander through Hội An before leaving the old town behind and heading for the airport.

After a couple of weeks of travelling, our final day in Vietnam was deliberately slower, combining a relaxed morning by the pool with one last visit into central Ho Chi Minh City.

After an unforgettable journey through Vietnam and Cambodia, it was finally time to head home, with an early flight from Ho Chi Minh City to Doha before continuing on to London.