Where I am: Cam Ranh – Mui Ne
What I’m doing: Road trip
Climate: Lovely and warm
What I’m wearing: AM – Another slinky sleeveless dress and flip flops | PM – another lovely dress and heels

Okay, Cam Rahn. It’s time to say goodbye. On the mini bus and off to Mui Ne we go. This is a great time for reflection as we have a 4 hour drive. Also along the way, besides reflection, is a stop at the ‘services’. Now, this is my first time seeing an Asian toilet – all I’ll say is that they really should come with instructions 😂.

Arriving in Mui Ne, it feels like a completely different vibe to Cam Ranh. We pass all the shops and bars along ‘the strip’, then pull up at The Anam Mui Ne. My gosh, is this place nice. The lobby area opens up to the pool and sea in the distance, with a live pianist (I still think about that today as I drift off to my Rainy Day Distant Jazz Bar soundscape in bed!)

We check in to our rooms – a Grand Premium Room, to be specific, with a bottle of champagne just for me! 😍. These rooms are exquisite. Again, there’s another beautiful Anam bathroom (I shall defo be dipping in that bath) and the rooms are so luxurious… just look at the ceilings.

We have a quick change and meet at The Indochine for dinner. Again, we are spoilt rotten. I go for a smoked salmon salad, braised Wagyu beef ribs and mango chocolate with mango ice. Just the one cocktail, then bed… ooooh, that bed!

Oh, final word of the day – if mozzies tend to like the taste of you, boy were they were out in force tonight. Get your spray on!

Where I am: Mui Ne
What I’m doing: Day tripping, swimming, partying
Climate: Hot stuff – my sunglasses are sliding down my nose
What I’m wearing: AM – Summer dress and flip flops | PM – nice dress and heels

Bit of sightseeing this morning, so we’re off down to Mui Ne Fishing Beach to see the fishermen sorting their hauls. They have really unusual shaped boats – they’re circular! Apparently it’s a cheaper alternative.

Mui Ne has some beautiful red sand dunes, so we obviously have to have a go at sandboarding down them – weeeeeeeee! But not literally (luckily.) After that, we have the option to check out a really cool temple, but it’s that hot we decide to just go to the hotel pool instead. And the selfies I got!!! Bloomin ‘eck, that pool vista is epic!

Lunch is served at Lang Viet Restaurant & Bar. Picture this: the patio doors fully opened, I’m looking out onto the gorgeous blue waters of the East China Sea, and I’m mesmerised by the kite surfers whizzing past.

Four beautiful courses of food and one or two watermelon vodkas later, I’m tempted by the water sports on offer. Now, as you know from kayaking in Ha Long Bay, I’m not really a water sports girl. But… I just fancied a go on those foil surfboards, have you seen them? Where you look like you’re flying half a metre off the sea? Really cool.

So I put my name down for that and relax by the salt water pool (perfect temperature.) Oh, and about that – I thought that salt water pools would be, you know, salty… but you know what, it wasn’t?

It was just perfect.

Next thing you know, some HOT Frenchman is at my sunbed staring into my eyes (well, that’s how I remember it). I think he must be lost.

Turns out, he’s the water sports guy. He tells me I’m interested in the kite surfing. I am not interested in the kite surfing. It looks well technical. Dead hard. Dangerous, even. I tell him I have no experience with water sports. He says he’ll teach me. I go along with this as he is HOT! YOLO! LOL. WTAF?!

To cut a long story short, I pop that champagne in my room after 4 hours with Jean Pierre. I’ve flown an 8 metre kite… crashed it… and ridden the waves. Exhilarating and completely out of my comfort zone. I LOVED EVERY MINUTE OF IT. How brave was I?!

I try to pull myself together for the evening meal at The Indochine. I totally pull it off… not! I’m still absolutely buzzing from the afternoon adventure. We dine on more gorgeous food – think pulled duck confit salad, celery soup, stuffed chicken breast and dragon fruit cheesecake – plus gorgeous wine. I’d say the perfect end to the perfect day, but the night is young…

We grab a cab and head down the strip to Pirate Bar. Ooooh, a live singer doing requests? I’m in! We ooh and ahhh – I do love a good sing-along. So, then it comes to my request… G’n’R November Rain. I see the singer setting up a second microphone,. I think nothing of this. Then she looks me in the eye, waggles her finger, and entices me to the stage. And I thought she would never ask! So, we did a duet and I absolutely killed it… literally 🤣.

Later (much later), back in my room, that bathtub was calling my name. Bath salts. Music. Me time. BLISSS!

Where I am: Mui Ne – Ho Chi Minh
What I’m doing: Sightseeing, rooftop drinks, flying
Climate: So nice and warm
What I’m wearing: AM – Little dress and flip flops | PM – hoodie, leggings & trainers

Wakey wakey – it’s the final day in Vietnam. Sad times. But, the coffee adventure continues! Today I try a Coconut Coffee – check this baby out: coffee, coconut milk and a coconut ice lolly. I’m living my best life right here!

After our goodbyes, we are back on the road heading to Ho Chi Minh City – or Saigon, as it was previously known. Interesting fact: if you’re travelling for business you’ll say Ho Chi Minh, whereas if you’re going for a leisure trip you’ll say you’re going to Saigon… it just sounds more romantic and charming.

Couple of hours on the bus and Ho Chi Minh City is upon us – it looks a bit more cosmopolitan than Hanoi, and I can’t wait to get looking. We check in to Sofitel Siagon and they treat us to a beautiful French meal – a smoked duck salad and braised chicken in a gorgeous carrot and apple sauce followed by a Vietnamese coffee (obvs). We have a tour of the hotel (which happens to have the best secret speakeasy in Saigon.)

The whistle stop tour of Ho Chi Minh starts with the must-see Central Post Office, followed by a stop at the best bahn mi shop in town (a bahn mi is a meat-filled baguette with pate and pickled salad). OMG, the bread alone was 10/10.

Ben Thanh Market is next on the list. Now, this market is crazy – the hustle is real here! You want clothes, bags, food, knicknacks… this is the place. I’m not going to lie, I was a bit bamboozled with so much choice and buying stuff in tens of thousands of dong stressed me out.

I have my eye on a gorgeous handbag, but get a bit overwhelmed as we only have half an hour to wander. I do get a beautiful leather purse, though. I’d defo recommend going, but maybe take more time, look properly, get prices, then go back once you’ve figured out whether you’re getting a good deal or not. The choice is UNREAL!

One thing we have to try next is crossing the road.

Sounds simple, right?

Not in Vietnam!

So, how exactly do you cross a road in Saigon? Just put one foot in front of the other and walk… no need to wait for the green man. Just walk! The mopeds will weave around you, just walk confidently and don’t stop! The only caveat to this is – don’t walk in front of a bus! Those ones you do have to go around.

To finish off our amazing week with a bang, we head to the rooftop bar at the Hotel Des Arts Saigon. This place blows my socks off – it’s probably the best rooftop bar I have EVER been to. The cocktails, the views, the heat, and – of course – the company make it the perfect tạm biệt – or goodbye.

Quick shower and freshen up, then we’re headed back to the airport for the 14 hour flight (erm, excuse me? 14?! 😭) But it turns out to be a life saver… I slept a whopping 8 hours! More than I had each night on the trip!

So, that’s it.

Trip of a lifetime, done.

I hope you enjoyed reading my saga and had a chuckle along the way. I really can’t recommend Vietnam enough, and maybe I’ve persuaded you to give a holiday in Vietnam, often left in the shadow of its neighbour Thailand, a go.

Vietnam sound very nice? Get it booked with our cheap Vietnam flights today.