The Motorcycle Diaries: have the ride of your life through Vietnam | London Evening Standard

The Motorcycle Diaries: have the ride of your life through VietnamBecky Poostchi-Pattenden has the ride of her life through Vietnam

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Making tracks: the long and winding road between Hoi An, Bach Ma National Park and Hue

From the colonial grandeur of Hanoi to the tranquil paradise of Halong Bay, Vietnam is a country of extremes.

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To spend my honeymoon travelling through its lush terrain by motorbike was an unconventional choice, but one of the best decisions I’ve ever made.

We knocked back Old Fashioneds at the capital’s Sofitel Metropole hotel — once a favourite haunt of Charlie Chaplin — and visited Freedomland, an eco-resort on the emerald water-fringed island of Phu Quoc.

Tuck in: Make like a local and tuck into traditional dishes such as bánh mi and pho at Hanoi street-food stallsThe azure waters of Vietnam's coastlineBeware the 50,000 motorbikes of Hanoi (and the absence of any road markings) and explore the city by foot instead

Our highlight was the romantic town of Hoi An, its roads lined at dusk with glowing paper lanterns and night markets that wooed us with street-food classics. It was the perfect trip for two newlyweds.

And, with a new non-stop Vietnam Airways service from Heathrow to Hanoi, there is no better time to go.

Getting there:

Fly direct from Heathrow on Vietnam Airlines' new 787-9 Dreamliner, from £525 return (vietnamairlines.com). Hotels: hoi-an.anantara.com; sofitel.com)

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