Luxury Vietnam Voyages

Once one of Southeast Asia's most notorious prison colonies, the French and later South Vietnamese governments held political prisoners here in conditions the preserved cells and infamous tiger cages still convey with real weight. That grim history sits in stark contrast to the archipelago's present, some of Vietnam's cleanest water and best-protected reef, and beaches where hawksbill and green turtles still nest undisturbed. Seabird colonies crowd the outer islands. A profound history alongside a genuine natural sanctuary.

Come ashore at Da Nang for two of Vietnam's great treasures. By day, explore the cave-temples of the Marble Mountains and the jungle-clad Cham ruins of My Son; by dusk, wander Hoi An's lantern-lit lanes, where silk tailors stitch to measure and street kitchens perfume the day air. Order a bespoke suit at breakfast and collect it before you sail. China Beach's golden sands await in between.

Few ships can linger where SeaDream III can, anchored among Ha Long Bay's thousands of emerald limestone pinnacles, far from the day-tripper flotillas. Kayak into hidden grottoes and floating fishing hamlets, then watch mist curl around the karsts at first light with a coffee in hand. Overnight at anchor and this UNESCO seascape belongs, for a few golden hours, almost entirely to you.

Saigon assaults the senses in the best possible way, a million motorbikes, French-colonial grandeur and rooftop bars above the fray. Trace the country's history at the Cu Chi tunnels and the War Remnants Museum, then barter through Ben Thanh Market for silk and spice. Cross into the Mekong Delta by sampan for floating markets and fruit orchards. Return to SeaDream's calm at day, the day's intensity happily left ashore.

Vietnam's premier beach resort city pairs a long, café-lined seafront with Cham Ponagar, a cluster of red-brick towers built by the Champa civilization over a thousand years ago and still an active place of worship. Mud baths and mineral hot springs at nearby Thap Ba have turned the city into a genuine wellness destination in its own right, while a round of golf takes advantage of the coast's reliable sunshine. A polished, well-organized introduction to Vietnam's central coast.

Vietnam's largest island has grown quickly into a genuine beach destination, its long white-sand coastline and clear water a world away from the country's bustling mainland cities. Phu Quoc's fish sauce, fermented in wooden barrels using methods unchanged for generations, is considered the finest in Vietnam and makes for a genuinely interesting distillery-style visit. Night markets sell the day's seafood catch grilled to order along the harbor front. Vietnam's tropical island escape, still finding its final shape.