- Fiona Hardcastle explores Hanoi and Phu Quoc on a family holiday to Vietnam
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The open-topped jeep – with defunct rocket propelled grenade strapped to the bonnet – is waiting for us outside reception.
It towers menacingly over the hotel's fleet of golf buggies but the doormen of the Intercontinental Westlake smile and help us into the vehicle as though it's a limousine.
Fifty years under Communist leadership might bring a nation down, yet the Vietnamese people remain as indomitable as they are resourceful.
Thus, several hours following our landing in its capital, we now find ourselves on a decommissioned Soviet vehicle, prepared for an exploration of Hanoi’s side streets.
Our climate has two varieties," explains our guide, handing out headgear to shield from the intense sunlight. "It’s hot and even hotter.
He possesses two kinds of hats: a Vietcong pith helmet or a conical bamboo one. Whether they're playing fighters or farmers, I inquire with the children as the try-on session starts.
Just because these aspects aren’t mutually exclusive doesn't mean they can't coexist. Given that Vietnam has been warding off foreign invaders for nearly two millennia and integrating both local ingredients with the finest elements of their adversaries' cuisines, this nation surely understands the art of fusion cooking.
Moreover, due to the increased prominence of these dishes on social media, my trio assures me they can distinguish their bun cha (meatballs) from their bot chien (rice cakes) long before we dive into the crowd.
First stop, the Hidden Gem cafe, so well hidden down an alleyway you could miss it altogether.
Decorated almost completely using reclaimed materials — three mismatched floors filled with tables and chairs that previously belonged to parts of motorcycles and machines — this place is vastly different from the sleekness of Gail’s establishment. I am concerned that my daughters might not appreciate the charm due to all the wear and tear.
Rose, 18, looks doubtful as we perch on stools made from old tyres and await our first banh mi. I've heard great things of the national sandwich – a French baguette with Vietnamese fillings of pate, pickled vegetables, pork and chicken – but make the mistake of saying so rather than leaving it to TikTok.
The sandwiches are served and the sceptics silenced. Emboldened, Evie, 16, orders an egg coffee. My husband and I exchange looks of relief. Our furthest venture east is off to a promising start.
Back on manoeuvres, and remnants of war and resistance are everywhere. My husband, dissuaded from making a family movie night of The Deer Hunter prior to the trip, excitedly points out the wreckage of a B52, its battered fuselage jutting from a lake. Felix, 12, lights up.
We navigate through a storm of scooters to get a selfie on the Long Bien Bridge, which has been destroyed and reconstructed multiple times, serving as a emblem of a nation that forgives yet remembers forever. Despite this, Hanoi remains as charming as it is resilient, with an uncontainable vitality that commands attention.
Shortly after reaching the Old Quarter, which consists of 36 alleys each named for their specific goods, the kids are set free with some money in hand within just a few minutes.
I let Rose choose lengths of satin as she describes her ideal prom dress to a tailor in Silk Street, while I explore nearby Silver Street looking for mementos.
Even though there isn’t an actual Shellac Street, Evie comes back with two pairs of gel nails, claiming they set her back only a quarter of what similar ones would cost elsewhere.
Felix never hesitates to take advantage of an opportunity when money is available. He effortlessly convinces his father to hand over some currency and goes back to the Jeep with a vibrant yellow toy goose that reaches up to his waist.
Following a swift search on Google for the Vietnamese term referring to the creature, the recently named Long Nong becomes part of the gathering as we head towards our last destination: Train Street.
After being temporarily closed due to safety issues in 2019, Instagram’s beloved railway has now fully resumed operations. It once again attracts throngs of visitors two times daily as they gather to witness an express train pass through a tight bypass. The locals living alongside the track must relocate their outdoor possessions each time the train approaches because the passage is extremely close-quartered.
Ingeniously, a cluster of cafes - some in people's living rooms - have cropped up providing ice cold beers and seating. We find a prime spot next to an electric fan and cheer as the 3pm to Ho Chi Minh City hurtles past.
Returning to the cool ambiance of the InterContinental Westlake, we are welcomed by the revered staff under a grand 10-meter chandelier. They inform us that shortly, cocktails will be available at the Sunset Bar—a round haven located on a petite island reached via several pathways.
It might not come as a shock that a hotel shaped like an open lotus flower exudes tranquility, yet thanks to its spacious areas and large family accommodations offering panoramic vistas of both the lake and the nation’s most ancient pagoda, one would hardly guess that bustling activity was merely a ten-minute drive away.
Time for a quick splash, I think, before I set eyes on the tree-lined pool with smart double loungers, and realise it will be a struggle to get us out before nightfall. Truth be told, it will be a struggle to leave Hanoi at all, each of us under the spell of this pulsating city whose past pushes headlong into tomorrow.
Our next stop - the island of Phu Quoc off the southernmost tip of the country - couldn't be more different.
Prized for its white sands and tropical jungle, it's recently leapfrogged from the category of sleepy backwater to bucket-list beaches, and development is accordingly on the rise. But there are developments - and then there's the Regent Phu Quoc.
Situated with a view of the Gulf of Thailand and nestled on pristine white beaches, the Regent caters to those who appreciate luxurious surroundings.
Although our massive villa—one out of 63 that surround two lagoons, with an equal amount scattered throughout the resort—has me grabbing for the aromatic relief provided by the Aqua di Parma room diffuser, it merges seamlessly into the garden scenery, almost making it invisible. Such is the essence of discreet luxury.
It's time to step up our style as I pull out my finest garments and oversee everyone preparing for dinner. It’s not easy though, with constant stops to appreciate the decor and furnishings.
The primary bathroom has me daydreaming about remodeling the one at my house, while the well-equipped kitchen, where you could even hire a private chef, is having a comparable effect on my spouse.
However, it’s when you catch the kids speaking positively not only about the always replenished selection of handcrafted chips and chocolates but also admiring the scattered abstract artworks throughout the area that you realize you’re definitely not in Kansas anymore.
The sensation grows stronger as you step outdoors and notice that everyone else is impeccably attired—even elegant dresses next to the swimming pool.
Despite its magnificence, the Regent remains unpretentious. The staff members are welcoming, considerate, and almost clairvoyantly observant. On the very first day, when servers notice that Rose enjoys having two portions ofsticky rice with each meal, they promptly provide an extra serving without her needing to request it from then onwards.
The devil is in the details—and numerous influences are at work here.
The canopy-covered first swimming pool offers a thoughtful gesture for Far Eastern guests who enjoy avoiding sun exposure, whereas the Speakeasy bar, featuring an exquisite jade-green interior accessible via a hidden entrance, serves as a tribute to American acquaintances.
However, it's the Bovi motif—a ladder-like design influenced by the timber trusses used in traditional Vietnamese houses—that winds throughout the resort, capturing our immediate affection.
As we eagerly select our spots while sitting down for dinner at Rice Market, the main eating zone, it becomes challenging to look away and focus on the menu.
Whenever we explore it, we discover such an extensive variety that even my eclectic clan (comprising two vegetarians, one finicky eater, a staunch meat lover, and a seafood enthusiast) could easily enjoy different meals every day for a whole week without repetition.
Even though, as Felix mentions, after tasting the wok-fried Wagyu beef, what reason would one have to opt for something different?
And once you've sampled the captivating contrasts of Vietnam, you may just feel the same.
Rooms at the Regent Phu Quoc start from £311 per night, including breakfast. Rates at InterContinental Hanoi Westlake, an IHG Hotel Starting at £106 for a Classic city view room, available on a bed and breakfast basis. Hanoi Backstreet Tours provide tours of the capital starting at £27. Fiona and her family traveled by air. Cathay Pacific .
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