WE would never have thought of going to Vietnam had it not been to meet up with my partner Liz's daughter, Amy, who is on a six-month gap year adventure.

We had seen the epic limestone tower scenery of Ha Long Bay on the BBC's Top Gear programme and had to see it for ourselves.

This meant, after a couple of days in sultry, bustling, Ho Chi Minh City, boarding a sleeper bus for a 48-hour journey to Hanoi.

I wouldn't necessarily recommend this mode of transport, but you do see as much of the country as it's possible to see in one go — endless emerald green rice paddies, distant mountains and fascinating glimpses of everyday life.

We went from Hanoi to Ha Long City where we boarded a junk, our home on the bay for the next two days in a private cabin.

We visited caves which were as big as a cathedral, and stopped at a floating village to choose live crabs which were cooked on board for us that evening.

Our first stop on the way back south was Hoi An, a riverside town full of French colonial architecture which is well aware of its appeal to tourists but which has retained its considerable charm.

It was our favourite place. I had a suit made to measure in one of the many tailors' shops and Liz and Amy bought handmade tops and dresses in beautiful Vietnamese silk, all ridiculously cheap.

Next, Quy Nhon, a coastal town that redefined the term sleepy.

We seemed to be the only westerners there. A walk into the centre was accompanied by a chorus of friendly shouts of "Hello!" and "Where are you from?".

I guarantee that you will smile almost continuously in Vietnam, as we did — especially when we visited the Nguyen Nga centre for children with disabilities.

We expected to buy some handmade crafts but ended up being entertained by the children with music and dance. A very special moment.

Then we made our way inland to Dalat, a mountain city surrounded by attractions including the Elephant Falls, which after a precipitous scramble you can actually stand behind.

The Datanla Falls are stunning and reached by a two-person bobsleigh/rollercoaster device — literally a scream for Liz — an impressive and picturesque cable car ride. The city is also home to the Linh An Tu pagoda with its giant Laughing Buddha.

Finally, we navigated our way through the Mekong Delta to catch the hydrofoil to Phu Quoc Island, which is closer to Cambodia than mainland Vietnam.

We stayed in thatched bungalows at the Nhat Lan resort just seconds from a warm, clear sea.

The unheated showers were actually a relief after a day spent toasting on the beach of this tropical paradise.

If you want all-inclusive luxury then you can get it in Vietnam, but it will cost you.

We got more out of the country, and did it on the cheap, by finding accommodation as we went along and travelling on buses and coaches where possible.

Even on Phu Quoc we never paid more than £14 a night for a double room, and usually much less. A bottle of very drinkable Dalat wine is only £2 in the shops, and an expensive main course, for instance a fish hot pot which will feed two, is no more than £4.

Vietnam, for many people, is synonymous with a horrifically inhumane war. We did visit the war museum in Ho Chi Minh City, but by the end of our trip this terrible history had ceased to be significant, such is the beauty of the country and the determination of its people to move on.

Just about everywhere we went in Vietnam we received nothing but kindness, help and friendly curiosity.

Go there now, before it becomes too developed. You won't regret it.