Good morning Vietnam

The number of tourists flocking to traditional Asian destinations such as Thailand, Malaysia and Singapore has sky-rocketed over the past decade, nowhere more so than from the Middle East.

After all, Asia offers great weather, good quality accommodation and importantly, value for money, while cities such as Kuala Lumpur and Bangkok cater well to the Muslim market.

However, these destinations have, arguably, become victims of their own success.

Thailand and Malaysia thrive on tourism and are therefore packed with hotels, resorts and, well, tourists!

It's becoming increasingly more difficult to find your patch of paradise as every hotel name worth their salt has staked their claim on a piece of land, particularly in Thailand, in a bid to capitalise on the popularity of the destination.

I recently stayed on a private island off Phuket and while the location did provide solitude and seclusion, it somewhat saddened me when I looked across the bay at another uninhabited island and spotted some cranes clearing the way to build yet another resort - this time by Dubai's very own Jumeirah Group.

Don't get me wrong, Thailand is, as the tourism board's promotional strapline asserts, 'amazing', and there are still many off-the-beaten-track locations to discover there, but for those buying and selling travel in the Middle East, there are many more Asian gems to be unearthed.

One of them is Vietnam - a place often described by those who have visited as 'Thailand 20 years ago' in that the tourism boom has yet to take the place by storm.

That's not to say there are no tourists there. To the contrary, the country is very popular - with Asians, Australians, Americans and Europeans in particular.

But there are no swarms of travellers or big crowds and tourist attractions are busy, but not jam-packed.

Not only that, but there are many untouched and unspoilt locations where you will find you are the only tourist there.

I started in Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon), a city boasting a rich history and culture, thanks, or no thanks, to Vietnam's former struggles with France and the US.

Attractions range from the War Remnants Museum and the Reunification Palace to markets with fake designer goods galore and upmarket shopping areas selling the real thing.

Accommodation is good quality and caters to all budgets with the upscale Park Hyatt Saigon topping the bill.

During my short trip to Vietnam I ventured to Dalat and to Ninh Van Bay near Nha Trang.

The former can only be described as as the French Alps with an Asian twist - think green lush countryside and French colonial architecture where outdoor pursuits are the order of the day, while Nha Trang is a one of Vietnam's top beach destinations and Ninh Van Bay, home to Evason Hideaway & Six Senses Spa at Ana Mandara, was paradise on earth - a resort truly secluded from the outside world in a stunning location.

Of course, there is plenty more of Vietnam to discover, but what my taster trip confirmed was that Vietnam has something for everyone and what's more, you'll probably get more value for money there than in Thailand or Malaysia.

The country, a communist state on the brink of giving in to capitalist ideals due to the flood of overseas investment, particularly in real estate, coming its way, is surprisingly civilised and the people are overwhelmingly friendly.

But beware, several hotel companies have seen the potential and, over the next five years, properties and resorts will be springing up all over the country.

This is great news for Vietnam, which has the potential to thrive on tourism like its neighbours, but for travellers who want to discover one of Asia's best kept secrets before the commercial wheels really get in motion, I suggest visiting now while country retains its innocent charm.

Gemma Greenwood is the senior group editor of ITP Business' travel and hospitality magazines.

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