It's all so Nam good

Simon Green laps up five-star luxury in a land renowned for backpacker tourists

- Simon Green

Looking out of my car window I see sandy coves drift past below towering cliffs. To my left are endless rolling mountains filled with lush jungle. I'm winding my way around central Vietnam's Hai Van Pass - described by former Top Gear presenter Jeremy Clarkson as one of the world's most beautiful coastal roads.

My destination isn't a cheap no-frills hostel, the kind used by millions of backpackers who descend on Vietnam each year.

Instead, I'm staying in two five-star sister resorts - Angsana Lang Co and Banyan Tree Lang Co - on the outskirts of a small fishing village 55 minutes from Da Nang airport.

I turn off a road on the edge of Lang Co village and drive past endless paddy fields, where water buffalo happily graze.

My first hotel - Angsana - comes into view. Smiling staff greet me with some welcoming cold flannels.

I'm led to my one-bedroom courtyard suite and immediately take a dip in my private pool to wash away the jet lag.

I dry off on the sunbed and wonder what this already-impressive region has in store for me during my stay.

Just a short stroll from my room sits a golden two-mile private beach with no soul in sight. But the thought of walking its length doesn't entice me after my 18-hour journey, so I instead hop on a quad bike that's on offer.

I hurtle across the sand with gentle waves to my left and wild jungle to my right, before taking a turn that transports me straight into a scene from Jurassic Park. Insects and birds chirp all around as I navigate the well-marked path through the wilderness.

By the time I'm back at the resort, my adrenaline's pumping and I'm in need of a pick-me-up.

I slurp down some Vietnamese coffee, which is refreshingly iced and served with sweet condensed milk, and I'm raring to go again...An hour from the Lang Co resort lies Hue, the former capital of Vietnam.

My tour guide takes me to the impressive walled Imperial City, a UNESCO World Heritage Site.