Asian charm with a Mediterranean mood greets guests at Vietnam’s Villa le Corail resort

With its high staff-to-guest ratio and extremely walkable layout – buggy service is available, though you’ll rarely need it – the resort strikes the perfect balance between intimate and indulgent. Accommodations are shrouded in lush gardens for a sense of privacy, without giving away the sheer size and scale of what lies inside.

As it turns out, Spanish heritage meets Southeast Asian surroundings at every corner of this all-villa sanctuary, just a comfortable 15-minute drive away from the truly authentic streets of Nha Trang, where only the endearing chaos of roadside food stalls and buzzy sounds of motorbikes remind me I’m on the shores of Vietnam.

Dinner at Hispania Nha Trang, an outpost of the acclaimed Spanish restaurant originating from London, exemplifies how natural this cultural pairing is and proves to be a real highlight of my trip.