Possibly it's the French overlay that distinguishes Vietnam from the rest of south-east Asia. The colonial influence extends to coffee and croissants which are widely offered as breakfast staples. Many consider that the Vietnamese people, warmly welcoming and full of curiosity, are what makes a visit here so special and memorable.

Hardly surprising then that Vietnam is featuring ever more frequently as the destination of choice for UK corporate groups, especially for top-end dealer or reseller incentives.

But how do you set about getting the best out of a country which covers such a large area and where internal communications remain a stiff challenge? Backpackers have done it by keeping on the move. In our experience corporates on the other hand prefer to keep it simple with nothing more complicated than, say, an 8 night two centre trip.

TMG Events recommendation would be to combine either Ho Chi Minh City (formerly Saigon) in the south or the capital Hanoi in the north with a few days rest and relaxation at the sumptuous Furama Resort, wonderfully located on magnificent China Beach close to Danang.

Saigon is the bustling centre of economic activity and the largest city in Vietnam. An exhilarating mixture of ancient and ultra-modern, Saigon's amazing street life churns, ferments and bubbles. Motor bikes are everywhere, some seemingly transporting entire families, and succeeding somehow in weaving their way at speed through groups of pedestrians in traditional conical headgear without making contact.

TMG Chairman Ian Dunwoody has been a frequent visitor to Vietnam in recent years and has accompanied several corporate groups to Saigon. Ian's preference is clear, "To my mind the Park Hyatt is the best of both worlds, conceived as a beautiful colonial-style building using many local materials, but thoroughly contemporary with 21st century facilities and technology. As the property is only two years old everything works and provides a very high standard of comfort.

The service is highly professional, superbly efficient yet friendly and all delivered with great charm.

The property has 252 spacious, well-equipped rooms in total. My favourites are on the third floor where many open onto a terrace leading to the magnificent sundeck and large outdoor pool. Loungers, tables and umbrellas are in plentiful supply and the whole area is surrounded by a splendid tropical garden. The third floor also houses the superbly equipped Xuan Spa which offers a full range of therapies.

There are two excellent restaurants and I always enjoy eating at the ground floor Opera Café which offers freshly prepared a la carte dining, whilst Square One is styled as a Vietnamese Seafood and Western Steak fine dining experience. The elegant atmosphere of the Park Lounge on the lobby level is a great place for pre or post dinner drinks with live jazz in the evening. For gala occasions the divisible, pillarless ballroom will easily cope with 300 plus guests at table rounds of ten."

A must whilst in Saigon is a visit to the Cu Chi Tunnels, an incredible underground network of passageways, many now thankfully enlarged to accommodate western visitors. The tunnels were employed to great effect during the last century to outwit a succession of opposing forces.

An orientation tour of the city by vespa provides a great feel for the hustle and bustle of street life, whilst a good out of town option is a trip, partly by boat, to the nearby Mekong Delta for an insight into rural village communities. Many of the old French merchants' houses have now been converted into funky restaurants providing a wide choice for the evening (several will lay on a lively cooking demo) whilst a "Putting on the Ritz" themed dinner at the Presidential Palace (the former war HQ) with transfers by 'cyclo', Vietnam's most traditional form of transport, makes for a memorable gala occasion.

Vietnam's alternative city destination is Hanoi, less frenzied and many would say more authentic with its mix of wide avenues, trees, parks, lakes and the narrow streets of the evocative old quarter.

The place to stay here is again a choice between the colonial-style Hilton Hanoi Opera, in the centre of the city adjacent to the recently restored Opera House, and the Sofitel Metropole, a city landmark since 1901 and considered by many to be the finest hotel in town.

The Old Press Club opposite the Metropole reeks with colonial atmosphere and is a great venue for a first night dinner, whilst the Hall of Mirrors in the Opera House would be hard to beat for a gala occasion. It was from the balcony of this magnificent building that the Committee of Citizens announced that they had taken over the city in August 1945.

An absolute must during a stay in Hanoi is an excursion to Halong Bay, with its 3000 spectacular limestone islets, cliffs, arches and coves. The outcrops rise sheer out of the clear emerald waters of the Gulf of Tonkin. Halong Bay was designated a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1994.

A flotilla of 22-seat helicopters makes the day trip feasible from Hanoi with a flight time of around 40 minutes. On arrival at Halong Bay, guests are welcomed aboard their exclusive traditional Chinese sailing junk to get the best possible views of the breathtaking scenery. A scrumptious seafood lunch is generally served on board or on one of the many deserted beaches.

The Furama Resort at Danang is the perfect place just to chill out for three or four nights after a few days devoted to city exploration. The resort offers everything you would expect of a luxury 5-star property with golf, excellent water sports, a superb spa and a wide choice of dining options. Guests can even try their hand at the national pastime of kite-flying on the beach.

From the Furama, the chance to visit nearby Hoi An should not be overlooked. Once one of the most important trading ports in south-east Asia and now yet another UNESCO World Heritage Site, Hoi An's rich history is superbly preserved in its magnificent collection of around 850 original buildings, structures and entire streets which beg to be explored - best achieved on foot. The collection includes merchants' houses, temples, pagodas, shops and a whole block of colonnaded French buildings. The town is also home to a multitude of tailors' shops who will run you up a decent garment or two at a ridiculously low price.