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Notable for its extensive mangrove forest, Can Gio is a low, palm-fringed island sitting at the mouth of the Saigon River, some 25km southeast of Ho Chi Minh City. It was formed from silt washing downstream from the river, so don’t expect any white-sand beaches. A few hopeful resorts have sprung up along the murky 10km shoreline.

Northwest Vietnam, with its rocky, cone-like mountains, high vistas and deep valleys, encompasses some of the most extreme geography in the country – if not all of Southeast Asia. Travelling to the more remote parts of the region takes time and effort, but those short on either can stick around Sapa, the surrounding hills of which are a microcosm of the region as a whole.

Meo Vac is a small but charming district capital hemmed in by steep karst mountains and, like many towns in the northwest, it is steadily being settled by Vietnamese from elsewhere. The journey here along the spectacular Mai Pi Leng Pass, which winds for 22km from Dong Van, is the main attraction. The road has been cut into the side of a cliff with a view of rippling hills tumbling down to the distant waters of the Nho Que River far below. Right at the top of the pass is a lookout point where you can stop to take in the scenery.

Graceful, historic Hoi An is Vietnam’s most atmospheric and delightful town. Once a major port, it boasts the grand architecture and beguiling riverside setting that befits its heritage, and the 21st-century curses of traffic and pollution are almost entirely absent.

Towering limestone pillars and tiny islets topped by forest rise from the emerald waters of the Gulf of Tonkin. Designated a World Heritage Site in 1994, Halong Bay's scatter of islands, dotted with wind- and wave-eroded grottoes, is a vision of ethereal beauty and, unsurprisingly, northern Vietnam's number one-tourism hub.

Often referred to as the Ba Be Lakes, Ba Be National Park was established as a national park in 1992. The scenery here swoops from limestone mountains peaking at 1554m down into plunging valleys wrapped in dense evergreen forests, speckled with waterfalls and caves, with the lakes themselves dominating the very heart of the park.

Just 3km north of Hoi An, An Bang is one of Vietnam’s most happening and enjoyable beaches. At present there's a wonderful stretch of fine sand and an enormous horizon (with less of the serious erosion evident at Cua Dai), and with only the distant Cham Islands interrupting the seaside symmetry. Staying at the beach and visiting Hoi An on day trips is a good strategy for a relaxing visit to the area.

Lang Co is an attractive island-like stretch of palm-shaded white sand, with a turquoise lagoon on one side and 10km of beachfront on the other. As a beach resort it's more geared to Vietnamese day trippers than Western travellers, but if the weather's nice the ocean is certainly inviting (if you stay away from the central section, which could be cleaner). High season is April to July. From late August to November rains are frequent, and from December to March it can get chilly.

Quang Ngai city is something of an overgrown village, so most visitors only drop by for a spot of grazing at lunchtime. The few travelers who venture here for longer usually do so to pay their respects to the victims of the most famous atrocity of the American War at nearby Son My.

A large, prosperous coastal city, Quy Nhon (pronounced ‘hwee ngon’) boasts a terrific beach-blessed shoreline and grand boulevards. Its seaside appeal and tidy, litter-free streets make it the kind of place that affluent Vietnamese couples choose to retire to, spending their final days ocean-gazing and promenade-walking.