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The epicentre of the Mekong Delta, Can Tho is the largest city in the region and feels like a metropolis after a few days exploring the backwaters. As the political, economic, cultural and transportation centre of the Mekong Delta, it’s a buzzing town with a lively waterfront lined with sculpted gardens, an appealing blend of narrow backstreets and wide boulevards, and perhaps the greatest concentration of foreigners in the delta. It is also the perfect base for nearby floating markets, the major draw for tourists who come here to boat along the many canals and rivers leading out of town.

Tay Ninh town, the capital of Tay Ninh province, serves as the headquarters of one of Vietnam’s most intriguing indigenous religions, Cao Daism. The Cao Dai Great Temple at the sect’s Holy See is one of Asia's most unusual and astonishing structures. Built between 1933 and 1955, the temple is a rococo extravaganza blending the dissonant architectural motifs of a French church, a Chinese temple and an Islamic mosque.

Around 40km west of Danang lies lush Ba Na. Originally established in 1919 by the French as a hill resort, the 200-odd old villas are now ruined, but the refreshingly cool weather and gorgeous countryside views make it a worthwhile trip from Danang.

Rugged, craggy and jungle-clad Cat Ba, the largest island in Halong Bay, has experienced a tourism surge in recent years. The central hub of Cat Ba Town is now framed by a chain of low-rise concrete hotels along its once-lovely bay, but the rest of the island is largely untouched and as wild as ever. With idyllic Lan Ha Bay just offshore, you'll soon overlook Cat Ba Town's overdevelopment.

This stupendous coastline of ravishing white sands and azure bays is Vietnam's premier destination for beach holidays.

Cat Tien comprises an amazingly biodiverse area of lowland tropical rainforest. The 72,000-hectare park is one of the outstanding natural treasures in Vietnam, a true jungle, and the hiking, mountain biking and birdwatching here are the best in the south of the country. At weekends and public holidays it gets busy with domestic tourists – it's worth calling ahead to book the most popular excursions.

This really is a tale of two cities: Phan Rang hugging the shoulders of Hwy 1 and Thap Cham straddling Hwy 20 as it starts its long climb to Dalat. Anyone travelling Vietnam from north to south will notice a big change in the vegetation when approaching the joint capitals of Ninh Thuan province. The familiar lush green rice paddies are replaced with sandy soil supporting only scrubby plants. Local flora includes poinciana trees and prickly-pear cacti with vicious needles.

Nowhere in Vietnam is changing as fast as Danang. For decades it had a reputation as a quiet provincial town, but big changes are ongoing. Stroll along the Han riverfront and you'll find gleaming new modernist hotels, and apartments and restaurants are emerging. Spectacular bridges now span the river, and in the north of the city, the landmark new D-City is rising from the flatlands. Venture south and the entire Danang Beach strip is booming with hotel and resort developments.

Beyond the urban buzz and excitement of Ho Chi Minh City, the attractions of the surrounding region include fascinating cultural and historical sights such as the Cu Chi tunnels and the Cao Dai Holy See temple at Tay Ninh. Also worth exploring is the Unesco-accredited area around Can Gio, especially the extensive mangrove forests that were an integral part of the Viet Cong resistance effort during the American War.

With 307 species of bird, 133 species of mammal, 122 species of reptile and more than 2000 species of plant, Cuc Phuong National Park is one Vietnam’s most important protected areas.