Ancient Hanoi preserves the best parts of French and Chinese culture and architecture, and weaves it all into the modern world with youthful Vietnamese verve. If that gets too boisterous, two nearby national parks offer clean mountain air, rare plant life and animal-spotting opportunities.

Highlights of this area include the vibrant city of Danang, the former imperial capital of Hue, and the very popular but undeniably stunning historic port town of Hoi An. The best beach scenes are at An Bang near Hoi An and Lang Co near Danang, and for nature fans there is good hiking and birdwatching in Bach Ma National Park.

Vistas. This is Vietnam's big-sky country; a place of rippling mountains, cascading rice terraces and the winnowed-out karst topography for which the region is famed.

Northeast Vietnam includes Halong Bay, one of the region's biggest draws. Reasons to linger after your boat trip include the lesser-known but stunning Bai Tu Long Bay, the intersection of nature and culture that is Ba Be National Park, the otherworldly karst landscapes outside of Cao Bang and the urban options in Haiphong.

Pronounced ‘hway’, this deeply evocative capital of the Nguyen emperors still resonates with the glories of imperial Vietnam, even though many of its finest buildings were destroyed during the American War. Hue owes its charm partly to its location on the Perfume River – picturesque on a clear day, atmospheric even in less flattering weather.