Northern Vietnam is where you will find Hanoi, the capital and second largest city – a fascinating blend of East and West where Sino-Vietnamese culture mixes with French design and flair.

Hanoi city is growing fast with skyscraper and shopping malls sitting alongside the older districts such as the shady Old Quarter with it’s French architecture and embassies and museums.

The landscapes in the north are iconic with the famous karsts of Ha Long Bay, rice terraces and a chance to visit the highlands which are still home to indigenous tribes, such as in Ba Be National Park and Cao Bang Province.

Ha Giang province is popular for outdoor activities – trekking and camping – and famous for its high karst plateau, steep hills, mountain passes, rice terraces, winding roads and ethnic diversity. The local minority groups are distinctive for their colourful clothing. It can be very cold in winter (Dec – February) with occasional snow.

Local colourful markets are interesting to visit and photographers in particular love this area for the local traditions as well as the scenery.

The Hong River (Red River) Delta is smaller but more intensely developed than the Mekong Delta in the south. Flood control with dikes and canals has been used for centuries here to make sure that double-cropping of rice on the rich alluvial soil is possible.

CENTRAL COAST OF VIETNAM

The ancient city of Hue is home to the Vietnamese kings and Hoi An is a charming town on the coast. From here the Cham Kingdom controlled the spice trade with Indonesia from 7th to 10th century, later becoming a major international port in the 16th and 17th centuries.

The Cham people were Hindu although the influence of Arab traders led to some converting to Islam. Hoi An was their commercial capital, My Son the spiritual capital and Tra Kieu the political.

You will also find Chinese influence here, from traders and then from those fleeing Ming Dynasty armies. Vietnamese influence is less here as it only came after the Cham lost power.

Hoi An’s old town is charming and atmospheric – full of narrow lanes and Chinese style architecture which has been preserved, although the shops and restaurants are now mainly tourism orientated. The old town area is particularly famous for clothes and shoes.

Offshore from Hoi An you’ll find the Cham Islands, where a marine park has been created and a natural forest covers 25% of the islands, with a large wild monkey populations.

Day tours to the islands are popular from Hoi An on snorkelling, sailing or dive boats and home stays are also possible in private homes.

Hue is the former Vientamese Imperial capital, and went through tough times during the Vietnam War leading to most of it being destroyed by the American forces.

Today the Perfume River divides the old city and Citadel on the north from the newer city on the south. The riverside is pleasant with a walkway and park.

CENTRAL HIGHLANDS OF VIETNAM

Da Nang is a port city with beautiful golden beaches, and often overlooked by tourists.

Lush, green jungle covers the hills of the central highlands of Vietnam. The area is home to indigenous tribes and wildlife, including elephant.

Dalat is the largest city and was formerly the playground of the French, since the hill station had clear mountain air. An escape from the heat and humidity of the coast. The mountain scenery of pine – covered hills, peaks and mountain lakes makes this a very different part of Vietnam and the temperature is much cooler. The relaxed pace of life and spacious streets makes this a very pleasant stop compared to the heat and frenetic pace of Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon).

Kontum is a relaxed little town which makes a good base to explore the surrounding minority villages, each of which has a Rong -a large communal house for special events.

SOUTHERN VIETNAM

The lush tropical south is the economic powerhouse of Vietnam and includes Ho Chi Minh City (formerly Saigon) as well as the less visited lush green Mekong Delta – rice basket of Vietnam.

Ho Chi Minh City was renamed following the fall of Saigon in 1975, but many locals and foreigners still use the old name.

The city was originally a Khmer (Cambodian) fishing village in swampland, but later floods of Vietnamese immigrants arrived over the centuries until the city was annexed by Vietnam in 1698. A great gain to Vietnam, the city boomed until it was invaded by French and Spanish forces in 1859. As part of French Indochina, Saigon was filled with western style architecture and villas. This was the beginning of a stormy history with waves of invaders – Vichy France under the Nazis, the Japanese, French again, the US forces during the Vietnam War and finally the Viet Minh communist North.

Today the city is a vibrant cultural hub. For those interested in the turbulent Vietnamese War period there are interesting sights including the War Remnants Museum, Reunification (or Independence) Palace and Cu Chi Tunnels.

French colonial architecture is of interest, including the magnificent Notre Dame Cathedral and Saigon Opera House, and there are some beautiful traditional pagodas too.

For a great view of the city at night then take a trip up to the top of the Saigon Skydeck for a 360 degree panoramic view.

A market and cookery tour is well worth it – shop the local markets and then learn how to make some of the world’s most iconic dishes.

Day trips or homestay cycle tours can also be taken into the Mekong Delta for something more off the beaten path.

The Mekong is one of the 12 great rivers of the world, rising in the Tibetan Plateau and forms the border of many countries. After 4,220 kilometers it eventually drains into the South China Sea through the ‘Nine Dragons’ – nine river mouths.

WHEN TO VISIT VIETNAM

Vietnam is a long thin country (1,030 miles/1,650 km north to south) with three distinct climate zones and strong regional variations:

North – cool in the Winter Jan – Feb with (on occasion) snow in the highlands. Pleasant spring (Mar – Apr) and autumn (Oct – Dec).

Central – summers hot and dry but NE Monsoon from Sep – Feb brings strong winds and rough seas.

South – March – Jun is hot and dry, Jul – Nov – rainy and humid, and Dec – Feb is cool and dry and pleasant to visit.