On our Vietnam holidays the wonderful coastal edge train journey from Hué to Danang should not be missed, nor should nearby Hoi An, an enchanting 17th-century mercantile town, and a nearby beach right on the Eastern (South China) Sea. Between here and Ho Chi Minh City the seaside town of Nha Trang is the main attraction but the smaller resort of Mui Ne is a more tranquil alternative.
Energetic and exciting Ho Chi Minh City, although a city of seven million, is really a small town: not many will stray far from the historical core which, containing as it does all anyone could possibly need in the way of hedonistic pleasures (and with scarcely any intellectual or cultural distractions), is the most popular destination in the country.
The Mekong Delta has plenty of attractions, but to see it at its best it is necessary to get into the depths of the country beyond the main towns. The Central Highlands are slightly off the beaten track. The former hill station of Dalat is a cross between a French and a Home Counties town with old French villas, a central lake and a golf course. Further north, the real highlights of our Vietnam tours are once again are the ethnic minority villages around Buon Ma Thuot, Pleiku and Kontum.