In recent years, Vietnam has established itself as a popular holiday destination in the Far East. Mark explores the sights and sounds. Vietnam is a destination that combines incredible scenery and a varied history with vibrant cities, great food and exceptionally friendly people. This is a country of contrasts, and none more apparent than that of its two main cities, the elegant and charming capital Hanoi and the vibrant southern powerhouse Saigon. Both are well worth a few days to explore, and Vietnam's geography makes it easy to start your journey in one and finish in the other. Hanoi's French influence is apparent in its elegant buildings and tree-lined avenues – the Old Quarter is a fascinating place to wander through. The pretty Hoan Kiem Lake is a good place from which to get your bearings, with the photogenic Rising Sun Bridge crossing the water. Close by, Ho Chi Minh's mausoleum is most popular with Vietnamese visitors, who come to see Uncle Ho's fin...

Vietnam is one of our favourite destinations, with a great combination of incredible scenery and  a varied history with vibrant cities, great food and exceptionally friendly people - laze on the beach,  explore the cities, head to the hills or combine all of it! Escape Worldwide 's Mark visited most parts of the Country on a whirlwind visit recently, and brings you his take on this incredible destination . . . Vietnam is a country of contrasts, none more apparent than that of its two main cities, the elegant and charming capital Hanoi; and the vibrant southern powerhouse Saigon. Vietnam’s geography makes it easy to start your journey in one and finish in the other, and to my mind both are well worth a few days Meet Uncle Ho! Hanoi's  French influence is apparent in its buildings and avenues, while the Old Quarter dates back 1,000 years and is a fascinating place to wander - I got completely lost ...

Darren spent a morning teaching English to Vietnamese kids when he was in Central Vietnam! “It’s alarming what you’ll agree to after a few beers in a bar. I was on the last day of a Vietnam trip and I was in the seaside town of Nha Trang. I’d seen so much of Vietnam over the past week or so that I was planning a relaxed evening of good food and plenty of beer – not difficult in Vietnam! I’d dined well, with scrummy spring rolls for starters and local seafood for a main course, and was now looking for a few beers to finish off the evening. I’d been recommended a local bar called the Crazy Kim Bar, named after the larger than life owner, Kim. The beer was cold and cheap (as it always tends to be in Vietnam!) but the Crazy Kim Bar was slightly different to the other bars in Nha Trang. During the day, Kim ran classes for local street kids, where visitors could spend a few hours teaching English to them – no experience needed. I signed up on the spot! Early next day and I was back in the ba...