It’s All As Mr. Hill Said It Would Be

Mr. Hill was one of the best teachers I ever had. He had a passion for American history and a knack for captivating 8th graders as he brought the past to life. He was a story teller who just happened to be following the outline of a textbook and state curriculum models.

Although he was always animated, some days you could see the pain draining him or making him edgy. He paced back and forth and sometimes rocked in place on the special high stool he had for himself in the front of the classroom. His back pain was unending.

Occasionally, Mr. Hill would tell us a story about his time in Vietnam and once even explained how he injured his back in a vehicle-related accident. I wish I remembered the exact details, but what remains is the overall impression of just how physically and emotionally scarring the Vietnam War was for him.

He didn't talk about his experiences extensively and he rarely had anything positive to say about them except for one thing that stuck out in my mind – the beaches. Before being thrown from a vehicle and cracking his back, Mr. Hill and his fellow soldiers were allowed their R&R at some of the beaches of Vietnam, including China Beach. He recounted amazing beaches and what a beautiful place Vietnam was away from the killing and the chemical warfare.

In eighth grade, I had never seen beaches other than California and Hawaii. I somehow assumed that Vietnamese beaches were like Malibu. I assumed Mr. Hill – who had clearly been through the wringer in combat – was just really happy to go to a beach. I'm sure that contributed to his feelings.

It wasn't until much later when I went to Thailand for the first time in late 2001, that I got a glimpse of what he meant. The turquoise blue waters of the Gulf of Siam surrounded by coconut palm-lined, white sand beaches were unlike anything I had ever seen. Mixed with warm, balmy air and lightning storms illuminating the sea on any given night, there's a magic quality about Thai waters and those of Southeast Asia in general.

At that time, Vietnam was still a country less-traveled and I had no intention of going there. Instead I saw the Mekong from Laos and the South China Sea from Hong Kong.

Over the almost ten years that has followed, I heard from many people how wonderful Vietnam was and how stunningly gorgeous the beaches are. Knowing that Vietnam was less developed than Thailand and more importantly, had a less developed tourism industry, I suspected that the beaches would be as fantastic as Mr. Hill had described.

When Emily showed interest in some beach time and began talking about taking it here in Vietnam, I was sure she wouldn't be disappointed by them.

Our plane hadn't yet touched down at the Nha Trang Airport before it was clear just how gorgeous this region is. We passed over lush, green hills with ribbons of white sand at their base acting as a line of demarcation with the rich blue-green waters of the South China Sea. Cove after shallow cove was filled with fish farms, fishing nets and little houses on stilts in the middle of the water where fisherman rested. It was clear just how much this region of Vietnam relies on the sea's bounty.

Perhaps this explains the vendors walking along the beach selling freshly steamed lobsters and crab from the steam boxes they carry.

The 30 km road from the airport to Vietnam's most celebrated beach town runs along the coastline. Similar to the Pacific Coast Highway at home, the drive was filled with stunning views as we cruised along between rolling green hills and shimmering water.

As we pulled into Nha Trang, it became immediately apparent why people rave about it. The long, wide white sand beach along the town's giant inlet is a near perfect specimen of recreational bliss. It looks like a much less developed Waikiki.

Although that's not to say it's undeveloped. There's a Sheraton, Novotel and a handful of other major resorts along the beach. In fact, Marriott is constructing their new creation on the lot next to our hotel.

That's because our hotel is across the street from the beach – and the fantastic Louisiane Brewery and Beach Club on whose lounge chairs we spent our afternoon. Waiter service, cabanas and lounging for an afternoon dented our wallet by about $10. It's not only cheaper than Waikiki, it's cheaper than Thailand – and the restaurant is fantastic. It also has WiFi, which means we can work there during the week.

Amazingly, the beaches are not full and to my great joy, the aren't chaotically overbuilt like so many of the Thai islands now are.

Vietnam is just toward the beginning to take what I imagine will become a much stronger place in the tourism and international resort circuit.

Luckily, we got here before Nha Trang has peaked.

You may ask yourself, "Why are they on a beach when just three weeks ago, they were finishing two months in Bali?"

The best answer is "Because we can." As Emily pointed out today, we're the only people we know who can on a whim decide to spend a week at the beach without a hitch. And we have less than two months left to exercise that freedom.

But the better answer is that we didn't go to the beach that much in Bali. We lived further north, amid the rice terraces and in orbit of Ubud – the island's cultural center. So, while our lives were anything but stressed, it wasn't a day at the beach….

Also, we've done three cities in a row – Penang, Singapore and Saigon. Each has been progressively more city-like. So, as long as we're in the neighborhood, we'll take a "time out" at the beach for a week before continuing to Hanoi, Vientiane (Laos is back on the agenda – last minute change), Bangkok and Hong Kong.

This coming week promises to be more beautiful and less eventful than the past few. However, you never know. In the course of our journey, we've learned that most things aren't what they appear to be and sometimes it's the small and out of the way places – like Patmos, Greece – that end up being the most interesting.

For the moment, we're focused on enjoying our big, beautiful hotel room with a sea view, some beachside massages and dips in warm tropical waters.

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