We hired a 16 passenger van from Saigon to transport us over jarring roads during an eleven hour grueling journey to get to Nha Trang. Spending one full day and two nights does not justify 22 hours on Vietnamese roadways.

The city is surrounded by beauty; bordered by mountains, with the beach tracing an impressive long swoop along a bay dotted with islands. The only blight on the horizon is the ugly Hollywood-style sign for the Vinpearl resort where the Miss Universe contest was recently held.

Although I understand that Nha Trang offers anything from island-hopping boat trips and scuba diving, to mud baths and historic sites - what attracted us was lounging around on deckchairs at the Louisiane Brewhouse, a café on the ocean beach where we could get a nice home brewed pilsner beer, eat good food and lounge comfortably on the ocean beach. Some of us spent most of our time at this pub where we could meet others who have come here from all over the world.

I met a couple, he from England and she from Poland, who were spending some time traveling Asian nations just after college graduation but before spending a lifetime in the working world. Another couple, a mother and adult daughter were there as well. Gilly’s husband had accepted a two-year teaching position in Hanoi. The daughter Emma came from Australia (their homeland) to visit.

The beach can be disappointing when the weather is gray and the waves choppy. For about ten minutes it rained. It rained. Perhaps three hours of rain compressed itself into ten minutes. And then – it stopped. The sun peeked from time to time and all was well

Nha Trang offered Ramona and I a little bit of extra luxury. We opted to rent a hotel room on an upper floor overlooking the ocean from our private balcony. We had a king size bed, a Jacuzzi bath, a table with four comfortable chairs. All this cost us a whopping $40. (four times what our neighborhood hotel room costs)

Wanting to take a break from the typical and wonderful Vietnamese food we had been experiencing we chose to try a highly recommended little French Bistro.  After all – the country was once a French protectorate. We found the Le Petit Bistro offered good, affordable and fast, French Cuisine & wine.

All was wonderful but – next time – I’d opt for a sleeper bus. Overnight travel on a chair that folds to a bed would illiminate two nights of hotel rental and provide an additional full day at the beach. After another full day of riding in a van erect – I was happy to see my bed at our family hotel in Saigon.

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