Twenty and a quarter hours flying time. Ten and a half hours sitting around in three different airports. Four hours in two different shuttles on each end of the trip. Leaving Steamboat Springs, and it’s 19 degree weather, to arrive in Hoi An, Vietnam nearly two days later – so worth it!

We decided to start our journey in Hoi An because it was the highlight of our Vietnam leg of an Asian trip we took ten years ago. Also, because Heather was sick most of the three days we spent here then, and she wanted to enjoy the sights and flavors in a better frame of mind. This is a small city known for it’s culinary delights – cao lau, a dish of noodles, pork and greens found only here; com ga, featuring rice and shredded chicken with mint, onion and chilies; and white rose, a translucent dumpling filled with shrimp, the dough made from the water of one specific well in town, the recipe a closely-guarded secret from one family. The Unesco World Heritage listed town sits along the Thu Bon River, and is just four kilometers from An Bang beach on the South China Sea. Those of you who know us know that the combination of good food and a good beach make for the perfect destination.

Ten years ago Hoi An was a sleepy little destination. But travelers and tourists have found this spot and the hordes of Korean and Chinese tour groups can inundate the ancient town’s charming pedestian-only streets and bridges. But by evening, the majority of the tour groups return to larger Danang, thirty kilometers to the north. Still, sitting in one of the riverside cafes, sipping a Tiger beer while watching the masses of selfie-taking tourists can provide hours of entertainment.

Our first day was fairly uneventful. A couple hours of shut-eye after arrival gave us the energy to walk into the ancient town, explore the narrow streets, gaze at shops selling colorful lanterns and artwork and find that perfect riverside cafe for dinner and drinks. Returning to our guesthouse, our heads hit the pillow at 8pm.

After a fantastic breakfast of eggs, toast and fresh fruits, we borrowed bicycles from the guesthouse and rode out to An Bang beach for the day. While the highway to the beach had it’s fair share of traffic (mainly motorbikes, some trucks and a handful of tourists  also biking to the beach) the views out across the rice fields were nice. White egrets patrolled the flooded paddies in search of a meal and we even passed a farmer napping on the back of his water buffalo. After parking our bikes, we dropped onto the beach and picked one of the restaurants that had lounge chairs and umbrellas set up in front. The general rule: buy drinks or food and the loungers are free. A deal, considering our meal of chicken and rice, a couple beers and a fresh fruit juice cost less then 8USD. After spending the afternoon watching folks get wiped out by the rough shore break, we decided it was time to head back to town and enjoy a little pool time before walking back into the

town center for happy hour. We settled into the same cafe as the evening before to enjoy the show unfold before us. After a couple drinks we returned to our guesthouse, determined to push the envelope and stay awake a little later but found our eyelids closing at 8 again. Apparently it’ll take more than two days to get over the twelve hour time change.