Day 63 Return to the beach
The new homestay in An Bang is fabulous. Large room and the comfiest bed so far!
It’s dreary so Pete does some work. One of us has to.
I put on Better Call Saul as we have Netflix!
We venture to Purple Lantern for dinner but its too cold and we end up at the very western, kid friendly Bikini Bottom.
Burrito bowls all round.
Day 64 Film Day
It’s 22 deg and grey.
So after breakfast we decide to watch Champions on Netflix.
We venture out for lunch and do a walk on the beach.
The sea is spectacular – big waves and stormy skies.
We sit listening to the sea over lunch before heading back to the room.
We are half-decided to stay in but we get nibbly and after an hour, looking at food pics for inspiration, we head to a nearby restaurant, Bamboo House.
After 2 months we crave some European food. Pete has a burger. I have pizza.
We feel bad.
The Bamboo House does an okay job of this, but the service is so smiley and nice that we stay for a couple of beers.
Day 65 Tra Que Vegetable Village
After a lazy, drizzly morning we decide to walk the back road towards Hoi An.
The ‘road’ goes through a rural area along the river. It’s really picturesque.
There are great views, rural activity on little fishing boats.
Lots of barky dogs though that make me very nervous.
And we have to walk back this way!
We discover that the Tra Que Village is a giant community allotment with a few lovely organic cafes dotted around.
It’s really well kept and you get wafts of mint and coriander.
We obviously decide to eat.
We are soooo happy to see Americanos with arabica beans on the menu.
And shashuka… which is so healthy and fresh tasting.
We keep walking after lunch across into the rice fields.
With plenty of cows and water buffalo around. Like this friendly fella.
There’s a lovely little cafe on the edge.
And we stop.
We miss our turning and take a longer route back. Getting lost is our super power.
It’s a nice route.
But in Vietnam there is litter dumped everywhere. It’s like the 70s.
I spot a creepy European doll….
We get a lovely sunset as we walk.
Night time it’s warm enough to go to Purple Lantern and sit outside. Hurrah.
Day 66 Sun peaks through
We have a beach day!
Not overly warm but enough.
We take the homestay advice and get ‘free’ sunbeds at Coconut Tree beach bar.
It’s just at the end if the path that runs from out homestay to the beach.
But Pete has a bad day.
First he cuts his toe on fake grass.
Then he gets an Americano… that is only a big mug of dark, thick Vietnamese coffee. Clue was in the price.
He has grilled chicken for lunch. It’s boiled and in some kind of gloop.
On the way back we pass the restaurant on the corner of our street. Two women reliably tell us – its the best!!
So at night we go there.
Pete orders crispy pork…he lurves crispy pork..
BUT its a lie.. its crispy FRIED pork… he gets thin bits of pork heavily battered. Eugh.
I have thee most delicious scallops..having had a great day!
The ladies may have been ???? drinking when they said it was the best restaurant!
Day 67 Wedding Takeover
As its going to be sunny this afternoon, I go off to get my nails sorted.
The girl that did them in Da Nang was rubbish and 3 have split.
It’s a posh place. I get freebies.
I stop to watch a very loud crazy wedding first, it can be heard everywhere.
We finally get to the beach proper and go to Seascape for sunbeds.
I overheard someone say it was nice and quiet as it’s at the end of An Bang beach.
It is. Bliss.
We’ve totally fallen off the Western food wagon – we are rubbish!
It’s back to Bikini Bottom for Avocado eggs on toast for a very late lunch.
On the way back we get side tracked by a bar.
The English owner tells us its been opened 3 weeks. It WILL be a sports bar. Now its barren.
But its across from the lively Bar Double Cat and the seats are in the sun.
We have a couple of beers and play cards.
Migraine starts. AGAIN.
Not helped that the wedding plays god awful happy hard-core til 10pm.
I mean we go look to watch them dancing.
Its just lots of people, including oldies, SITTING listening to a crazy deafening dj.
Day 68 Repeat of yesterday
Back to the beach.
And I mean no difference, as we give in and go to Bikini Bottom again for lunch/ tea.
It really is so western that we slagged off the tourists in there on our first day.
But omg the food!
I basically has a massive bowl of banana and peanut butter frozen yoghurt – covered in nuts, fruit and chocolate.
Pete has a plate of meat, eggs and taeters.
Need to make the smoothie bowl at home.
Pete embarrasses us by walking smack into a closed glass door.. so we leave to the sound of people saying ‘oof a bad one’.
I get another migraine at night, so we dont go out.
I think skipping dinner made it worse.
Not to mention beer. Although none today.
Day 69 Hidden Beach and Cau Dai Beach
We decide we need a change and walk about an hour along the beach to get to Cau Dai beach.
We pass through a lovely wee sedate village.
And stopped for a coffee at a yoga place overlooking the sea.
Its really calming.
We spotted a friend.
Lots of derelict buildings when we get back beachside, but work going on.
It will be a Marriot.
This is what Vietnam is like EVERYWHERE.
We only intended in going to Hidden Beach – but it looked so much bigger than last year – we walked right through it!
Last year Hidden beach was a single bar and no sunbeds. Now 2 bars, a spa and lots of beds.
The beach at the very end was so quiet by comparison.
Its another stop on the way back. As I’m… hungry as usual.
The great sea front coffee place and a cluster of nice restaurants and Santa Hoi An homestay will be on our list, when we revisit!
We have a beer at The Bamboo House, 3 for 2 before going back to change.
But the quiet evening is disturbed by loud music and kids singing.
It’s a school festival.
They are so cute and many are in military outfits.
I love it. Pete vaguely amused.
At the wanna-be sports bar the other night, Chris the owner told us about a good restaurant – Mr Hoa’s.
He wasn’t wrong.
Best food of entire trip.
