CUA LO KENT

THE MUSINGS OF AN AMERICAN EXPAT

(and his sidekick MAI)

I’ve been living in Viet Nam for over 5-years . And I don’t see myself leaving anytime soon…

Long story short: My Viet Nam sojourn started in Hanoi. I’d left Hollywood, Florida in 2018, seeking adventure and an exotic locale to work on a novel. After three wonderfully fulfilling months in Hanoi, I accepted a teaching position at an English Center in Dien Chau (in the Nghe An Province where Ho Chi Minh was born) …

I soon discovered, a mere 40-klicks away, the wholesome, humble, beachside community of Cua Lo. I began booking overnighters on every day off. I made friends in Cua Lo (it’s a friendly place) and after a while, I was offered a teaching position—I jumped at the opportunity…

I’ve traveled around Viet Nam, not extensively, but I’ve hit quite a few of the “hot-spots” as well as some of the out-of-the-way towns and villages. Nothing compares to Cua Lo…

Cua Lo clicks all the boxes for me—the beach is beautiful, the food sublime and the vibe—chill. Unlike Da Nang, Nha Trang and Dong Hoi (popular beach destinations) Cua Lo isn’t over-developed. There aren’t hulking hotels looming over the coastline, vying to be the next Miami Beach. There aren’t wide busy streets and ultra-modern architecture. Cua Lo is quaint. It’s earthy. It’s real…

It’s a tourist town (at least during the summer months). Vietnamese families flock to Cua Lo, but for all practical purposes, its still flying under-the-radar. You simply don’t find Westerners (or hardly any). Man, they don’t know what they’re missing…

I’ve lived in the aforementioned Hollywood, Florida and in both Santa Cruz and Mendocino (California). Cua Lo reminds me of those towns in a grass-roots way. Cua Lo reminds me of Jaco Beach in Costa Rica, or Viejo San Juan in Puerto Rico. In other words, the indigenous culture overshadows the pretense of a “Tourist” destination.

The food is local, the locals are welcoming. The surroundings are rural—fields, streams, ponds, pagodas. Cua Lo is a perfect getaway—it’s affordable, it’s accessible (Vinh airport is only 14-kilometers away and buses run from all the major hubs). Cua Lo has that down-to-earth vibe that allows travelers to immerse in the Vietnamese culture. Cua Lo is a year-round playground. A getaway for travelers seeking a salt-of-the-earth destination, in the romantic, far-out, Far East…

Writer’s Note: On occasion you’ll find posts from my friend and associate—the charming, Ms. Mai (she’s a native of Cua Lo). Mai will provide insights and offerings that only a “genuine” local can serve up—so stay tuned…