I loved the beach when I was little. I remember often going to Vũng Tàu, Phan Thiết, Mũi Né, and Nha Trang with my family. Back then, we had frequent visits from relatives returning to Sài Gòn for vacation, and almost every visit included a trip to one of these coastal cities.
We would take a 16-seater van — we were a big group — with a personal driver, usually staying about three days and two nights. This was roughly when I was four to nine years old. I didn’t learn how to swim until I was ten, but I didn’t care — I always had to wear a life jacket and had an adult shepherding me. I could have spent an entire day at sea if I were allowed. One time, I got sunburned pretty badly, and I wasn’t even bothered. There was something special about the seawater, the sand, and the smell of the ocean. Or maybe it’s just a universal fact that kids love water. I also loved building things with my sandbox toy set.
Another aspect I loved was traveling with adults. I think only now do I realize why: as the only kid in the group, I was often spoiled. My relatives lived overseas and rarely got to see their beloved niece, so each trip meant new toys for me. My mom said it was sometimes hard to get me to sleep during these trips — she thought maybe because I wasn’t used to hotel beds — so the only way to get me to sleep was to ask the driver to drive us around for 10–20 minutes while she held me. Apparently, that was the only lullaby that worked. I don’t exactly remember this, but I was probably just too excited to go to bed — I loved being at a resort and going to the beach every day!
Perhaps because of these memories, I still very much enjoy beach trips, though they look a little different now. It’s less about swimming — I’ve grown to find sand less appealing than I did as a child. What I love now is the drive to these Vietnamese coastal cities, checking into resorts, feeling the familiar hospitality, being surrounded by nature, and eating seafood dinners by the beach. Much of it mirrors what I did with my family, which is probably why it still feels special.
I love city life and can’t imagine living elsewhere right now, but in the last five years, these getaways have become my favorite way to recharge. Since 2020, I think I’ve made at least two trips a year. This spring alone, I’ve been to the beach twice: first to Vũng Tàu for a wedding, which turned into a short getaway with my fiancée, then Mũi Né this past weekend.
(I mentioned that I’d probably make a checklist even when I’m supposed to be on vacation. Well, I didn’t. It felt great.)
Maybe there isn’t a deeper reason why returning to the beach feels good to me, other than simple comfort and familiarity. I didn’t fully understand this until I started thinking back on those early trips, packed with excitement and family affection — experiences that are rarer now because I live far from my family. Maybe it’s as simple as: I go back because it feels grounding. It doesn’t always have to be new. In fact, I think novelty is overrated. Some pleasures don’t need deeper justification. Comfort itself — and savoring what you already know makes you happy — is enough.