We “made a reservation” the day before arrival which involved me tracking down Sylvio, the French-Canadian now long-time Vietnam resident and Jungle Beach Hut owner, on his cell phone. He said they had room for us but we’d sort out the type of room (ranging from a bed outside w a mosquito net to a 2 BR thatched hut with a private bathroom) and cost upon arrival and he arranged for a car to pick us up at our Nha Trang hotel as it’s an hour+ drive to a quite remote locale. We were all set. The driver arrived at 9am and we arrived at Doc Let, in the middle of nowhere, by 10am to find Sylvio, shirtless, tanned and hairy, demanding our passports and then giving us a quick 5 minute tour of the place, including its common dining room, shared bathrooms, and all of the available accommodations. We decided on a 2 BR with private bath as it cost us an additional $10 over 2 nights. By 10:30, we were on the isolated 18km beach, featuring the most glorious soft white sand, crystal clear blue water and gentle warm waves, perfect for swimming.

Price included 3 meals a day and 1 afternoon fruit snack so we literally had no decisions to make and nowhere to go. Beer and wine were extra and tracked by tallies next to names on a piece of paper. Beers were 75 cents and the local Dalat wine was $5 a bottle. For the first time ever, I felt as if I was in a movie sans beer-promo-product-placement-dollars bc when you wanted one, you simply ordered “a beer” as they stock only one kind (Bia Saigon). The local food was delicious, the communal atmosphere facilitated meeting interesting like-minded travelers, the nightly after dinner drinks and beach bonfires led to a lot of fun and the remote location made for a very special stay. Can’t imagine any place topping this. This is the place.