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Like so many of us Americans, the war is my point of reference for Vietnam. The country felt like this faraway land where many Americans fought and died.
My dad, Colonel Frank Underwood Sr., fought in the Vietnam War. He's 92 now and still looking good. He was there for a year but was injured a month in and received the Purple Heart.
In his later years, my father has become more introspective and emotional. He chokes up whenever he thinks about Vietnam: What he saw and the relationships he had with fellow soldiers, but also the Vietnamese people and the friends he made there.
I remember hearing from him that it was a very difficult war, fighting on their terrain and in the jungle, an environment very different to what us Americans are used to.
The Vietnam War has always been a conversation in my family, so I was fascinated by the fact that it is now a destination for vacation. It felt like an oxymoron in my head.
My wife Josie and I were celebrating our first anniversary on June 24, 2024. We have nine kids between us; her six and me three.
I would always take my kids on international trips each summer. I think the seed of travel was planted in me from a young age. I was an army brat because my dad was in the military, so we traveled at least every two years.
After my earlier divorce, I wanted to keep a sense of continuity as I transitioned to my new life, so we booked this special family trip to Vietnam.
When I told my dad we were heading to Vietnam, I was surprised by his reaction. I thought he'd say: What are you thinking?
As he listened, he thought about it and said: "I gotta tell you, it's always been a beautiful place—a tropical paradise. It's sometimes hard to see that through the fog of war, which is hell and a lot of death."
I really did not know what to expect from Vietnam. Neither did Josie or the kids. But it was amazing from start to finish.
It's off-season in Vietnam. One of the reasons we didn't go to Europe is because it's so crowded at that time of year. But Vietnam wasn't crowded at all.
As a family, we love adventure. In Quy Nhon, we went out with fishermen in these round basket boats, about six feet in diameter, and they were spinning us around in them in the sea.
But we also spent a lot of time relaxing, bonding, and exploring with tours and boat rides. We walked around Quy Nhon's city and the old town, and went shopping.
A lot of clothes are made in Vietnam and the prices are great. I got some shorts and had two pairs of leather shoes made, which was fun. They take your measurements one day and the next you come back for one more fitting, and then your shoes are ready.
We also did a food tour of Hoi An with a local guide named Mr. Happy who walked us through the old town there and we made about five different stops, all of it street food.
I don't always eat street food in the U.S., but in Vietnam—it was some of the best food I've ever had. I especially loved the beef pho.
We were staying at the Anantara Hoi An hotel and then took an incredible six-hour luxury train trip on The Vietage from Da Nang to Anantara Quy Nhon. The car had several different rooms with tables and chairs, and a bar area, a massage room, and a top-notch restaurant.
I've never eaten caviar in my life. I don't eat seafood. But my daughter was grubbing on caviar and they had made it look so good that I had to try some—and it tasted great. The whole thing was just a five-star experience.
I had a FaceTime call with my dad while we were at the beach in Quy Nhon and he said: "I wish I could be there with you."
One of the resort managers, a Swedish guy called Eric who had lived in Vietnam for 10 years, said there was a community of American veterans of the war like my dad who had come back to live here.
It's fascinating. I'm sure everybody has a different reason why, but one Eric had commonly heard was that it gave a sense of emotional closure to these men for what they had experienced as young soldiers fighting there.
I loved learning the history. Hanoi was our last stop and we stayed at the Sofitel Legend Metropole Hanoi. Hanoi was heavily bombed during the war and they fairly recently rediscovered a forgotten shelter beneath the hotel.
Joan Baez had used that very shelter to stay safe during the bombings. Charlie Chaplin had stayed at the hotel too during his honeymoon.
I really enjoyed meeting the Vietnamese people. I was so taken by their kindness and warmth. And learning history from the Vietnamese people's perspective left me connecting dots in my head.
One night in Quy Nhon, we were going on a fishing trip, which meant a long drive to the beach. Our driver was a guy named Tic who had a wealth of knowledge about the history of his country.
I was asking questions about the Vietnam War and the first thing he said was: "Well, we don't call it the Vietnam War, we call it the American War." I thought that was really interesting and it shifted my perspective.
He also gave us the whole history of French colonization, and wars with China and Japan, and what happened during World War II.
It's a country that's been under attack or colonized for many different reasons over centuries. That was fascinating. We enjoy learning about history and the places we travel to, so that's a big part of our family trips every year.
To those considering Vietnam for a vacation, I say: Go.
It's a beautiful landscape with warm, friendly people. The food is incredible. Its place in world history is unique. The language is very different to what I'm used to so I felt like a fish out of water. We rode around Hanoi in tuk-tuks, which was exciting.
All our unusual and unfamiliar experiences made it fun. It felt mysterious to us. My whole family including the kids was blown away.
Vietnam has got its own flavor and feel. It's a very special place.
Blair Underwood is an actor, director and producer.
All views expressed are the author's own.
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