I had a 5-hour layover at the No. 2 airport in the world, and it was an absolute joy

On a recent vacation in Vietnam, I was dreading the flight back to New York - mainly because I wanted to spend more time hiking in the mountain villages and sipping killer iced coffee, but also because I had a five-hour layover on my 22-hour return trip.

Lucky for me, I had a fantastic economy class experience on Korean Air, and my early morning layover was scheduled for Incheon International Airport in South Korea.

Located 30 miles west of the country's capital city of Seoul, Incheon ranks second on Business Insider's 2015 list of the best airports in the world. However, I'd done zero research ahead of my arrival in South Korea, so I was unaware of Incheon International's stellar ranking.

Determined to stretch my legs before the 13-hour flight to New York, I spent my layover walking around and checking out all the airport had to offer for weary travelers like myself.