New inspiration

Minh Hang is a photographer, a job she loves, and it provides a stable income. About six months before the trip, she felt stuck, unable to break through in her career.

"I decided to take a break and seek new inspiration and experiences. At that time, I just finished a project and had enough money for a long trip," Hang recalled.

She chose to travel by motorbike. "I didn’t prepare much. For safety, I avoided riding late at night and tried to reach homestays before dark. I was ready to return if I got tired," she said.

4 months in sunny, windy Vinh Hy

Hang rode a motorbike from Hanoi to Binh Thuan. She stayed for a few days in some places, and longer in others, when she worked as a volunteer at a farm in Da Nang or when she fell sick in Phu Yen.

After a month of travel, Hang reached Ninh Thuan, where she once visited in 2022. In Vinh Hy, a small fishing village was surrounded by mountains and forests. She felt drawn to stay longer, for five to seven days.

"The villagers were so nice," Hang said.

From the homestay, she could see a stream flowing day and night. After the rain, it turned into a white waterfall. In front, the famous dolphin rock of Vinh Hy Bay stood out.

Hang woke up every day to birds chirping in the garden, and fell asleep to the gentle sound of the stream.

She vividly remembers a woman at the village entrance selling delicious fish cake sandwiches, noodle soup, and grilled pork vermicelli. Wandering the village, she often saw kids munching on guavas while playing.

The owner of her lodging suggested: "Why don’t you stay and work for me? I need help."

"I nodded and officially became a nomad," Hang said. Besides working at a campsite in Vinh Hy, she tried leading tours for visitors. With her photography skills, she was quickly booked up.

The life she was living was exactly what she had dreamed of, but it wasn’t just enjoyment. Every day, she had to complete tasks to cover expenses.

She also faced health problems and witnessed the death of a puppy she considered a friend in Vinh Hy. It was her first time raising a dog, and its passing haunted her.

"There were times I wanted to return to Hanoi, when troubles piled up - accidents, financial warnings. But I chose to face them, seeing it as a chance to grow stronger," she said.

When feeling stressed, she swam, strolled by streams or forests, or simply basked in the sun.

When the beach tourism season ended and the weather turned rainy, and income from tourism became unstable, Hang decided to leave.

4 months in peaceful Mang Den

In October, Hang left the sunny coast for the Central Highlands. She chose to stay long-term in Mang Den, a pristine and tranquil place.

"I faced some challenges arriving during the windy season. Some nights, I could hear the wind howling from my room," she recalled.

Life in Mang Den moved slowly. Hang learned to adapt and enjoy it. She cooked, read under pine trees, and on cold days, wrapped herself in a blanket to rest after her long journey.

While she swam in Vinh Hy’s summer to stay fit, she jogged in Mang Den. The straight paths through pristine forests felt as if she was running with nature.

Hang admitted she was broke at times. She took on various jobs: photography, tour guiding, setting up tents, making coffee, and cleaning houses, anything to sustain her nature-close life.

"If you want to live nomadically like me, besides a local short-term job, you should have at least one other passive income source," Hang said.

After eight months of wandering, she rode back to Hanoi to celebrate Tet with her family, crossing the winding, rugged, and majestic Truong Son road, sometimes riding hundreds of kilometers without seeing a house.

After the festive reunion, Minh Hang continued her journey to the Northeast and Northwest provinces.

By May 2025, she returned to her job in Hanoi with fresh inspiration and energy.

"A year of traveling Vietnam and living nomadically taught me to listen to my heart, live in the moment, face pain, let go of what’s unimportant, and discover a strength greater than I imagined," Hang said.

Linh Trang