Join traveler Do Doan Hoang in his quest for "vibrant, flying colors."

If you talk to Do Doan Hoang (born in 1976), you'll sense his boundless passion for wild birds. Hoang says he's spent thousands of days carrying his heavy camera, wandering through ancient forests just to observe all kinds of animals from around the globe.

And amidst that vibrant natural world , what evokes the most special emotions is the beauty of unique and rare bird species. “They may be native birds, or they may migrate across the Earth's crust like the most captivating and elegant travelers. Photographers like me have followed them, migrating across the globe, along with these dazzling flying colors,” Do Doan Hoang shared in a recent article.

Those "vibrant feathers" also don't hesitate to "take over" Do Doan Hoang's personal page with many interesting stories. Sometimes he recounts waking up at 4 am to go to the Red River bank, still shrouded in mist, to photograph Amur falcons visiting Hanoi before flying to Southern Africa to overwinter, pleading with the hunters: "Don't shoot our birds. Rubber bullets are too scary." Other times he boasts about being honored with an invitation to participate in the Bird Festival in Borneo, but still doesn't forget to take advantage of his free time to go bird hunting. Sometimes he simply posts a picture of a bird with its beautiful plumage accompanied by a short, humorous status: "I love you..."

Because of his love for birds, Do Doan Hoang also has many concerns. He confided: "In Vietnam now, entire cities are filled with restaurants specializing in wild birds. Bird meat, bird porridge, pet bird shops, and bird release centers are everywhere. Therefore, the scene of 'wild birds and fish' gathering together, as described in Xuan Dieu's poem, 'The young man goes to school listening to the birds' lecture / He doesn't learn his lesson; that's normal,' is gradually fading away."

And he also expressed his deep concern: "We currently have 10 species of birds on the brink of critical threat, 17 endangered species... if effective conservation efforts are not taken, they will surely become extinct."

Occasionally, when the urge to travel arises, Do Doan Hoang packs his backpack and camera, volunteering to become a wanderer through deep forests, high mountains, and across countries and territories, simply to… listen to the birds singing, feast his eyes on the stunningly beautiful and unusual feathers, and eagerly await each moment when nature generously reveals itself.

He recounted, with a mix of wit and enthusiasm, "We took our cameras into the forest, stalking and photographing birds. Every time a bird suddenly appeared, everyone's heart and emotions would leap with excitement. It was so 'shocking' that many people shook their cameras, making the photos easily blurry. This shows just how difficult it is to find and photograph wild birds in our country. Meanwhile, in some other countries, you can just walk into a park, stand still, and they'll come right up to you."

Those experiences made Do Doan Hoang want to be a traveler for life, someone who travels to observe and recount, to capture the rare moments that nature graciously bestows.

He recounted: "Many times, after taking photos of the colorful birds of Vietnam's forests and other countries, we would say to each other: Mother Nature is truly amazing. Sometimes, viewers would wonder: did those photographers photoshop, adding all sorts of colors to a wild bird to make it more vibrant and stylish? No, it's all the color blending by nature; no technology or skillful hands can replace it."

He not only writes, he also acts. Over the years, Do Doan Hoang has initiated or helped run many networks and forums such as Environmental Journalists, Wildlife Protection Journalists, the Vietnam Wildlife Research and Conservation Association, and implemented meaningful community projects. In these endeavors, he consistently appears as a persistent and passionate source of inspiration.

Therefore, it's no surprise that Do Doan Hoang has been honored by domestic and international organizations as an "Outstanding Journalist in the Field of Nature Conservation." It can be said that, throughout many years of dedication, he has devoted most of his time and passion to the environment, forests, and wildlife. And in fact, these topics are linked to most of the major awards in his career.

People often jokingly say that Do Doan Hoang is "so multi-talented that it's hard to list them all": writing, journalism, teaching, photography, investigating environmental issues, protecting women and children, fighting human trafficking... in every field, he has left his mark and has been invited to be an expert.

In the field of journalism, Do Doan Hoang is one of the rare journalists who has won 8 national-level journalism awards, including 3 A Prizes at the National Journalism Awards and an A Prize at the National Journalism Awards for combating corruption and negative practices. Notably, he has repeatedly won A Prizes and First Prizes in investigative journalism on environmental protection and wildlife (including winning the A Prize for three consecutive years).

Amidst his travels, his vibrant bird photographs, and his incisive investigative writings, the portrait of Do Doan Hoang consistently emerges: a man who constantly strives to establish his reputation at every level of his career, while also being a passionate traveler and explorer , a nature lover with all his sensitivity and responsibility.

For him, every trip and every photograph serves a single purpose: to remind himself and to send a message to everyone that nature is still incredibly wondrous, and that if we don't act, that wondrous beauty may be lost!