Buying a 1.5 billion VND "mobile home" to travel to your heart 's content.
Ms. Doan Thanh Giang (30 years old) and her husband, Mr. Nguyen Minh Tam (36 years old), live in Ho Chi Minh City, have three children, and share a dream of traveling and exploring the world .
Every year, her family organizes trips with the children's paternal and maternal grandparents as a way to strengthen family bonds.
Initially, Giang's family used various modes of transportation for their trip, mostly public transport. It wasn't until the birth of their third child that Giang and Tâm had the idea of traveling in a "mobile home" so they could travel longer and explore more.
Ms. Giang and her husband next to their "mobile home" (Photo: Facebook of the person).
Without hesitation, Ms. Giang and her husband decided to spend approximately 1.5 billion VND to buy a pickup truck and a set of "mobile home" equipment imported from Germany. This equipment resembles a cargo box placed on the pickup truck, which can be unfolded into a tent, creating a spacious two-story sleeping area.
"The top bunk has a 1.6m x 2m mattress, and the bottom bunk has a 0.8m x 2m mattress. My family can sleep comfortably," Ms. Giang said.
The interior of the "mobile home" is spacious, airy, and equipped with air conditioning (Photo: Provided by the subject).
She also mentioned that the tent on the vehicle is equipped with multi-layered waterproof fabric, capable of withstanding heavy rain, providing good insulation, and has four windows for ventilation, allowing her family to enjoy the scenery during the journey.
The truck bed features a retractable awning that opens and closes with a control panel to provide protection from sun and rain. The body of the truck bed can also be extended to the sides to create more cooking space. The truck bed also includes a water tank and a backup power system to operate household appliances such as air conditioning, lights, fans, and refrigerators.
"When charged for 20 hours, the electricity in the vehicle can last for 4 days for daily activities. The roof of the truck bed also has solar panels. When needed, the tarpaulin on the truck can be used to create a makeshift bathroom with a shower," Ms. Giang said.
The "mobile home" on the vehicle is fully equipped with electricity and running water and can be converted into a bathroom when needed (Photo: Provided by the subject).
Once their "mobile home" was complete, Giang's family took a "test" trip to get used to life in the vehicle.
During their trip, the family of five explored five provinces in the Central Highlands over three weeks, yet they still slept in hotels and guesthouses. It wasn't until December 2024 that Giang, Tam, and their three young children officially began their cross-Vietnam journey in their new "mobile home."
Heart-stopping moment as car gets stuck in sand and gets lost on mountain pass.
"People often imagine cross-Vietnam backpacking as a journey for young people, but few think of a family of five, including a baby who is only 5 months old. Our three young children are the biggest motivation for my husband and me to embark on this journey," Giang confided.
To prepare for their long cross-Vietnam trip, Ms. Giang spent a lot of time meticulously planning each item. Because they have young children, the couple paid special attention to comfort and safety.
Ms. Giang equipped the vehicle with mattresses so her children could sleep soundly. In addition, she also stocked it with snacks, clothing suitable for both hot and cold regions, as well as medical supplies.
The "mobile home" was fully equipped by Ms. Giang and her husband with all the necessary items to ensure the comfort of their young children during the trip (Photo: Facebook of the person).
The trip lasted a total of 35 days, not including the two weeks Giang's family spent celebrating Tet (Lunar New Year) at her grandparents' hometown. The total cost of the trip was approximately 50 million VND, including nearly 25 million VND for fuel and 10 million VND for food, mostly self-cooked meals.
The itinerary for this trip was designed to be flexible and suitable for families with young children. Each day, after traveling approximately 300km, Ms. Giang's family would stop to rest, set up their tent, and cook.
Initially, Ms. Giang and her husband planned to take the highway to Phan Thiet (Binh Thuan), follow the coastal road north, and then travel to mountainous provinces to experience winter. However, due to constant changes in their itinerary, the total distance their family traveled during the journey reached over 13,000 km.
Ms. Giang's family mostly cooked their own meals throughout the trip (Photo: Provided by the subject).
Ms. Giang's family usually sleeps in places like beaches, parks, or next to cafes with spacious areas, so the children can exercise and play. During this time, she and her husband take advantage of the opportunity to handle work remotely. She also said that her family absolutely does not travel at night, unless absolutely necessary.
Despite thorough preparation, Giang's family's cross-Vietnam journey was not without its difficulties. On the first day of their trip, Giang's car got stuck in the sand when the family stopped at a beach near a resort.
Ms. Giang recalled: "It was almost 6 PM, the wheels were stuck and we couldn't get out, and the resort was under construction so it was quite deserted. Luckily, a local resident drove his jeep to help pull our car out – a rescue that the whole family will never forget."
Moreover, while traveling to Central Vietnam, Giang's family faced prolonged heavy rain and flooded roads. In Binh Dinh, their car even suffered a flat tire in the middle of a deserted road. Fortunately, Giang and her husband had prepared a spare tire and knew how to change it, so they were able to handle the situation promptly and avoid a more serious accident.
Ms. Giang's family lives at Ban Gioc Waterfall (Cao Bang) and the pink grass hills of Da Lat (Lam Dong) (Photo: Facebook of the person).
One of the most stressful experiences Giang's family faced was traveling from Lenin Stream to Ban Gioc Waterfall (Cao Bang). Trusting an online map, they got lost on a very narrow mountain pass and encountered thick fog, severely limiting visibility. Fortunately, the journey went smoothly.
"Every setback or challenge has helped my husband and I understand, empathize with, and share with each other more," Giang confided.
An opportunity for families to bond.
Throughout their mobile home trip, Ms. Giang's family had many unforgettable experiences. In Quang Ninh, while she and her husband were looking for boat tickets to see Ha Long Bay, they were surprised to meet a local family who approached them in their car to introduce themselves and inquire about their mobile home. After a brief conversation, they invited Ms. Giang's family to have dinner with them.
"It turned out they were a group of friends who shared a passion for camping and living close to nature. They were strangers, just met, but were incredibly friendly and warm," Giang shared.
"Mobile home" accompanies Ms. Giang's family on their journey to conquer the country's roads (Photo: Provided by the subject).
On another occasion, when visiting Quang Binh, Giang's family stayed at a homestay instead of sleeping in the car as usual. There, Giang's children quickly befriended the host family's children.
"The children explored the village together, playing and bonding. When it was time to say goodbye, they hugged each other affectionately, almost crying because they didn't want to part ways, which moved us deeply. Next time we go to the North, we will definitely visit again so the children can meet their old friends," she said.
She shared that, at the end of the trip, what her family brought back was not only thousands of beautiful photos and videos capturing the majestic scenery across Vietnam, but also life lessons and unforgettable bonding experiences.
Traveling across Vietnam together has given Giang's family many beautiful memories and strengthened their bond (Photo: Facebook of the person).
Her children get exercise, explore, learn independence, and boost their immunity. Meanwhile, she and her husband gain a deeper understanding, share more with each other, and become more bonded.
"We learned so much more about the geography, history, and culture of different regions. Above all, family bonds, between husband and wife, and between parents and children, became closer than ever," Ms. Giang confided.
In the future, Ms. Giang's family plans to continue exploring the provinces of the East and Southwest of Vietnam. If time permits, she would even like to travel further, to neighboring countries to experience independent travel, and learn more new and interesting things.
Source: https://dantri.com.vn/du-lich/gia-dinh-5-nguoi-o-tphcm-chi-15-ty-dong-sam-nha-di-dong-di-xuyen-viet-20250520152230392.htm
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