Young people choose experiential travel.

1/3 Participating in untangling fishing nets with fishermen is one of the exciting experiences for young people.

Wanting to see the hardships of fishermen's lives, Ho My Trang (from Dong Nai province) and her close friends visited a homestay located near the Seven-Colored Rock Beach – Co Thach Tourist Area – Lien Huong commune, Lam Dong province. Around 5 am, while many people were still asleep, Trang and her friends arrived at Seven-Colored Rock Beach. Walking barefoot on the pebbles and sand while admiring the calm morning sea, Trang and her friends were captivated.

As the sun began to rise, the fishing boats gradually made their way ashore after a night of casting nets. Trang and her friends excitedly helped the fishermen pull the boats full of fish ashore and untangle the nets. Looking at the fresh fish and shrimp, still wriggling and jumping, the group was captivated and kept asking the fishermen questions. While chatting, Trang also learned from the fishermen how to untangle the nets without scratching the fish, tearing the nets, or cutting her hands. It seemed simple, but the still-wriggling fish and crabs were very difficult to remove.

Trang shared: “My friends and I are all city dwellers, with little contact with fishermen, so experiencing simple activities like this in the coastal area was fantastic. Not only did we untangle the nets, but we also got to help the local fishermen pull in the seine nets, which was a lot of fun. This is probably the most interesting and meaningful experience we’ve had.” Trang enjoys chatting with locals to gain a deeper understanding of the culture and way of life at the destination.

Moreover, Trang's group of friends were treated to local specialties cooked by the homestay owner, featuring freshly harvested seafood such as fish salad, fish cakes, shrimp and squid pancakes, and grilled fish.

Besides visiting tourist attractions such as Co Thach Pagoda, Cat Bay Historical Site, Ong Nam Hai Mausoleum, and the Windmill Field, the locals guided Trang's group to Bai Tro area, a pristine destination not yet well-known to many tourists. With its peaceful natural scenery, blue sea, and slow-paced fishing life, this place is suitable for those who want to experience nature and learn about coastal life. In just 3 days, Trang's group was able to discover many new things in the coastal area of Lien Huong commune, from culture and destinations to the distinctive cuisine of the local people.

Besides experiencing "a day as a fisherman," young people are also very interested in experiencing "a day as a farmer." Lam Hoang Kha from Ho Chi Minh City, during a visit to the dragon fruit capital in Ham Kiem commune, had the opportunity to visit the dragon fruit orchard of Mr. Nguyen Van Chin to tour and learn about agriculture .

Kha said: “Here, visitors have the opportunity to hear stories about how farmers learned how to use artificial lighting to grow dragon fruit out of season, how to trim the stems, harvest, and process dragon fruit products. At the same time, I also got to experience and enjoy the flavors of some dishes made from dragon fruit, such as dragon fruit soup, stir-fried dragon fruit buds, dragon fruit flower tea… it was very interesting.” Not only that, Kha also got to harvest fruit from the branches with the farmers and learn about the process of growing dragon fruit according to official and unofficial export standards.

These trips also allow young people to relieve stress and connect more with the community through the diverse real-life experiences they observe and reflect upon. Their abundant energy, thirst for knowledge, and understanding of technology are advantages they can leverage to create journeys that are deeply personal and allow them to understand themselves better. Through these experiences, they have the opportunity to learn about new lifestyles, customs, and local cultures, broaden their knowledge, and enjoy life to the fullest.

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