"Addicted" to Vietnam from the first time, the "Western" guy spent 9 years promoting cultural tourism, going to pagodas more than the locals!

Our beautiful country of Vietnam - a place of rich cultural heritage and glorious history has been welcoming countless tourists from all over the world . Those tourists, they come and go, each one brings a different story, a different experience, but not everyone keeps in mind this journey of discovery, not everyone is willing to share or express admiration for the culture and history of the S-shaped strip of land.

Among those tourists, there was a special international friend - who did not just visit Vietnam quickly in his journey. He - a guest from far away, left his mark on every road of the country, from North to South, from the charming villages to the bustling cities. Just like that, he "fell in love" with Vietnam without realizing it.

Những bước chân đầy yêu thương của vị khách ngoại quốc trên đất Việt - Ảnh 1.

Toly (Lobanov Anatolii) has been in Vietnam for 9 years. During this time, he has visited many ancient temples and pagodas, where each brick and each wall carries historical stories, marking the ups and downs of time. He visited each temple, bowed his head respectfully, not only to seek peace of mind, but also to learn, to feel and to study a culture with a rich tradition.

He met and listened to the stories of the people here, who live every day with the history and culture left by their ancestors. And through that, he felt more deeply about the spirit and vitality of the Vietnamese people - a resilient spirit, a proud temperament through the centuries.

The land of Ninh Binh, with its majestic and charming beauty, opened up a new and fascinating world before the eyes of Toly, a passionate traveler. Not deterred by challenges, he conquered nearly five hundred stone steps leading to the top of Hang Mua, from where the landscape of Ninh Binh appeared like a vivid ink painting. And not stopping there, Toly continued his journey to Bich Dong Pagoda, an ancient relic, to explore and absorb the mossy beauty of this place.

Toly is from Ukraine, passionate about exploring cultural sites. At the age of 44, he chooses a free life. When asked what brought him to Vietnam, Toly shared: "I came to Vietnam as a tourist but fell in love with Vietnam. I love Vietnam so I like to study history and visit cultural sites. Everything here makes me love it and it's really hard to choose my favorite place."

Toly owns the TikTok channel @i.vinaman with more than 27 thousand followers and nearly 1 million likes. Toly's videos make even Vietnamese people admire because of the natural footage that makes people feel like they are experiencing places that even some locals have not set foot in. The content on his channel helps spread the image of a beautiful, friendly Vietnam with a rich history, culture and great tourism potential.

The main places that the locals have not yet set foot on, but Toly has also set foot on, these discovery moments are always shared by Toly on his TikTok channel. Thanks to that, the beauty of Vietnam is spread more widely, making those who have not had the opportunity to visit these places more excited and proud, such as Oc Pagoda (Tu Van Pagoda) in Cam Ranh - famous for its snail tower and 12 floors of hell or Ve Chai Pagoda (Linh Phuoc Pagoda) in Da Lat. Oc Pagoda has not been renovated for a long time so there are few visitors, but this does not stop the footsteps of an explorer like Toly.

"When in Rome, do as the Romans do" when visiting Linh Phuoc Pagoda in Da Lat, Toly excitedly shared that he also learned from the locals, writing down his wishes and sticking them on the bronze bell. Then he rang it loudly so that his wishes would fly high and far in the year of the Dragon. It can be seen that, in addition to sightseeing, Toly also really likes the customs of the local people.

From old photos, Toly was determined to find the relics that still exist today, such as Dien Khanh ancient citadel, Pho Minh tower,... And even the "prestigious" place name that appears on the 100,000 VND bill made him "touch it with his own hands and see it with his own eyes".

Talking about his plans for the new year, Toly shared that he will continue to visit places he has not yet set foot in. He is also planning to organize trips for Vietnamese people to explore lesser-known countries such as Kazakhstan or Kyrgyzstan..., where Vietnamese people are exempt from VISA and he has an advantage in language.

Besides experiencing the culture, Toly does not forget to fill his stomach with the "signature" dishes of each land he sets foot on. For example, when visiting Hanoi, he does not forget to enjoy bun rieu or a cup of coffee in the old quarter. On his Tiktok channel, he also humorously guides foreign tourists who do not know how to use chopsticks when eating.

Những bước chân đầy yêu thương của vị khách ngoại quốc trên đất Việt - Ảnh 7.

What started out as a short trip, unexpectedly, led to his falling in love with Vietnam. Not long after arriving here, Toly began to feel a deep love for this land. He was captivated by the majestic beauty of nature, the richness of culture, and especially his passion for Vietnam’s rich history.

Besides his journey to explore ancient sites and major tourist destinations in Vietnam, Toly also touched people with his heart. Once, he watched a program about the meals of only instant noodles for children at a boarding school in Lao Cai, which was in Nha Trang at that time. With little strength and weakness, he did not have many conditions to do anything great. Toly shared that he was not an angel, but seeing the circumstances of those children, he felt very sad. In Nha Trang, there are also many situations where children have to go through difficult times.

At that time, he had 7 million VND, he and his friend in Nha Trang went to buy food. He thought that eating a lot of instant noodles was not good for health and in Vietnam, rice was the best thing. Therefore, he used his money to buy rice for children in Loc Tho pagoda, Nha Trang. In the video he shared, Toly took out 700 thousand VND and his friend added 175 thousand VND to buy two bags of rice to bring to the pagoda.

Although that amount of money is not much for many people, for a stranger like Toly, he has brought his warmth and kindness into his trips. This further demonstrates his love and affection for this beautiful land of Vietnam.

His journey was not just a vacation, an adventure or an ordinary experience. It was a spiritual vacation, a journey with deep spiritual connection, and at the same time a heartfelt and loving tribute to Vietnam. He was not only a tourist, he was also a cultural explorer, a friend of history, and perhaps, through each trip, Vietnam had also left a deep impression on his heart as a second home.

Source