After two days at the self-catering homestay, Thien Nga still hasn't been able to adapt to the numerous rules of "living in harmony with nature."
The 24-year-old woman from Son La said that the homestay's rule is to not use anything containing chemicals. The host will provide powdered toothpaste made from coconut oil and salt, shampoo made from soapberry, and bathing with lemongrass and basil leaf water. Every day, guests are allowed to work in the garden, harvesting fruits and vegetables for cooking.
Despite the inconvenience, Thien Nga still felt that spending over a million dong per night at this homestay in Dak Nong was "very worthwhile". "Thanks to this, I understand more about ways to protect the environment and about self-sufficient agriculture," she said.
As a content creator, Nga often felt lonely and stressed due to work pressure, negative online comments, and a lack of friends to talk to. She stumbled upon the self-sufficient lifestyle trend and immediately signed up to try it out.
On her first day here, Nga was surprised to see birds chirping and flying in flocks around the accommodation, guests and hosts cooking together, and her feelings of loneliness gradually disappeared.
Tired of the crowded, "Instagrammable" atmosphere of luxurious homestays, 25-year-old Ngoc Trang chose to experience a homestay located on a hillside in Quoc Oai, more than 20 km from the center of Hanoi . As soon as she put down her backpack, the host took her to collect chestnuts and gather trash in the forest, about 7 km from her accommodation, along with other guests.
Here, Trang and everyone else have to follow the rule of going to bed at 9 PM and waking up at 5 AM, a stark contrast to their "night owl" lifestyle at home. Even so, the office worker says that only when she's away from the hustle and bustle of city life does she feel at peace, eat well, and sleep on time.
The trend of young people registering for stays and vacations at homestays or farmstays that embrace green living and self-sufficient agriculture has become popular in the past year or so.
The administrator of the " Green Agriculture Volunteers " group, with over 80,000 members, said that the group was established in 2020, initially as a place for homestay owners to share information about agricultural models and experiences of living in harmony with nature and protecting the environment. In previous years, only those who wanted to gain experience in farming for business or cultivation purposes were interested in learning or registering as volunteers.
"But over the past year, young people have become more aware of and enjoy experiencing these places. Every month, the group receives dozens of posts sharing their experiences," the group manager said.
Homestays operating under this model are becoming increasingly common, scattered throughout the country but mainly concentrated around Hanoi, Hoa Binh, Dak Nong, Dak Lak, and Lam Dong. In Da Lat alone, there are more than 50 homestays and farmstays that combine accommodation and farming, adhering to green living principles.
Huyen Nhan spent over a month volunteering in agriculture at a homestay in Da Lat in December 2023. Photo: Provided by the subject .
According to Dinh Le Thao Nguyen, 28, who owns an orchard in Da Lat spanning over 7,000 square meters, since the beginning of 2024, she has welcomed nearly 30 guests each month, with over 70% being young people aged 18-29, double the number from last year. The daily fee is 100,000 VND. Guests must register for a minimum of 5 days to be accepted.
They often come to her farmstay partly because they want to experience harvesting jackfruit, avocado, mango, and sapodilla, and partly because they love the natural atmosphere of Da Lat, waking up early to mow the grass and water the plants, and cooking lunch together at noon.
The owner said that many young people, instead of taking a few days off like before, now choose to volunteer here for weeks or even months. Some stay longer, but many quit after less than a week.
"This experience also helps them become more realistic, less idealistic about 'leaving the city for the countryside,' self-sufficient, and enjoying a more peaceful and comfortable life than in the city," Thao Nguyen said.
Dung, 44, owner of Moc An Nhien homestay in Pleiku, Gia Lai, said that since the beginning of the year, he has welcomed nearly 50 guests each month, with over 80% being young people aged 18-24. They enjoy picking kale to make smoothies, harvesting bananas and papayas, and cooking their own meals as if they were in their own garden.
The number of volunteers applying to the homestay is growing steadily. Each of his recruitment posts attracts hundreds of interested comments from young people. They register for tasks they can do, such as baking, bartending, decorating, gardening, entertaining foreign guests, or teaching English to children in the village. Each time, he selects two suitable volunteers to work for him.
"In 2021, I posted job openings but no one got any. Now, many people are willing to wait three or four months for a chance to live here for a while," said Dung.
Huyen Nhan, 33, from Ho Chi Minh City, who volunteered for over a month at a homestay in Da Lat with a coffee and herbal garden, said that at first she wasn't used to it, so her hands and feet were covered in scratches, she broke branches which prevented the plants from growing, and her body ached and her legs and arms hurt. Even waking up and eating on time made her feel sluggish.
"It's like I've become a real farmer, only focusing on the crops and no longer having time to be sad or think about trivial things," Nhan said.
Young people harvesting fruits in the garden of Ms. Dinh Le Thao Nguyen in Da Lat, February 2024. Photo: Provided by the subject .
Speaking about the trend of preferring to live and experience life in self-sufficient agricultural homestay models, psychologist Tran Huong Thao (Ho Chi Minh City) said that the younger generation, especially Gen Z, today tends to focus more on cultivating their spiritual lives. This experience is also a way for them to educate themselves about protecting the earth, learn about meditation and yoga, or simply to heal and escape the present for a short time.
However, volunteering for a month or two might feel comfortable at first, but over time it can lead to boredom, confusion, and even cause you to forget your purpose in life.
"Many students leave early because they are not used to manual labor, as it is not a life value they pursue long-term, but rather a temporary experience," the expert said.
Spending nearly two million dong for a night at a homestay in Mang Den, Kon Tum, 22-year-old Nhu Thao from Ho Chi Minh City said it was too expensive compared to the experience she received. The homestay was self-sufficient, located far from the city center, food was scarce, and electricity and water were unreliable. Everyone had to go to bed on time and maintain quiet, especially in the early morning when everyone practiced yoga together. "I went there for healing but felt irritated and uncomfortable; I couldn't get used to this slow pace of life," Thao said. "This experience shows that 'leaving the city for the countryside' isn't easy. I should have researched this lifestyle thoroughly before coming here so I wouldn't feel uncomfortable or uneasy."
According to expert Tran Huong Thao, the sudden shift from urban to rural life can be difficult for the body to adapt to, potentially leading to fatigue and irritability. "Even turning off the internet or electronic devices is only temporary; for sustainable living, one must truly understand this lifestyle and persevere in pursuing it," Thao said.
Thanh Nga
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