Following in the footsteps of those who "dream of mountains and rivers"

With a journey spanning thousands of miles across many places, lands, and countries, accompanied by his camera, travel blogger Khoai Lang Thang (Khoai) has brought to travel and food enthusiasts over 300 unique videos about diverse yet relatable and friendly experiences.

Sweet Potatoes on the Avenue of Baobab Trees - Madagascar. Photo: Provided by the author.

As Khoai put it, the engineer's "dreams of mountains and rivers" have finally fulfilled their aspirations. No longer a construction engineer, he is now "designing" unique travel experiences on each trip. He is currently one of the most popular travel bloggers in Vietnam, with a YouTube channel boasting over 2.7 million followers.

Leave nothing behind but footprints.

Khoai said, "My biggest dream in life is to travel, experience, and touch the things I dreamed of as a child." Now, after 8 years of wandering, he has touched and is happy to be living that big dream to the fullest.

"Laughter can be found everywhere, from North to South. Khoai believes that as long as you are sincere, you will receive sincerity in return wherever you go," - this is the motto he has carried with him throughout his 8 years of persistent journeys exploring culture and cuisine across Vietnam and the world .

Every place he has visited across Vietnam has left him with a deep love and affection for its nature, culture, people, and way of life.

Khoai Lang Thang (center) received two awards at the 2024 Vietnam Digital Content Creator Awards Ceremony. Photo: Provided by the artist.

Instead of chasing quantity, Khoai is a "deep" traveler: in each place he visits, he sometimes stays for several months and produces one or two video clips. Perhaps that's why the images he conveys in his travel videos are so "authentic," gentle, full of emotion, and connect with the people, their lifestyles, and their daily lives. This makes viewers want to "pack their bags and go" in the same heartfelt way that Khoai travels.

Khoai has traveled extensively around the world, most recently visiting the avenue of baobab trees in distant Madagascar. But what remains most memorable to him are the beloved lands of Vietnam. From the affectionate Mekong Delta with its vast rice paddies, rivers, and lakes, to the central region with its many breathtaking landscapes such as Phu Yen (Binh Dinh), Hoi An, Son Tra (Quang Nam, Da Nang ), Hue… and Ha Giang, the northernmost point of the country.

With feet that "dream of mountains" like Khoai's, he was thrilled to venture into expansive natural landscapes such as forests, bamboo conservation areas, and explore streams, waterfalls, mountains, and canyons that still retain the stunning, unspoiled beauty of Quang Nam...

Surrounded by greenery, people's spirits are soothed after the fatigue of a long journey. For tourists, places like the ancient town of Hoi An, Son Tra Peninsula, and Con Market in Da Nang attract visitors with their beautiful scenery and "the most authentic and distinctive local food."

"Leave nothing behind but footprints" - this is Khoai's familiar message, in the spirit of spreading the inspiration of travel combined with protecting the environment, as a responsible traveler.

When young people inspire travel

Khoai Lang Thang, whose real name is Dinh Vo Hoai Phuong (born in 1991), hails from the Mekong Delta region and graduated from Ton Duc Thang University with a degree in Civil Engineering. After working in the construction industry for three years, he decided to switch careers and become a travel blogger to fulfill his passion for travel and find more freedom in his work.

Khoai Lang Thang with children in the places he visited. Photo: Provided by the interviewee.

After 8 years of diligently creating travel videos, he recently received two awards: "Content Creator of the Year" and "Most Popular Content Creator" at the Vietnam iContent Awards 2024.

Starting with simple, down-to-earth, and unpretentious travel videos, Khoai gradually refined the visuals and content, personally filming and editing to create emotionally resonant travel videos.

He creates a connection and inspires a love for natural landscapes, igniting a great passion for travel and exploration in each viewer.

Without a crew, without using special effects or eye-catching visual technology to attract views or "follow trends," without luxurious or extravagant destinations, and without expensive outfits, Khoai's travel videos are natural and unpretentious, reflecting his personality and how he treats the places he visits. This is what sets Khoai apart from other travel bloggers.

From a little-known "hobby," Phuong's creation of travel videos has eventually become known to the public and is gradually being recognized as a legitimate "profession" in the digital age and the audiovisual economy.

Currently, young people's dedication to creating content promoting tourism has greatly contributed to inspiring viewers about travel and cuisine.

Young, influential travel bloggers like Chan La Cà, Win Đi, and Lư Hoàng Thông (solo camping) all have large followings and attract interaction with their meticulously curated images of destinations.

This can be seen as a positive sign and a promising new direction for the development of the tourism and culinary industry.

Source: https://baoquangnam.vn/theo-doi-chan-nguoi-mo-nui-mo-song-3152656.html