Jeff Grinspoon and Jon Thomas Foley, two millionaires in the American financial sector, had a 17-day journey traveling Vietnam from North to South with experiences in three regions from private to immersing in local life.
The two millionaires also had some special requests such as ensuring privacy, not going to mass tourist attractions, enjoying delicious local food, experiencing art and learning about antiques to serve their private museum in the US.
In Hanoi, both of them had the experience of going to the market because they wanted to explore the multi-national cuisine through traditional markets. When they arrived at Chau Long market, they were impressed by the local character of the market, with many small stalls selling food.
They tried banh cuon and were surprised to see the tiny chicken eggs, different from the industrial eggs that cost about 0.6 USD each in the US. The two millionaires also bought some ingredients to bring to the cooking class with the locals.
On their trip to Bat Trang the following day, they enjoyed a traditional Hanoian feast, including Bat Trang’s signature squid and bamboo shoots, and learned about Vietnamese pottery making. They then purchased a lacquer painting with eggshell inlay from a gallery in Hanoi, which cost about $13,000 to ship back to the US.
The night before leaving Hanoi, the two millionaires ate hotpot, drank beer and drank like locals. The next day, they went to Ha Giang by helicopter because they did not want to spend a lot of time traveling by car like regular tourists. Thanks to the support from the Ha Giang provincial government, the helicopter transfer went smoothly and the two tourists learned how majestic the mountainous region of Vietnam is.
The American millionaire's journey then continued to Ha Long and they were the second group of guests to experience the tour for the super-rich on Ha Long Bay organized by Quang Ninh province in coordination with a travel agency. They explored the Cong Do and Tra San areas on a yacht, kayaked to see the pristine bay. In the evening, despite having a chef, Jeff Grinspoon and Jon Thomas Foley still decided to cook for themselves.
The tour operator also worked with local authorities to "close" attractions on the bay such as Ba Ham Lake and Tien Ong Cave for a period of time, allowing the two millionaires to visit comfortably. As for Cua Van fishing village, it could not be closed, so the organizer took advantage of the low-traffic hours to give the two millionaires the most private experience possible.
The rest of Jeff Grinspoon and Jon Thomas Foley's journey included Da Nang, Hoi An, Hue and ended in Ho Chi Minh City. The two millionaires experienced a day as farmers when visiting a "secret" village in Quang Nam. They planted vegetables, hoeed the land with a farmer's family and hand-fed cows and pigs.
According to travel agency representatives, rural tourism experiences are always attractive to foreign visitors, including high-end visitors, because they bring them things that are almost never seen in life in developed countries like Europe and the US.
On the way from Hoi An to Hue, the two millionaires also requested to cycle about 30 km to enjoy the peaceful scenery of the Vietnamese countryside. The two American tourists were both "satisfied" with the cuisine of the Central region because of their taste for spicy food. During their last days in Vietnam, they also wanted to ride a motorbike around the streets to immerse themselves in the bustling life of Ho Chi Minh City.
Although the purpose of this trip to Vietnam was to seek investment opportunities, relaxation was still the main goal, so the two millionaires spent most of their time exploring each place they passed through. Each had their own thoughts about Vietnam, but what remained most deeply in their hearts was the hospitality of the people from North to South.
TB (according to VnExpress)Source: https://baohaiduong.vn/trieu-phu-my-den-viet-nam-di-cho-trai-nghiem-lam-nong-406008.html
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