From wandering days to stopping in the mountains and forests
Nguyen Sy Duc’s trips began in 2016-2017 as a way to escape the increasingly suffocating urban life. The more he traveled and explored, the more he felt suited to the slow pace of life in lands close to nature. “I love the foggy days of Y Ty, and I enjoy learning about the craft villages that still retain the traditional beauty of Cao Bang…”, he slowly recounted.
Having traveled to many places, Duc feels he is suited to the slow pace of life in lands close to nature.
Previously, Duc tried to live in Sa Pa, also a destination for "travel addicts". But it turned out that the land that made him most "lucky" was Tuyen Quang (formerly Ha Giang), where he decided to stay from 2019 until now.
“At first, it was just a trip to find some fresh air, but then it felt right, so I wanted to stay longer,” he said. And so, from short trips, Duc started living in the highlands, enjoying the fresh air and pristine natural beauty, but at the same time, he had to adapt to things that were not easy.
The land that Duc was destined for was Tuyen Quang (old Ha Giang), the northernmost point of the Fatherland.
Learn to cook to live, learn to breathe slowly to be happy
Life in the mountains is not just about watching the clouds and mountains. When staying for a long time, Duc had to learn many things and adapt to the inconveniences of the highlands. From traveling long distances, many places still have dirt roads, dusty in the sun, muddy in the rain, to the lack of necessities, few grocery stores, convenience stores, pharmacies, entertainment areas, shopping centers... "There are not many restaurants or convenience stores here, so I have to learn to cook gradually. It's good, because when I cook for myself, I know what I eat. There are no crowded, bustling places, so I live a bit slower," he said.
During his time in Tuyen Quang, Duc did not just live for himself. He worked as a homestay manager, a local tour guide, and took up photography as a way to connect with the surrounding community and also to sustain his life. “Each job brings its own experience, but what I pursue is still having a space for myself,” he said.
Duc took on many jobs such as street photography and tour guide to cover living expenses in the highlands.
Sa Moc - a quiet house in the middle of the rocky plateau
The idea of building a small homestay did not come from any business ambition, but simply from a real need: to live in a house of my own, and to be able to welcome friends with the same taste. “I think if I live here, having an additional source of income from running a homestay will also help maintain my life. More importantly, I want to meet people like me, who like quiet, love nature, and are kind to each other.”
So Sa Moc was born, a house located behind a small forest of Sa Moc, a tree species that Duc especially loved. Sa Moc is a woody tree with needle-like leaves, with strong vitality, considered a symbol of the overcoming difficulties of the land at the head of the Fatherland.
He chose the typical Mong architecture of the rocky plateau, hired local workers to do it, and repaired it as he went. Every detail was taken care of gradually, without following any elaborate drawings or designs. “Maybe because it is my house, I find all the difficulties in the construction process to be experiences, not big problems.”
The small house will have only two bungalows and three rooms in the main house. The space is not large but quiet enough, private enough and in harmony with nature. Duc kept the pear and peach trees around the house, which he said are “enough for someone to sit and read a book, breathe and enjoy the slow passing of the day”.
The small house gradually took shape among the cypress forest.
A place to share feelings with friends from all over the world
“Sa Moc” is expected to welcome its first guests from mid-August. The interior and the road are still being completed, but for Duc, this house will never be completely finished. “It will be taken care of over time and according to mood. Each person who comes here can contribute a little to its beauty,” he said.
Duc also expressed his wish that Sa Moc is not just a place to rest, but a place where someone can feel relaxed, calm and touch the simplicity that the city has unintentionally overshadowed. “I hope to meet lovely guests who love quiet. And most importantly, I want to preserve a bit of the traditional features of the Mong people here, in my own small house.”
Duc hopes that after its formation, Sa Moc house will be a place to share trips and experiences of people with the same passion.
Not chasing after the number of check-ins or hoping to create a tourism trend, Nguyen Sy Duc chose to live in the highlands as a natural choice and opened a homestay as part of that lifestyle. That happiness comes from waking up every morning to see the mountains covered in mist, cooking a simple meal, then sitting under a peach tree and taking a deep breath.
Not just a stopover, Sa Moc could be the place to ignite new journeys for both Duc and visitors.
After nearly 10 years since his first trips, Duc has a place to stop. A place so small, so quiet, so “fit” the soul of a young man who has traveled all over the border. And who knows, in the tranquility of Sa Moc, there will be new journeys that are ignited not by wheels, but by stillness and connection between people.
