The young man organizes motorbike tours, eating, playing, and exploring Hue to the fullest.

Nguyen Hong Quan (commonly known as To, 27 years old) was born and works in Hue. His main job is organizing motorbike tours in Hue. "I dedicate my heart, youth, and love to my motorbike tour work in Hue. I hope to inspire young people who love travel, to discover beautiful photo spots, enjoy authentic local food, and share everyday stories," Hong Quan shared.

As a son of Hue with a special love for the region, Hong Quan hopes to spread and promote tourism through motorbike tours to all tourists, near and far, and even international friends, when they set foot in the ancient capital.

Memories that weren't all rosy, and how I came to be a motorbike tour guide.

Unlike others, due to health reasons, Hong Quan had to drop out of school after finishing 11th grade. In 2013, Hong Quan was hospitalized 11 times in over a year due to a rare disease that doctors diagnosed as a severe allergy to most antibiotics, multi-antigen allergy, and grade 2 anaphylaxis caused by medication.

The job of offering motorbike tours miraculously changed Hong Quan's life. He had cherished and loved this work since 2015, but it wasn't until 2017 that he began to realize and develop his brainchild with all his heart.

When he started his motorbike tour business, Hong Quan received help, guidance, and instruction from his father and uncle. Because his father and uncle had experience transporting foreign tourists on motorbike tours of Hue, Da Nang, and Hoi An, he didn't encounter many difficulties. In addition, he was taught communication skills with foreign tourists and the tourism business environment by his maternal grandparents. This experience and foundation have led him to develop his current work even further.

With all his passion and enthusiasm for his motorbike tour business, Hong Quan always feels positive, optimistic, and confident about life. This motivates him to work hard every day, serving every customer with genuine sincerity.

What's so special about a motorbike tour exploring Hue?

In a conversation with Travellive, Hong Quan shared: “My motorbike tour will be with you as both driver and companion on your trip to Hue. I will take you on motorbike tours, take photos, take care of your meals – ensuring they are delicious, clean, and reasonably priced – or help you rent traditional costumes and ao dai at good prices, buy Hue specialties at original prices… So everyone will have a local guide in Hue to take them there and back without worrying about anything. You can eat in every nook and cranny with authentic Hue flavors, admire the streets; immerse yourself in the atmosphere of the ancient capital, stroll along beautiful roads to take photos; experience a long motorbike trip and share everyday stories with new friends.”

Tourists visiting Hue city on Hong Quan's 2-3 day motorbike tour will experience the following specific tour itinerary:

Day one:

In the morning, we will visit An Dinh Palace and the Hue Imperial Citadel. In the afternoon, we will take photos of Phu Cam Church, Hue National High School, Thien Lam Pagoda, Tu Hieu Pagoda, Huong Village, Tu Duc Mausoleum, and Vong Canh Hill.

Day 2:

In the morning, we will visit An Hien Garden House, Thien Mu Pagoda, Huyen Khong Pagoda, Thien An Monastery, and Khai Dinh Mausoleum. In the afternoon, we will go to Ru Cha mangrove forest, Tam Giang lagoon, and swim at Thuan An beach.

Day 3:

In the morning, we'll take photos of Dong Ba Market, Lim Wooden Bridge, Truong Tien Bridge, Hue Train Station, and Bao Vinh Old Town. In the afternoon, we'll visit Lap An Lagoon, swim at Lang Co Beach, and watch the sunset from the top of Hai Van Pass.

One particularly special aspect of this tour is that Hong Quan will guide guests through a culinary experience featuring signature dishes of the ancient capital, dishes frequently visited by locals. Breakfast will include Hue beef noodle soup, clam rice, and crab noodle soup. Lunch will typically consist of banh beo, banh nam, banh loc, banh ram it, banh khoai, nem lui, and banh trang cuon heo quay (rice paper rolls with roasted pork and dipping sauce). Dinner will include crab noodle soup, Truong Tien bread, Hue sweet soup, and salted coffee…

"The tour itinerary can be adjusted to suit the needs, wishes, and health of each traveler. Whether you want to follow your own itinerary or the customer's needs, it's all fine because I'm always listening, supporting, and ready to do my best," Hong Quan said.

The motorbike tour does not include: tour guide, entrance fees, or meals. The motorbike tour costs 800,000 VND per person per day. The experience lasts from morning to evening, with no time limit on sightseeing and no group tours (guests return to their hotel or homestay for lunch before continuing the tour in the afternoon). In the evening, Hong Quan will take guests on a food tour and explore Hue city at no extra cost.

When customers book a 2-3 day motorbike tour, he will provide free round-trip transportation (to and from) to the airport, train station, and bus station by motorbike. This is considered a sincere thank you from each customer who trusts, loves, and chooses Hong Quan's motorbike tours.

Hong Quan said that the limitation of motorbike tours lies in the fact that at attractions where tickets are required, the driver only drops off passengers and waits outside, unlike a professional tour guide. However, for places that don't require tickets, he accompanies them and assists with taking photos if the passengers wish. Motorbike tours can only carry one passenger, making them very suitable for young people who prefer solo travel, personal tours, and motorbike trips to explore different places.

Besides that, to do this job, one needs to have: good health, hospitality, passion, a skilled driver, diligence, patience, the ability to listen to customers, a cheerful attitude, and a willingness to learn new things. Driving a motorbike all day on the road is really hard work because in Hue the weather is very hot when it's sunny and very cold when it rains, but that doesn't discourage Hong Quan or make him give up the job he's pursuing.

Throughout his nearly seven years of motorbike tour guiding, Hong Quan has encountered countless memorable stories. However, the most cherished memory is that of a female customer from Hai Phong, also working in the service industry, who booked a two-day motorbike tour in Hue.

“She is four years older than me and works in the service industry, so she has a lot of life experience. She sincerely advised, respected, and encouraged me, a new entrepreneur, whether I succeeded or failed. Therefore, I only wish for my family to be safe and happy, and for me to live each day healthily and optimistically so I can continue my work,” Hong Quan recounted.

The ideal time to fully enjoy a meaningful and wonderful motorbike tour in Hue is usually from February to August. Hong Quan also noted that tourists who want to book a motorbike tour in Hue should carefully research the tour seller's personal information, ensure reasonable prices, detailed itineraries, and whether they offer transportation or evening sightseeing. They should also check what the tour includes and excludes, review feedback on the tour's Facebook page or reputable travel groups, and take screenshots of messages and deposit payments to avoid being exploited or scammed.

In addition, he also suggested some unique and unforgettable experiences for tourists visiting Hue: renting traditional costumes to take photos of the Perfume Village (which will look very eye-catching), drinking salted coffee at the Mat Biec cafe, eating tofu pudding at Thien Mu Pagoda, buying Thien Huong sesame candy, Hue royal tea and Co Ri sour shrimp as souvenirs, eating Bun Bo Me Keo, taking a diverse and affordable evening food tour, watching the sunrise at Tam Giang Lagoon, watching the sunset at Hai Van Pass...

In the near future, Hong Quan plans to focus 100% on developing motorbike tours to promote Hue tourism to more visitors. Through this, he hopes to meet, accompany, and share experiences with all guests on their trips.

“Motorcycle tours are my biggest passion and a source of inspiration, driving me to live a good, optimistic, and joyful life. I believe that working with all my heart, being friendly, hospitable, and dedicated will earn the love of my customers. The tourism environment also provides a foundation for me to develop my strengths and improve my weaknesses,” Hong Quan confided.

Phuong Thao is an editor at Travellive magazine. She is passionate about traveling and enjoys capturing moments with her camera in every place she visits. Travel, art, and lifestyle are Phuong Thao's favorite writing topics.

Phuong Thao