After finding the winner of the "Solo Travel Dream Deals Contest, Design your itinerary - Win great prizes" sponsored by Agoda - a digital travel booking platform, Travellive Media Group in collaboration with Travel Content Creator Vinh Gau organized a contest for those who love to travel alone. Accordingly, Mr. Hoang Le Giang had a 9-day solo travel trip to explore Japan based on the schedule he designed.
Sponsored by Agoda, this is the first time Travellive Media Group has organized the contest "Solo Travel Dream Deals Contest, Design your itinerary - Win great prizes" with the total prize value of the winner up to 60 million VND.
Sponsored with free airfare, hotel rooms and up to three fun activities available on Agoda with a total value of up to 60 million VND, Mr. Hoang Le Giang had his dream trip to the "land of the rising sun" Japan that he designed himself.
"Dream solo trip" is not only about the concept of a desirable, dreamy solo trip, but also about exploring and developing yourself through solo travel. Compared to Hoang Le Giang's previous trips, traveling alone to Japan is an opportunity for him to find his limits and go beyond his comfort zone. From there, he set foot in many new places, met new friends and experienced the trip independently.
The 9-day journey (from January 29 to February 6, 2024) to the Land of the Rising Sun with a schedule of visiting the following destinations: Osaka, Kayabuki No Sato, Kanazawa, Shirakawago, Nagoya. For Hoang Le Giang, these are new destinations in the winter, when you can enjoy the cuisine of different regions from the sea to the mountains, bringing richness and a Japan with diverse landscapes.
During this trip, he used the Agoda app to design an itinerary with many interesting activities: experiencing public transportation by bus and train, joining a tour to explore Japanese cuisine and nightlife. Or try unique bars in Osaka, stroll around ancient villages in Gifu and take a hot spring bath at an ancient Ryokan.
In this Dream solo trip, I got to explore the scenery I've always dreamed of.
"I was a little nervous when I experienced finding my way to the Kayabuki No Sato areas, because these places are often far away and have little public transportation. Luckily, the Ryokan host enthusiastically supported me with pick-up and drop-off. Going to new cities like Takayama or Kanazawa, I also traveled conveniently thanks to buying rail passes and bus passes on the Agoda app. In this 'Dream solo trip', I was able to explore the long-desired scenery in ancient villages, freely enjoy food at cozy local restaurants, and join a food tour in Osaka - an experience that impressed me because I got to visit unique culinary destinations that I had never had the opportunity to know before", Hoang Le Giang shared.
The special thing about the trip is the smart itinerary design, cleverly arranging the route from Osaka to Nagoya, avoiding repeating locations, while experiencing the unique local culture and the changing beauty of winter in each city. This has created a unique trip, beyond the expectations of many people.
Hoang Le Giang had 9 days of experiencing the land of cherry blossoms from a unique perspective.
“If you are someone who likes hustle and bustle, Shirakawago is the place for you. If you like the quiet, less crowded atmosphere of an ancient village, you definitely should not miss Suganuma and Ainokura. I chose popular areas like Shirakawago mixed with less touristy places like Kanazawa, both urban like Osaka and rural like Kayabuki No Sato to have a contrasting view,” said Mr. Hoang Le Giang.
According to him, food lovers cannot miss Takayama with Hida and Osaka beef and Japanese-style drinking places (Izakaya). If you come to Izakaya, of course you must enjoy delicious and affordable alcoholic drinks with light appetizers such as: boiled Edamame soybeans, crispy fried tofu served with Dashi broth or a bowl of raw tuna served with avocado and Natto...
Street food in Osaka is also impressive to him. Along the streets are chains of restaurants and shops with unique features and their own character. It is not difficult for tourists to see a sign with a large cow, a whole octopus or a giant crab leg.
Join the culinary tour
Mr. Hoang Le Giang's journey lasted 9 days, visiting the following destinations: Osaka, Kayabuki No Sato, Kanazawa, Shikawago, Nagoya
“Solo travel is the most suitable form to take you to new lands, you are free to choose the time to start going. Then, on the way because you have no friends, you are like a sponge, motivated to absorb things around you. From listening, learning new languages or eating the foods you like, or experiencing freedom when you can deviate from the pre-planned route. Or you can meet and get to know many new friends, learn about the cultural stories of new lands through the stories of the locals. Traveling alone, allows yourself the opportunity to develop, learn from observation, be sensitive to everything around you and make each decision. Things that seem simple but you have never tried before, help you discover your limits and step out of your comfort zone. Later, that confidence and independence can also be applied when returning to daily life,” Mr. Hoang Le Giang shared more.
Solo travel allows you to experience freedom, manage your own spending, plan and decide everything yourself...
"In fact, the experience of traveling alone in Japan is quite safe and comfortable, allowing you to freely plan for yourself. Although I initially felt a bit insecure when facing a new trip without anyone to accompany me, the feeling of freedom and excitement made me motivated. I could also open my heart to make friends with many local people, explore and interact with local culture easily. In this way, I not only participated in unique cultural experiences but also broadened my horizons and became more confident in interacting with local people. This was truly a dream trip, as I could eat local dishes as much as I wanted in different cities. Even enjoy ancient Ryokan and bathe in onsen in the winter weather", Hoang Le Giang recounted.
Ancient villages in Japan
Through this trip to Japan, Hoang Le Giang commented that the experience of using the convenient services on Agoda was quite convenient. Accommodation was quite convenient with many options from large hotels to mountain guest houses or beautiful Ryokans, the prices were also very diverse. When in big cities like Osaka, Nagoya, you can choose to stay near the bus station or near the tourist attractions you want, choosing flights also has many time frames to arrange the schedule. All trip information such as plane tickets, hotel schedules are suitable in one place like a personal assistant for solo travel. In particular, buying bus passes and train passes on Agoda makes the trip extremely convenient in moving because everything is in this application.
For those who love to travel, solo travel is one of the interesting forms that brings many new experiences. With the strong development of travel applications such as Agoda, travelers can easily design and enjoy their own trips according to their needs, interests, and personalities. Because of this, solo travel is gradually becoming a popular trend today.
Explore Japan's winter from sea to mountains, offering rich and diverse landscapes.
More information:
From December 8-24, 2023, sponsored by Agoda - a digital travel booking platform, Travellive Media Group in collaboration with Travel Content Creator Vinh Gau organized the "Solo Travel Dream Deals Contest, Design your itinerary - Win great prizes" for solo travel enthusiasts. The prize for the winner of the contest is up to 60 million VND, allowing the winner to experience booking services, including round-trip flights, stays of up to 10 nights and sightseeing tickets via the Agoda app.
