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Returning from his first overseas trip with his university friends in Singapore, travel blogger Vinh Gấu nurtured the dream of having his own solo trips. Thanks to that trip to Singapore, he learned about immigration procedures, how to use public transportation, how to use credit cards, and more.
In 2011, Vinh Gấu embarked on his first solo adventure in Bangkok, Thailand. With each trip, he's not just a tourist, but also a travel content creator, offering fresh and engaging perspectives to the travel enthusiast community.
In his extensive travel 'account,' Vinh Gấu revealed that nearly 80% of his trips were solo travel.
Freedom means being self-reliant.
With his somewhat bohemian and free-spirited personality, what Vinh Gấu is most fascinated by on solo trips is probably the absolute freedom he gets throughout the journey. "Solo travel gives you the ability to take control and make decisions about everything. Unlike traveling in a group, you don't need to listen to the opinions of many people; with solo travel, you decide where to go, what to do, where to stay, what to eat... everything is up to you."
Freedom is sometimes synonymous with loneliness. On solo trips, feelings of solitude are often an unavoidable part of the journey. How to accept and overcome that feeling is perhaps a lesson in self-reliance on this "freedom" journey. Vinh Gấu recounts that on his solo adventures, a feeling of insecurity often arises when he arrives at a new, sparsely populated, and unfamiliar place. Traveling alone also makes it difficult for him to fully enjoy local specialties, because "if someone were with Gấu to share the food, I could eat more." Not to mention, the lack of companionship to provide immediate support in unexpected situations, especially when needing help with heavy luggage, is something that sometimes makes the hearts of solo travelers feel disheartened.
Freedom also means self-reliance, requiring those with a passion for travel to become strong and mature with each trip.
But the truth is, challenges are experiences that people remember more vividly than easy, smooth things. Vinh Gấu shared: "My most memorable solo trip was to Cuba – where the internet/4G wasn't widely available, making it difficult to browse Facebook to update about my trip or contact friends and family. In a place where very few people around me spoke English, sharing anything was impossible. The local food wasn't easy to eat either..."
The many challenges on a trip don't deter solo travelers; instead, each "test" makes them stronger and more mature. So that when they overcome these obstacles, the next time they encounter them, they won't feel the initial bewilderment and confusion.
Let your solo travel experiences reflect your personal style.
With a down-to-earth, authentic image and a love for nature, Vinh Gấu doesn't hesitate to share his personal travel tips and tricks. He wants people to understand that travel isn't just about posting photos on social media for a glamorous look, but also about a journey of self-discovery and exploration of the world. He says: "The image I want to project is that of a slightly 'rugged' but approachable Vinh Gấu, sharing detailed stories, experiences, and lessons learned throughout my journey so that those who follow can have better experiences at those destinations."
Amidst the current wave of travel content creators in the market, Vinh Gấu doesn't feel too much pressure to define his personal style on his journeys. "If Vinh Gấu can do it, you can do it too" – his slogan encourages those who love to travel but are still hesitant to be more confident and bold, to pack their bags and go. Vinh Gấu says he doesn't create his personal mark through individual trips, but rather through a long-term process. This includes the accumulation of experiences, stories, and lessons learned throughout his travels.
Personal touches are often expressed through writing style, emotions in each photograph, story, or lesson learned along the way.
Dusty, wild, and positive—it's easy to understand why Vinh Gấu's travel posts are always open and humorous, making it easy for readers to grasp his message. He emphasizes that visuals are also very important. In Vinh Gấu's view, images must be authentic and evoke strong emotions in viewers, rather than being excessively photoshopped, so that people don't feel "hurt" when they see the real image of the destination.
"The increasing number of people becoming travel content creators makes the market more interesting, offering more perspectives and useful lessons for viewers. It perfectly aligns with the motto 'If Vinh Gấu can do it, you can do it too,' so what's the pressure? Just do what you've been doing well, and don't chase after the market and lose yourself," he expressed.
Additional information:
From December 8th to 24th, 2023, Agoda – a digital travel booking platform – in collaboration with Travellive Media Group and Travel Content Creator Vinh Gấu, organized the "Solo Travel Dream Deals Contest: Design Your Itinerary - Win Amazing Prizes" for solo travel enthusiasts. The prize for the winner is up to VND 60,000,000, allowing them to experience booking services, including round-trip flights, up to 10 nights of accommodation, and sightseeing tickets through the Agoda app.
You can participate in the contest by following the instructions here.linkFor a chance to win this amazing prize! Let Agoda help you design your itinerary and fulfill your passion for travel!
View program details and register here.This.
