Young people from the South make a living in the northernmost region of the country.
Kinh Hoang (1999) - a young man from the South came the first time just to play, the second time to watch and the third time, he decided to stay. Having just graduated from university, not really good at anything, he entered a gap year with the only desire: to do something that belonged to him. In Saigon, where people walked fast and calculated carefully, he felt he was not competitive enough. But when standing in the middle of Ha Giang - a new and rough land - he wondered: who knows, if he persevered, he could plant something truly meaningful?
Coming to Ha Giang, where he can "live" and understand himself better.
He started with the smallest jobs such as running errands, photocopying documents, delivering goods, and even cleaning toilets. There were times when he was exhausted, but from that moment on, he understood the value of labor, of every drop of sweat spent every day. In return, he received dedicated guidance from his predecessors and was given valuable opportunities - things that do not always appear in life. At that time, even though he worked without pay or received a very low salary, he still considered it a "special class" to practice all kinds of skills: from observation, communication to how to handle situations in real environments.
From the first time he came to Ha Giang, he fell in love with the scenery here. There was something very similar to his hometown in the Central Highlands - high mountains, mist, cold climate and captivating tranquility. But unlike his hometown, a place filled with family memories - Ha Giang brought a feeling of freedom, of starting over, not tied to the past, not bound by anyone.
Another reason was tea. Ancient Shan Tuyet tea was still a relatively unknown name in the market at that time. But Kinh Hoang, who had a small business in Saigon, realized that in those ancient tea buds there was a cultural potential that had not been properly exploited. He went to Ha Giang with a short-term intention: to develop the product and then return. But once he started, he… could not leave.
Starting an F&B business in Ha Giang
He started with Chuyen Vung Cao, a simple sidewalk cafe in the town. A few small homemade chairs, a coffee machine paid in installments, a handwritten sign, all like a “long-term camping” version of an F&B startup.
Then came Phien, his famous “fair”-themed coffee shop in Dong Van - a bigger dream, rebuilt from a Mong house with yin-yang tiled roof, precariously located in the middle of the old town. The house was a hundred years old, with walls as thick as a hand span. He and a few local workers spent more than 4 months renovating - from asking for old wood to make tables and chairs, to painting, cleaning, and doing electricity and water. Everything was done by hand, because there was no budget to hire a design unit.
"Two years - not long in a person's life, but enough for a young dream to take root in the soil, blossoming with silent efforts every day. Both fast and slow. At Phien, there are many imperfections, a slightly crooked corner of the wall, uneven wooden pieces, and unclear communication from the friends, but those are the things that make this place special and more intimate. We are not trying to create a perfect place - but a real place" - K. Hoang shared.
Live like a "village boy"
Transporting materials to the highlands is not easy - from straws, paper cups to coffee beans, many things take a week to arrive. He did not have formal training in brewing, so he taught himself online and through books, then gradually adjusted the recipe based on customer feedback. There were days when he had to run 3-4 times between two shops more than 20 kilometers apart, in the cold of 1-2 degrees, tired but unable to stop.
The Hmong people are gentle and hard-working, but the differences in language and lifestyle mean that this process requires a lot of patience. Some people do not speak Kinh, some have never worked far from their village. But when they trust and accompany each other enough, they become trustworthy restaurant operators.
Do everything yourself, from drawing to design and renovation
The name “Phien” is the spirit, like a highland market - where anyone can bring something to exchange: a bunch of vegetables, a chicken, a pair of cloth shoes… But the most important thing is the meeting. A glass of corn wine, a bowl of market pho, a story exchanged among the crowd.
Everyone who comes has something to take away, a good story, an unexpected encounter, a moment of slowness in a hurried journey. To maintain that spirit, Phien chose to develop quietly - no big signs, no loud advertising. Everything grows from word of mouth, from the kindness in each cup of coffee, tea, and greeting. He hopes that in the memory of everyone who has visited, there will be a gentle note, a yellow light in the middle of the plateau, where people once sat down and truly connected.
Highland Stories - The Beginning of the Journey
Session - continuing the cherished memories
Gac Bep is the next model - still keeping the spirit of Phien but focusing on cuisine: pizza, pasta, Western dishes but cooked with a rustic, meticulous spirit. He said, tourists coming to Ha Giang not only want to see the scenery but also want a place to eat deliciously and decently.
At Gac Bep, everything stays true to its original flavor - not changed to make it "strange" but kept to be true. Local staff are still rotated between the bar, pizza kitchen, and coffee shop as a natural and effective way to learn the trade. "A Hmong person, but his skills are not inferior to anyone in the city" - he shared.
Kinh Hoang does not dream of becoming a "big boss" but wants his small models to become a cool breeze that contributes to changing the way services are provided in Ha Giang. A peaceful place to stay, delicious food, and kind treatment - it's that simple but it's also an experience that makes tourists want to come back. He used to admire people who do big things, do well, have capital, have a team, have everything. But then looking back at himself in the mountains and forests of Dong Van, an ancient house revived, a small restaurant always full of customers - he realized that this was already a dream.
K. Hoang - from South to North with an impossible dream
Ha Giang is a place that challenges all of his emotions, will and patience. But when he overcomes it, he realizes that what he has now is truly worth it. It is not only a lesson from the majestic nature, unique culture or simple people, but also the feeling of peace when finding value in the very lack. Not big, not flashy but enough to make waking up every morning happy and meaningful. The highlands are difficult places, but that is why they are fertile land for models that no one has done yet. And if you are persistent enough, you - and that land - will grow together.
This land has trained him from a stranger to someone who is attached and loves this place with all sincerity. Ha Giang is not for those who give up easily, but if you are patient enough to stay, this place will open up the feeling of returning home - a home where the harshness is the inspiration to live more fully every day. Because after all, the most beautiful things always lie at the end of the journey.
