Leaving Job for Four-Month Cross-Country Motorcycle Journey, HCMC Woman Finds New Career

At 18, Nguyen Kim Xuan, born in 2000 in Ho Chi Minh City, made her first motorcycle trip to Da Lat. That expedition ignited an urge to discover more regions across Vietnam. However, career commitments and daily life obligations postponed her cross-country ambition for eight years.

Xuan previously worked in the beauty care sector. Her job involved communicating with many clients, but urban life occasionally made her long for alternative inspiration. Upon resigning and before starting a new position, Xuan decided to embark on her journey.

Possessing a long-standing passion for travel, Xuan barely hesitated. She launched her expedition from the former Ba Ria – Vung Tau territory, following coastal roads across central provinces. Reaching Quang Tri, Xuan transitioned onto the Western branch of the Ho Chi Minh Highway, pressing forward across Thanh Hoa, Ninh Binh (formerly Nam Dinh), Hanoi, and into the northwest mountains.

Her traveling companion on two wheels also shifted throughout the trip, starting from an Air Blade, changing to a Wave, and currently a Future.

Initially, she budgeted for roughly one month on the road, carrying nearly 30 million VND in personal savings while anticipating daily expenditures between 300,000 and 500,000 VND. As the trip unfolded, her timeframe expanded.

Xuan set no fixed return date. She preferred lingering longer at each destination, believing that “one month is still insufficient to truly understand a land.”

Xuan alongside local children in Y Linh Ho Village, Sa Pa

Throughout her journey, Xuan connected with and lodged alongside four to five host families through social media followers. Initially strangers, they developed close bonds through shared home-cooked meals, personal conversations, and domestic routines, leaving her moved to tears at several departures.

Discovering Inner Limits Along Mountain Passes

Initial anxieties were inevitable, particularly when contemplating an extensive solo journey spent largely in solitude.

One of Xuan’s most memorable challenges occurred in Ta Xua. Before departing Mai Chau, she booked a room and received reservation confirmation from a local homestay. However, arriving near 7:00 PM, Xuan was unable to reach the host. Darkness descended rapidly, thick fog gathered, and surrounding residences were sparse.

Following a long day riding in rainy northern mountain conditions where some routes suffered landslides, Xuan felt utterly exhausted.

Searching for alternative lodging, Xuan encountered a man who formerly operated a homestay that had ceased business. Seeing a lone woman late at night, he agreed to let a room for 200,000 VND. Despite accumulating dust and insects, she accepted the shelter for the night.

Before feeling settled, Xuan learned the owner would return to his home in Lao Cai that very night, leaving her by herself across the expansive, empty property.

“As a lowlander visiting an unfamiliar location for the first time surrounded by empty spaces, being left alone across an entire property was frightening,” she recalled.

Through that night, Xuan hoped for rapid daylight. Opening her door the following morning to the sight of Ta Xua’s sweeping sea of clouds, she wept with joy, feeling her fatigue and fear had been fully rewarded.

Thanh Hoa left Xuan with warm memories of strangers who welcomed her with genuine hospitality. 

As her savings of nearly 30 million VND depleted, Xuan devised methods to sustain her journey while generating income. She began producing travel content by documenting her travels across personal social channels while taking on compatible local work at her stops.

Stepping beyond her comfort zone served as an exercise in self-validation: goals once perceived as impossible proved attainable once underway, revealing she could journey further than expected.

Roughly two weeks ago, she traversed Ma Pi Leng—one of the formidable mountain passes in Tuyen Quang Province (formerly Ha Giang)—following earlier crossings of O Quy Ho and Khau Pha. Among Vietnam’s “Four Great Mountain Passes,” only Pha Din remains on her itinerary.

Xuan reaches the summit of Ma Pi Leng Pass in Tuyen Quang Province, formerly Ha Giang. 

Every newly explored roadway and vista is documented and shared by Xuan across her channels, aiming to share her experiences and showcase the scenic diversity of Vietnam.

“Earnings from content creation are modest yet steady, granting me financial independence to sustain my travel passion,” Xuan shared.

Gazing at the Milky Way and meteor showers across the night sky in Sa Pa

Xuan visiting the northwest mountains during the golden terraced rice harvest

Quang Tri was among the destinations that surprised her most. Prior to her journey, she had rarely come across photos or in-depth articles highlighting the province’s natural landscapes, leaving her with little sense of what made the region unique.

Thanks to Trinh, who welcomed her to her hometown and guided her around, Xuan discovered a Quang Tri endowed with seas, rivers, streams, waterfalls, rolling hills, and grassy plateaus. The locality is also home to numerous historic landmarks, notably the Quang Tri Ancient Citadel, turning her visit into much more than mere sightseeing.

After more than four months, Xuan realized that even an entire month is hardly enough to fully grasp a region’s culture, culinary traditions, and way of life

“Quang Tri was an unexpected stop, yet it became the most surprising and deeply cherished place for me. I could immerse myself in pristine nature while delving into local history,” she shared.

Sa Pa was not part of Xuan’s original itinerary either. While staying in Mu Cang Chai, however, she checked the map and noticed Sa Pa lay just over 100 kilometers away. Realizing how close she was, Xuan decided to make a detour. Once there, she crossed paths with several locals who guided her down into remote hamlets, revealing a side of Sa Pa far removed from the crowded tourist imagery typical of social media.

Xuan observed the seasonal rice harvest, learned the craft of traditional fabric weaving and beeswax painting (batik), and watched the daily routines of local villagers.

“My new friends showed me Sa Pa from a completely fresh perspective. The place I least anticipated visiting ended up being the one I was most reluctant to leave, and where I wished to stay the longest,” Xuan noted.

Xuan arrived in Sa Pa just as the terraced rice fields began turning golden. Learning that the region yields only a single harvest each year, she chose to stay until harvest season. What began as a brief detour stretched into a month-long stay. She also looked forward to trekking scenic trails, summiting local peaks, and experiencing the northern winter firsthand.

“I rented a room by the month for 2.5 million VND to keep expenses low. Right now, I still have no set date to leave because Sa Pa offers so much to discover. Once I feel I have experienced it fully, I may move on to another destination,” she said.

After more than four months on the road, Xuan realized that a few days or even a single week are far from enough to truly understand the culture, culinary heritage, and lifestyle of any region. She plans to secure flexible income streams so she can spend extended time at every destination ahead.

The young female traveler felt a deep sense of pride as she journeyed along the Ho Chi Minh Highway.

Xuan currently remains in Sa Pa, Lao Cai Province. Her Future motorcycle continues carrying her across unexplored routes, while digital content creation provides the ongoing resources to maintain an open-ended journey.

Source: laodong.vn