The traveler's desire to travel across Vietnam

TP - The 927km cycling journey across Vietnam is not only a physical challenge, but also helps the man with a passion for travel gain valuable experiences, train his will and create unique tourism products.

I met Mr. Nguyen Quang Thang (born in 1970, Permanent Vice President of Nha Trang - Khanh Hoa Tourism Association) at a coffee shop when he had just returned from a business trip to Quang Tri. Sitting in front of me was a 55-year-old man, strong, with tanned skin but bright eyes full of energy. Our conversation became closer when he enthusiastically told about his passion for cycling and the 927km cross-country journey from Hue to Tra Co (Quang Ninh) that he had just completed on the occasion of the whole country celebrating the 80th anniversary of National Day (September 2, 1945 - September 2, 2025).

From fun to a journey across Vietnam

“I am a traveler, sitting in one place is very cramped,” Mr. Thang smiled, his eyes looking far away, remembering a period when the whole society was “frozen” because of the COVID-19 pandemic. At that time, many people fell into a state of crisis. That was also when the bicycle appeared, opening a new chapter in his life full of challenges but also filled with passion.

In early 2021, Mr. Thang officially started to get acquainted with sports cycling. The bicycle became his companion on the quiet days of the city. Every morning, the man left home with his bicycle, going all the way from his house (Nha Trang ward) to Luong Son pass (North Nha Trang ward) and back with a total length of more than 20km.

At first, cycling for Mr. Thang was simply to exercise and avoid the confinement of having to stay at home to fight the epidemic. But then, he realized that he was addicted to cycling, addicted to the feeling of conquering roads without realizing it. After a few months of getting used to short journeys around Nha Trang, the desire to conquer long distances by bicycle arose strongly in him. He wanted to go to see his hometown develop, to go to satisfy the passion for travel of a person who has been attached to the tourism industry for more than 30 years.

The first trip, from Nha Trang to Hue, was more than 600km long and took Mr. Thang 4 days. Initially, Mr. Thang cycled alone, but then a few friends in his cycling group unexpectedly joined in after following his updated journey on social media. Later, Mr. Thang made other long trips. That was the 350km journey from My Tho - Ca Mau Cape which took 2 days. To seamlessly connect the journey from Hue to Ca Mau Cape, Mr. Thang continued with his bicycle to conquer the 500km journey from Nha Trang - My Tho within 3 days.

After missing the cross-country trip on April 30 due to busy work, Mr. Thang is determined to make it happen on September 2. “Cycling across Vietnam is a plan I have cherished for a long time. If it is not done on the occasion of the 80th anniversary of National Day, I think there will be no more meaningful time,” Mr. Thang said.

Realizing his dream, on August 28, Mr. Thang started his trip from Ky Dai - Hue. "At exactly 10:45 am, I started at Ky Dai - Hue, traveling 164 km in the hot midday sun and 60 km in the dark. Although tired, the warm affection of the Hue and Quang Tri tourism brothers gave me strength", those were the first lines Mr. Thang wrote in his diary of his journey across Vietnam.

Halfway through the journey, Thang had to face a storm raging in the Central region. Strong winds, pouring rain, and fallen trees. There was a stretch of road only 50km long but it took him 4 hours to complete, but Thang never faltered. His friends advised him to stop, but Thang had only one thought: “Once the plan is set, you cannot abandon it.”

At exactly 2:30 p.m. on September 2, Mr. Thang's wheel rolled to milestone 0 - Trang Vy cape, Tra Co (Quang Ninh). "I feel very happy and proud when I arrived on September 2. When the plan was set, no matter how difficult it was, I had to do it," Mr. Thang shared.

Mr. Nguyen Quang Thang started his 927km journey across Vietnam from Ky Dai, Hue. Photo: NVCC

Plan carefully

According to Mr. Thang, whether it is a short or long journey, it requires careful planning and calculation.

This mindset is applied directly to work by Mr. Thang. “For me, cycling not only trains my will and perseverance but also gives me the ability to calculate and handle problems flexibly. Especially for someone who is running a business like me, I always have to consider backup plans for possible situations,” Mr. Thang shared.

The journey to conquer the roads for Mr. Thang is also a lively market survey. “Some people cycle to live slowly, but my job does not allow that. For me, each journey is a valuable lesson, I can apply it to my travel work at any time,” Mr. Thang said.

Cycling himself through mountain passes such as Khanh Le (Khanh Hoa), Song Pha (Lam Dong), Phuong Hoang (Dak Lak) and conquering Hon Ba peak (Khanh Hoa) many times has helped Mr. Thang have a realistic view of the terrain, facilities and tour organization potential.

“Mobile tourism ambassador”

What is special is that in each of Mr. Thang's trips, there is always a flag with the Vietnam Tourism logo on one side and the Nha Trang - Khanh Hoa Tourism logo on the other side flying behind the bicycle saddle. Mr. Thang and his bicycle are like "mobile tourism ambassadors", promoting the image of beautiful Vietnam and a dynamic Nha Trang not only through words, but also through his own experiences.

Mr. Nguyen Quang Thang was born in 1970, residing in Nha Trang ward, Khanh Hoa province. He is currently the Permanent Vice President of Nha Trang - Khanh Hoa Tourism Association, Director of Tictour International Travel Company Limited. For many years, his business has contributed to bringing tens of thousands of tourists to Nha Trang, contributing to promoting the image of Nha Trang - Khanh Hoa tourism to domestic and international tourists.

Each journey, each turn of the bicycle wheel is not only a physical challenge but also a testament to the willpower and aspiration to rise up. Not only stopping at the cross-country cycling journey, Mr. Thang also plans to conquer the "four great mountain passes" in the Northern mountainous region in the near future and further cross-country cycling journeys such as Vietnam - Thailand - Cambodia.

Mr. Thang also cherishes the plan to establish a Sports - Tourism Cycling Club in Nha Trang, gathering people with the same passion.

Source: https://tienphong.vn/khat-vong-xuyen-viet-cua-ga-lu-hanh-post1785252.tpo