I grew up poor in remote Lai Chau, a far northern province of Vietnam. Unable to afford university, I moved to Sapa in 2005 to work in a small guesthouse, where I met travellers from around the world. Motivated to learn, I practised English with guests and moved to Hanoi in 2006 in search of new opportunities. It was here that the seeds of my ambition were sown.

My eco-tourism dream starts with protecting what makes a place special, not packaging it for quick profit. It means working with local communities, providing jobs, keeping impact low, and offering experiences that feel genuine rather than staged. Done properly, it is slower to grow, but far more meaningful and sustainable in the long term.