Vietnamese man leaves corporate world to blog about hometown

After seven years of working in Hanoi, Vu Quang Kien, from Moc Chau District in the northern mountainous province of Son La, quit his corporate job to pursue his passion for travel blogging in his hometown.

It took seven years for Kien to realize that white-collar life in Vietnam’s bustling capital just was not for him.

Looking to make a change, he returned to his hometown of Moc Chau to embark on a mission of self-discovery.

Local children play football in Moc Chau District, Son La Province, Vietnam. Photo: Vu Quang Kien

Moc Chau District, Son La Province sits about 200 kilometers west of Hanoi and at an altitude of 1,050 meters above sea level.

"When I first returned to Moc Chau, I had no intention of working in tourism," Kien said.

"Neither my degree nor my career had anything to do with travel.

“It wasn't until I met people in my hometown who brought me to new areas of Moc Chau that I realized how beautiful my hometown was.

"That’s when I decided to start telling my friends about those places.”

An aerial photo of the cherry-like apricot blossom hill in Moc Chau District, Son La Province, Vietnam. Photo: Vu Quang Kien

For every trip he takes, Kien loads a camera, tripod, and drone onto his motorbike to capture stunning photos of Moc Chau’s landmarks to share with the world through his blog.

But rather than stick to well-known destinations, such as Moc Chau's valley of Japanese apricots and plums, Kien mostly reports on places that have not quite made it onto the tourist trail.

An aster flower hill is in its full bloom in Moc Chau District, Son La Province, Vietnam. Photo: Vu Quang Kien

"I'm constantly on the search for new and beautiful areas that few people know about,” Kien said.

“On weekends, I ride my motorbike to different regions to see what I can find.”

In addition to discovering hidden gems around Moc Chau, Kien enjoys visiting local villages and learning about the history, culture, and cuisine of the local ethnic minority groups.

Over the course of his travels, Kien has amassed a massive collection of brilliant photographs of tourist attractions, including the cherry-like apricot blossom hill, the Japanese apricot forest valley, the Co Keo plum valley, the Mu Nau plum valley, the Nang Tien waterfall, and some local camping sites in Moc Chau and Hoa Binh Districts.

Vu Quang Kien grills a chicken at a campground in Moc Chau District, Son La Province, Vietnam. Photo: Vu Quang Kien

He uploads each of these photos to his own Facebook page, as well as a public group on social media called 'Lang Thang Moc Chau' (Wandering Moc Chau), where he also answers questions from tourists about Moc Chau.

Due to his extensive knowledge of tourism attractions in his hometown, many people call Kien by the nickname 'The Land Spirit of Moc Chau.'