Camping, picnicking, and immersing in nature
Experiencing the "thousand-star hotel"
On the occasion of meeting friends after a long time, we decided to go to Kien brook in A Luoi (a district located 70km southwest of Hue city ) to have a picnic. The nearby pebble reefs are spacious enough to become a camping spot for a weekend trip.
Arriving quite early on Saturday, but when our group came here, there were already 2-3 groups of other people. They also chose this place for weekend camping and picnic.
Camping is a trend that has blossomed recently, especially after the COVID-19 pandemic which has partly changed the trend of many people, especially young people. Instead of going on a vacation or wandering around the city, many people choose to have a different experience, such as camping overnight, enjoying the sunset or sunrise with friends and family.
Nguyen Hoang Anh, a young person who pursues this trend, explains, "The feeling of waking up in a faraway place among mountains and trees brings intriguing experiences and is being chosen more and more by people."
Making grilled food by yourself is a fun experience during picnics
Despite the hot summer days, this is a suitable time for camping trips and picnics. It is common to see families and groups of young people in the locality, and even outside the province, coming to Hue for a picnic.
This style of travel is chosen by many young people because of the great feeling of being immersed in nature and having plentiful scenes to take photos. The chosen camping site is usually a place with a spacious, airy, mountain, river, lake, or by the streams in the middle of the forest, or beaches with beautiful scenery and safe enough to comfortably build a tent.
According to Nguyen Hoai An (from Hue City), camping or picnicking is a form of self-sufficient tourism with low cost. Hue has many favorable destinations for camping and picnicking, including many beaches, creeks, streams and waterfalls in A Luoi, Nam Dong. Right in the heart of Hue city, hilly areas such as Vong Canh or Thien An hills can also bring great experiences.
There are many trips lasting only in a daytime; however, most people choose to have the overnight experience, immerse themselves in the beautiful nature, and enjoy the feeling of spending the night at a "thousand-star hotel".
Nguyen Thi Minh Chau, who has experienced many camping trips at many places inside and outside the province, shared, “At night, you can gather around to grill meat and roast potatoes. My friends and I had nights lying in the middle of the camping area and looking up at the starry night sky. This might be the reason why this kind of traveling with "thousand-star hotels" is more interesting and impressive compared to vacation trips.
Having fun but still being safe
When traveling self-sufficiently, people can do whatever they like, but to have a fun and safe camping trip, it’s not simple as packing a backpack or tent to go, on the contrary, it needs a lot of careful preparation.
Experience by the stream
In addition to checking the weather forecast before going, groups of young people with experience in camping and picnics often spend time traveling in advance, or looking for information in advance about the land to camp. Then, they would draw up a specific plan, including the luggage preparation. According to Minh Chau, water, food, personal hygiene products, tents and cleaning tissues are must-haves when camping.
Going camping in the summer, the rainy season or any season, is to deal with insects, especially when you choose to camp in the forest. Young people who have experience in picnics shared that, to deal with insects, campers should bring long clothes and indispensable insect repellent in their luggage, or bring a sleeping net.
It would not be fun picnics without campfire activities. Gathering with friends and loved ones around the campfire, grilling, chatting and having fun is a memorable experience in any picnic. However, to ensure safety when lighting a campfire, many young people have also drawn a lot of experience to avoid unnecessary trouble.
Nguyen Thien Duc, leader of a backpacking group, shared, “Before starting a campfire, we have to make sure that action is allowed in the camping location. The peak camping season is also the hot season and things are flammable. Therefore, some camping sites in the forest prohibit or limit campfires. Camping groups should also prepare a shovel, dirt pile or bucket of water nearby, in case the fire needs to be extinguished, and avoid setting up campfires on a windy and dry day. In addition, it is also necessary to clear dry leaves and branches around the area before starting the campfire…”.
Temporarily being away from the city's noise and the sound of car horns to enjoy the fresh air and peaceful moments is a fantastic thing from camping trips and picnics. What are you waiting for? Why not pack your bags and go!
Story and photos: Huu Phuc