Adventures in Vietnam

If adventure is in your blood, then Vietnam is a good option, especially given the choice of adventure available. If water sports are your thing, then experience the wilder side of Vietnam by kayaking beneath towering cliffs in Halong Bay. Explore thousands of vertical islands that create a maze of calm waterways, paddle through the hidden sea caves to discover hidden lagoons, swim in the warm waters or simply relax on the beautiful white beaches.

If you lean more towards activities like cycling or trekking, then you can have a lovely time cycling along the vibrant, green paddy fields in the Mekong Delta or Sapa or trekking Mt. Fansipan, the highest peak in Vietnam. 

Besides these activities, a true-blue adventure fan can also explore the central highlands or the far north on bike. From Dalat in the Central Highlands, you can arrange a ride with motorcycle guides who can take you up the Ho Chi Minh Trail and as far as Danang and Hoi An. 

Of course, all this activity tends to make one hungry, and Vietnam is the perfect destination for a gastronomic adventure. Chop, slice and eat your way through Vietnam, experiencing one of the freshest and most fragrant cuisines on the planet. From pho in Hanoi, banh khoai in Hue, banh xeo in Hoi An and banh canh in Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam’s cuisine has attained a legendary status, and rightly so. Drink in cafes and beer halls that sprawl out over city streets, buy fruit from wicker baskets draped over a vendor’s shoulders and sit at market stalls as aromatic noodle soups are whipped up in front of you. Definitely a chance to experience all of Vietnam’s iconic sights, while you spend time cooking with some of the country’s top food experts and get a taste of some amazing cuisines.

“Vietnam is a country that offers unique and unforgettable lessons in culture”, says Nidhi Batra, Little Nirvana Explorers’ co-founder. “It gives you a chance to interact with some amazing locals and pristine, natural beauty in a unique way. It’s also the most versatile destination as it has everything from beautiful beaches to adventurous water sports and innumerable unique sightseeing options, that you will be hard-pressed to find elsewhere.”

Gypsy Travel Festival in January 2017

Mumbai will play host to a new travel festival this January called 'The Gypsy Travel Festival'. Scheduled to take place in January 2017 at High Street Phoenix, this new exhibition will bring travel companies, brands and organizations on one platform to reach out to travellers.

Founded by two enthusiastic individuals - Sumit Lulla and Nelson Noronha are avid travellers themselves. According to them, there is a clear disconnect between the traveler and the destination due to the convoluted flow of information that gets lost between different intermediaries. This disconnect affects the perception of the potential traveler in terms of accessibility, desirability and the notability value of a destination.

Gypsy Travel Media will work with the industry to generate good quality leads and trigger impulse purchases which will be available at the festival. Travel companies across various sectors can network, engage and position their products and services to the customers directly creating a value proposition for restless, young and eager to travel demographics (25-50 years).

This Section A+ and A urban demographic not just has the inclination but also the resources to spend on rich travel experiences. To lure this exact clientele in, GTF will have on offer Virtual Reality Tours, global gourmet cuisines, introduction to new travel experiences and inspirations.

About the Founders

Sumit has been a trade fair consultant for 7 years. He has worked on some of the most noteworthy trade shows across various industries. His affair with travel started 3 years ago and till date he has visited the length and breadth of India and 7 other countries.

A former events manager for the Sydney Olympic park, Australia. Presently the resident food expert for a Sydney based restaurant chain Coco Cubano. Nelson brings in 12+ years of Australian travel and hospitality experience to Gypsy.

Epiphanic experiences

Every experience arouses some sort of epiphany. This seems to be one of the strongest premises for travel as well and explains why more and more people are looking for an ‘experience’ when they travel. Because anything less doesn’t seem to be worth their time, money and effort – and often in that order.

More and more travellers are choosing their destination and activities based on the kind of experience it will provide them. For what is travel if devoid of any meaningful experience? This phenomenon should, in turn, spur operators to embark on their own little journey. ‘What can I offer my client – discerning as they are – that will tempt them to stay with me?’ Fortunately for them, every destination has innumerable products that check all the boxes; they only need to be explored.

There is good news for operators in India. Travel search site Skyscanner revealed that in 2015 Indian travellers were the most experimental in the APAC region based on the traffic on its website, when it came to choosing destinations. The trend continues in 2016 with Indians seeking adventures off the beaten track. It also said that this year, searches to destinations such as Bhutan, Russia (possibly due to the weakening ruble) and the Middle East (not Dubai or Abu Dhabi but Iran and Jordan) went up by 75 per cent. 
  
So what is this ‘experiential’ travel that is furiously trending among travel cliques? It is an intersection of places and ideas, which is where the most fascinating aspects of life unfold. It leads to experiences that often give travelers some level of happiness, satisfaction and even spiritual fulfillment – even if it’s short-lived.