More foreign travelers choose workaway in Vietnam
DNO - Instead of spending money on luxury tours or crowded tourist attractions, a growing number of international travellers are choosing a different kind of journey in Vietnam that involves planting vegetables, herding cows, teaching children and living alongside local families in rural communities.
Trading luxury travel for authentic village life
From Da Nang and Da Lat to Hoi An, Ninh Binh and Ha Giang, the “Workaway” trend is quietly becoming one of the most meaningful travel experiences for young foreigners seeking authentic cultural connections.
As recently reported by VnExpress, at a small farm in Da Nang, 26-year-old Polish traveler Agata Klabińska starts her mornings at 6 a.m., guiding cows to the fields before joining other volunteers to cut grass and water crops.
It is her third time visiting Vietnam, but this time she wanted something deeper than sightseeing.
“I wanted to understand local life instead of just taking photos,” she shared.
What was originally planned as a one-week stay eventually turned into an entire month. Agata now helps manage a group of more than 10 foreign volunteers, taking care of farming activities while also teaching free-of-charge English classes to local children in the afternoons.
For many international visitors, these experiences offer something modern tourism often lacks: human connection.
After long days working outdoors, volunteers gather around simple family meals with local hosts. There may only be soup, vegetables, and fish on the table, but travelers say the warmth and hospitality leave lasting memories.
According to farm owners, most volunteers are under 30 and come from Europe, the United States, and Australia. They are not interested in “checklist tourism.” Instead, they want to live like locals, even if only for a short time.
At Hygge Farm in Da Nang, hundreds of foreigners have applied to volunteer since the beginning of 2026. The farm has welcomed more than 2,000 international volunteers since 2021.
Bringing global travelers closer to rural Vietnam
In particular, movement is also creating positive impacts for local communities. In Da Nang’s countryside areas, local youth organizations have partnered with farms to organize free English classes taught by foreign volunteers.
Residents are becoming more confident communicating with visitors and promoting local agricultural products.
Tourism experts believe this model helps introduce Vietnam to the world in the most natural and heartfelt way possible.
For many visitors, Vietnam’s greatest attraction is not luxury resorts or modern entertainment complexes, but the kindness of its people and the simple beauty of rural life.
As Agata prepared to continue her journey to northern Vietnam, she reflected on the moments she would remember most: riding a motorbike through rice fields at sunrise, sharing meals with villagers and feeling welcomed like family. “These are things money cannot buy,” she affirmed.
Turkish traveller Hurkan Gokkaya, who volunteered at a fruit farm in Da Lat earlier this year, said the experience completely changed his view of travel.
“In big cities, everything moves fast. Here, life begins early but feels peaceful,” he said after tasting passion fruit and dragon fruit freshly picked from the garden for the first time.
The rise of workaway in Vietnam also reflects a broader global shift among younger generations. Many travellers today are looking for slower, more meaningful experiences that allow them to disconnect from technology and reconnect with people, nature, and themselves.