If there’s anything good that happened to me in 2022, it’s my Danang bleisure and adventure! I had the opportunity to be a participant in the 10th VITM, which took place at the Da Nang Exhibition and Convention Center from December 9 to 11, 2022.
The 10th VITM Da Nang 2022
The 10th VITM (Vietnam International Travel Mart) with the theme “Sea and Island Tourism –Strengths of Vietnam Tourism.“was organized by the Vietnam Society of Travel Agents, Da Nang Tourism Association, Da Nang Tourism Department, and JV International JSC.
The four-day event promoted sea-based tourism, which featured 350 booths (run by Vietnamese and foreign exhibitors), including tourism authorities from the Republic of Korea, Japan, Malaysia, and Thailand.
Why I was excited to visit Da Nang
• Da Nang is the tourist capital of South-Central Vietnam. As a large, modern, bustling city, I wanted to experience the beach, food and, of course, learn more about their culture.
• I was interested in learning more about Da Nang’s potential in the sea-based tourism. As a hosted buyer, the challenge for me is how to market this tourist destination. I was astonished to discover that Da Nang is a promising beach destination with a combination of urban amenities with incredible nature. (Beach + lush green mountains + beautiful sunset).
My Da Nang To-Do Checklist
By the way, a bleisure trip, for the sake of those who are not familiar with the term, is a combination of doing business and having pleasure, Of course, I have prepared my own checklist as a guide for what I have to accomplish.
◦ Try their coffee ☕️ with yogurt 🍦
◦ Have a shopping spree 🛍
◦ Hit the beach 🏖
◦ Destress at the spa by having a full body massage
◦ Swim in the pool or take a relaxing dip in the jacuzzi
◦ Enjoy the tour/activities
◦ Get contacts (possible hotel suppliers and tour operators) for TripsDiary Travel & Tours
My Da Nang Bleisure-Adventure
Day 1- Arrival in Vietnam
From Manilla to Ho Chi Minh (Tan Son Nhat International Airport), the flight lasted less than 3 hours. We had to stay at the airport for several hours. At first, we took a cab because we were not aware that the domestic airport is just walking distance 😅🤣😂 A few minutes later, a fellow agent realized that her phone was missing. We walked back to the airport, and after speaking to different people, despite the language barrier, they eventually understood. Somebody alerted the taxi drivers that a mobile phone was missing, and it could probably be in one of the cabs. A moment later, a man approached them and handed her mobile phone. Whew! I thought we’d spend a lot of time waiting for her phone to be retrieved. Thank God there are always good people out there. Good to know that it’s safe to travel to Vietnam!
Because our flight is still in the morning, and the domestic airport isn’t open yet, we decided to buy ourselves a cup of coffee– to keep ourselves alert and awake.
After over an hour, at last, we landed at Da Nang International Airport. Our guide approached us and escorted us outside and waited for a minibus to take us to our hotel.
On our way to the hotel, I couldn’t help but to get more excited! The thought of crystal clear water and powdery sand tempts me to hit the beach immediately — Oh, no! Well, of course, we need to check in, and as usual, take a quick room tour, take a beauty rest for a while, and freshen up!
Our home for our stay in Da Nang is Serene Beach Hotel, a 4 star hotel, and a short walk from the beach. I was alone in my room and I loved the privacy. If only I had stayed in a room with a view of the beach, it would have been perfect. I could see nothing, but another building in my window, but it’s fine.
The room was clean and cozy. Basically, all the things I need are there– coffee station, soft and comfy bed, charging station for my mobile phone, iPad, and powerbank, a clean bathroom with a hot shower and vanity area where I place my skincare kit.
Before I slept for a few hours, I called the restaurant and ordered the afternoon tea for 2 pax to be delivered to my room. I couldn’t believe because the price is only VND249,000 net/2 pax or Php586.01. To make sure, I called and verified the price, but I had difficulty understanding their accent. Thanks to Brian, who explained everything to me and helped me place my order. I preferred the food to be delivered in my room because I was resting that time, but the good thing is, you can also have it delivered in the pool area.
Afternoon Tea Inclusions
Sandwich/Pizza (Ham/Cheese Sandwich, Tuna Sandwich, Mini Chicken Pizza)
Vietnamese Food (Fresh Spring Rolls, Seafood Spring Rolls, Pork Skewer)
Sweet Cake (Strawberry mousse, Green tea, chocolate cake, Mini eclair)
Healthy Food (Fruit Yougurt, Fresh sliced fruits)
Drinks (Green Tea or Vietnamese Coffee)
Daily Special (Strawberry Waffles, Strawberry Jam, Whipping Cream)
So after the beauty rest, we already prepped up for the gala welcome dinner at the Ariyana Convention Center.
Even before the event started, we had the chance to go around and bond with the other travel agents and meet possible suppliers ❣️ Too bad, because of too much excitement, I wasn’t able to bring my business cards 🤣🤣🤣 Oh, well…
The welcome dinner is more than what I have imagined. Yes, aside from the colorful and elegant decorations, festive ambiance, sumptuous food, and show-stopping performances, the real purpose of the event has been announced. It’s a good news to the tourism industry that finally, more tourist destinations in VIETNAM are now accessible to the public. More importantly, it was a pleasure for me to be a part of the event and let the whole world know what Da Nang has to offer.
I was thrilled to meet new travel partners in the B2B event. I will be devoting a separate post for a listicle featuring the best hotels in Da Nang, Vietnam 🇻🇳 So, should you decide to have your next adventure in Da Nang, you know where to stay…We were not able to extend our stay last year, I could have visited some hotels so I can personally share my experience. Anyway, I have plans of visiting Da Nang again sometime this year to give you more comprehensive details about what can you explore.
This ends the first part of My Da Nang Bleisure-Adventure Part 1. I will be posting about our Day 2,3 and 4 soon. This will feature the VITM B2B event and the tour activities that we have done during our trip. You can have a sneak peek 🫣 of our Vietnam 🇻🇳 trip by watching the video below ⬇️. Bye for now! 😘❤️
Love,
look interesting adventure. I love read your blog, thank for the sharing nice adventure
Thank you so much ☺️❤️ Yes, it’s a nice adventure and I will definitely come back!