We booked the trip three days before flying. It was one of those decisions that happened spontaneously, thinking, “let’s just go somewhere.” Vietnam wasn’t even a long-held dream destination for us. It just happened. We had initially planned to visit Thailand, but because the visa process took a long time, we had to find an alternative and do it quickly.

We boarded the flight, and little did we know that what awaited us wasn’t just another trip; it was a series of experiences that shocked us, delighted us, and changed our perspective on travel and life.

First Impressions: A City That Felt Alive

Stepping out of the airport, the first thing that hit me was the blend of energy and peace. Da Nang is Vietnam’s fourth-largest city, but it doesn’t feel overwhelming like some megacities. Instead, it balances a vibrant urban life with wide roads, clean beaches, and a relaxed coastal atmosphere.

From the moment we arrived, we felt like we had landed in a place that needed no hype. It simply existed, and that was enough. We were super excited for our journey ahead.

The food wasn’t just good. It was unforgettable.

If I had to pick one thing that Da Nang surprised us with the most, it would be the food. Not just the flavors, but the way of eating.

We wanted a trip to relax and have a wonderful time together. Lying on the beach, drinking refreshing beverages, and taking amazing pictures—that was what we thought we would do. But, as soon as we checked into our hotel, we went for lunch. That first taste of Phở and Bánh mì introduced us to what we were about to experience. They came from a small street-side shop with plastic stools that looked like they’d collapse under any real pressure. No fancy menu; just steam rising from massive pots and locals slurping noodles like it was a sacred ritual.

We also tried Mi Quang (turmeric rice noodles in a rich, savory broth with herbs and meat), Bánh Xèo (crispy, savory Vietnamese pancakes filled with shrimp and pork), and Fresh seafood straight from the beaches, grilled or steamed with lemon grass and lime.

One sip of the broth, and my wife looked at me like, “Why doesn’t food taste like this everywhere?”

Everything tasted fresh, clean, and balanced. Even the simplest dishes had depth. What shocked me most wasn’t just how good the food was — it was how accessible it was—incredible meals for the price of a coffee back home.

The food was so good that we would be full at any time of the day.

Vietnamese coffee is a whole different religion

Vietnamese coffee—just wow!

Let’s just say I thought we “liked” coffee before Vietnam, but Vietnamese coffee redefined what coffee could be. The salt coffee was our favorite. Then, we tried coconut coffee and egg coffee (yes, real egg). I was skeptical about egg coffee at first, but it ended up tasting like a liquid dessert—creamy, rich, and strangely comforting.

The coffee made each cup feel like a mini ceremony. Even now, we still crave that bold, slightly sweet sip each morning.

We drank at least three cups of coffee every day. Sometimes, we also tried Matcha drinks, which were of a whole other level.

The coffee culture really shocked us. There were cafes everywhere. They weren’t the loud, rushed kind. Instead, these were places where people sit, talk, think, work, or do absolutely nothing (except scrolling on their phones). People would drink coffee and matcha every day, even at night.

The language barrier didn’t become as much of a problem as we thought.

We didn’t know a single word of Vietnamese—not even “Hello.” Yet somehow, we never felt lost.

Yes, it wasn’t easy to communicate with the locals. It is sometimes reduced to hand gestures, smiles, and pointing at photos on menus. But something was interesting about that. People were patient, kind, and genuinely helpful.

Shop owners would laugh with us, not at us. Taxi drivers would double-check destinations instead of pretending to understand. And cafe staff would take extra time just to make sure we were comfortable.

It reminded me that human connection doesn’t depend entirely on language and words. Instead, sometimes it just needs warmth and mutual curiosity.

The motorbikes were pure chaos (yet somehow, organized)

Nothing prepares you for Vietnamese traffic. Motorbikes everywhere, flowing like water. Crossing roads was a challenge sometimes. They felt like a psychological test. But, thankfully, we are from Nepal—the situation is much worse here.

So we figured it out eventually. After a few hours on the road, we were casually walking through traffic as if we belonged there.

It was shocking to me how something that looked so chaotic actually worked so smoothly. There was an unspoken rhythm to it—one that made sense once you surrendered control.

The work culture that quietly impressed us

One of the most unexpected surprises was the work culture.

We saw young people everywhere—working in cafes, markets, small shops, and creative spaces. Many restaurants were filled with people working on laptops, designing, editing videos, creating content, or managing online businesses. They had coffee in hand and a focus in their eyes.

They worked hard, without the constant stress we often associate with work. It transformed how I thought about productivity and work—balanced, intentional, and human.

Everything was shockingly cheap.

Vietnam reset entirely our understanding of value. A full meal—noodles, meat, herbs, and soup—often costs less than a cup of coffee back home. We ordered food, ate until we were full, and still double-checked the bill because it felt unreal.

The coffee was so good and shockingly cheap. It was less than $1 on the streets and a little over $2 in fancy cafes. That’s unreal.

Groceries like fresh fruits, vegetables, snacks, and drinks were ridiculously affordable. We’d walk into a local store, grab a bag full of items, and walk out shocked at how little we paid (often less than $10).

Even cafes with beautiful, aesthetically pleasing spaces where people worked for hours charged prices that made us stay longer without guilt.

The best part was that cheap didn’t mean low quality. The food was as good, and the coffee was on a whole other level.

Exploring Da Nang—Beaches, Views, and Hidden Gems

Da Nang surprised us with more than just flavors and vibes. Its landscapes were equally awe-inspiring.

Beaches for Days

Our hotel was near My Khe Beach, which welcomed us with soft white sands and gentle seas that seemed to melt away stress with each wake. Locals jogged, played volleyball, and cooled off in the turquoise water as the sun dipped low over the horizon.

Bà Nà Hills and the Golden Bridge

We took a cable car up to the Bà Nà Hills, high above the city, where cool mountain air and the iconic Golden Bridge (supported by enormous stone hands) felt like something out of a fairytale.

The views were unreal, and the sight of people walking on that golden arc made our spontaneous trip feel like destiny. Unfortunately, the weather wasn’t perfect when we reached the hills. It was slightly raining and heavily clouded, yet we still spent a fantastic afternoon there.

Dragon Bridge: Fire and Lights

At night, the famous Dragon Bridge lights up and even breathes fire and water on weekends—a spectacle that made us pause and laugh at how unexpectedly awesome our trip had become.

Marble Mountain and The Lady Buddha

We also visited the famous Marble Mountain and the Lady Buddha statue in two separate days. They gave us insight into ancient culture and artistry, reminding us that this city is steeped in deep history as well as modern charm.

The Trip That Became a Story

We went to Vietnam with no expectations. And maybe that’s why it hit us so hard.

Vietnam shocked us with how affordable, kind, flavorful, and balanced life felt there. It showed us that you don’t need luxury to live well. Instead, you can easily access good food, strong coffee, meaningful work, and human connection if you want.

Sometimes, the best trips aren’t planned. They’re felt.

Vietnam stayed with us long after we boarded the flight back home.

The post I Travelled to Vietnam, and What I Experienced Was Shocking appeared first on Biliz Maharjan.

Every business today is online, even if it isn’t an e-commerce store. It’s because almost every business needs at least a website, social media pages, and online engagement with customers. If your business isn’t online in some form, it is almost as if it does not exist.

When your business is online, you must create content for the audience. You can make different forms of online content—video, graphics, audio (podcast), blog posts, etc.

Written content (blog posts) is compulsory for all businesses. Even if you produce audio and video content, you must include a blog section on your company’s official website.

Many businesses fail because of bad marketing. Blogging is a marketing strategy that can help your business grow organically. Unfortunately, many business owners are unaware of blogging strategies that can help market their products and services.

Instead, they only choose expensive marketing strategies like sponsored ads.

Why do businesses need a blog?

Having a blog for your business has several benefits. Below are some of the most significant ones.

1. Establish customer relationship

Customers need information about your business—what you do, your products/services, and the value you provide to people. The best way to provide detailed information is by writing blog posts.

It can also help you build better relationships with your customers. They will read your posts, learn about your products, and some will try to engage by commenting and sharing.

You can answer their queries, solve their problems, and share other essential information about your business.

Your customers will trust you more, and they might even spread the word about the business to others.

2. Build brand awareness

People consume a lot of online content every day. According to Smart Insights, there are 4.62 billion social media users worldwide in 2022.

These users consume videos, articles, pictures, infographics, and other content types.

Creating quality content online helps you build brand awareness. People will know about your products and services, who you are, how you work, and what you do. Your content should be on all platforms if you want to reach more people.

Blogging helps search engine ranking. It means that people will find your articles on Google easily. But the best part about written content is that you can repurpose it into other content forms like video, audio, and graphics.

So, you can reach out to more customers on all platforms by writing blog posts.

3. Search engine ranking

Blogging is the best way to increase your search engine ranking. You can do that by writing SEO-optimized blog posts related to your business.

SEO stands for search engine optimization. It is the practice of using several content strategies to get your content to rank at the top of search engines like Google, Bing, and Yahoo.

SEO allows you to receive organic traffic to your website, blog posts, or landing pages.

The best way to use SEO on your blog posts is by focusing on the right keywords, using images and links, and optimizing the writing structure.

Receiving organic traffic saves money and will also increase potential customers for your business.

4. Lead generation

When you have engaging articles that receive high traffic, it becomes easier for you to convert readers into sales leads for your business.

You can do this by collecting emails from your visitors. You can send them newsletters and offers about your business, products, and services.

5. Earn money

Blogging is a great way to earn passive income online. You can monetize your blog and earn some extra cash from it.

Display advertisements, sponsors, affiliate marketing, and digital product sales are great ways to earn money from a blog.

While your business generates money from its operations, you can also make a side income from your blog. So it’s a win-win strategy.

How to grow your business with a blog?

Now that you know why blogging is essential for your business, I’ll tell you how you can grow your blog. Use the following strategies to make the most out of your business blog.

# Create content regularly

Publish blog posts frequently, at least 2-3 articles a week. It’s best to hire a freelance writer to take care of writing, editing, and publishing.

It takes time for a blog to grow organically. So, you must write at least 20 articles before seeing actual growth.

Don’t forget to share your articles on social media platforms, where you can find many customers for your business.

Make sure that your content is valuable to the readers. Don’t just write about your business. Write how-to guides, tutorials, hacks, and tips that are helpful to people.

# Engage with the audience

Allow people to comment on your articles. That way, you increase audience engagement.

They might ask you about your business, products, and services. On the other hand, they might also provide feedback and criticize whatever is written on the post. Read comments and reply to them. Acknowledge them, learn, and improve.

Building good customer relationships is crucial for business success.

# Collect emails

You must collect emails from your visitors, whether they are your customers or not. Emails are powerful tools that can help you grow your business.

Set up a landing page or a simple pop-up box that asks for each visitor’s email.

It is always better to give them something in exchange. It could be a newsletter subscription, a simple PDF guide, ebooks, or access to special services.

Send emails regularly about your business, its products/services, news, updates, and future activities. Keep your customers engaged with valuable content.

# Focus on SEO

Make sure you write SEO-optimized articles. As I said, it helps rank on search engines and brings organic traffic to your articles.

Your goal is to get as many people to read your articles. Find high-volume keywords relevant to your business niche and write blog posts on them.

Learn more about writing SEO-friendly blog posts in this article.

# Repurpose your content

The best way to reach more audience is by creating multiple forms of content. You can repurpose your blog post into videos, audio, graphics, and more.

Every social media has its content preference. For example, Instagram uses pictures, Twitter uses short texts, YouTube allows long videos, TikTok allows reels and short videos, and Pinterest is best for infographics.

Repurpose your blog post into each form and post on all your business’s social platforms. You will be able to reach more people and generate blog traffic.

Read more about repurposing in this article.

In Summary

Blogging is an effective marketing strategy for your business. Every business must include a blog that discusses its products/services and provide value to readers.

The benefits of having a blog for your business are:

1. Establish customer relationship
2. Build brand awareness
3. Search engine ranking
4. Lead generation
5. Earn money

For you to grow your blog, you must incorporate several blogging strategies.

• Create content regularly
• Engage with the audience
• Collect emails
• Focus on SEO
• Repurpose your content

If you have a business or a startup, start a blog today. See how it transforms your business in the long run.

However, don’t expect success right away. Blogging is not like sponsored ads. It takes time, but growth is inevitable.

The post Why Every Business Must Have A Blog For Long-Term Growth appeared first on Biliz Maharjan.

A year ago, I had never written a single article because I did not know I could write.

I started this blog out of boredom during the COVID-19 lockdown. Today, it has become a big part of my life. What started out as a way to pass my time, has given me a new meaning in life. I can call myself a writer now.

This article is just a quick reflection on how writing has changed my life.

I have not written for big publications (yet). I have not written viral articles. I don’t have hundreds and thousands of readers every day.

That is completely fine because these were never my intentions. I still don’t care about these things.

I write because I love to write. It’s that simple.

Writing has taught me a lot of things in life. I have learned to express myself better. My thinking capacity has grown. I have learned to do more of the things that I love. I have had more opportunities in life because of my writing. My life has become disciplined and fun at the same time.

This is a whole new world I have discovered. I read and follow the work of other writers on sites like Medium, Vocal Media, Addicted2Success, etc. I have learned so much from these writers. They are my mentors, guides, and inspiration. Even though I do not know them personally, I would like to acknowledge them. I never took any course in writing. I learned almost everything about writing from them.

Writing is something that everyone should do. Like I have said in my recent article, everyone is a writer. We write emails, text messages, social media posts, tweets, comments, etc., almost on a daily basis. Writing is basically about expressing your thoughts, feelings, and stories. You do the same when you are writing emails, text messages, and social media posts. If you can learn to express more deeply, you can write 1000-word articles every day.

I have made writing a daily habit. I don’t necessarily write long articles every day, but I make sure to write something because I have to exercise my writing muscle. If I don’t do it, my muscles get loose.

I take writing as a job now, where I show up every day to write. Writing makes me feel free. So I have no intention of stopping anytime soon.

Lastly, I want to acknowledge my readers. Even though I say that I don’t write for the views, I appreciate you all taking the time to read my articles. So I would like to thank every single one of you.

If you like my articles, please subscribe to my blog by dropping your emails below (or here). I will be putting out more awesome content that will be of great value to you. So make sure you don’t miss out on them.

The post A Quick Reflection appeared first on Biliz Maharjan.