Ha Long: 10 million VND donated by German tourists to flood-affected areas.

Before leaving Ha Long for Germany, Andreas Scholz left an envelope containing 10 million VND and a letter for the hotel owner in Tuan Chau, asking him to buy rice to support people affected by natural disasters and floods. On the morning of November 27th, he confirmed that he had sent the money the day before. The money was used to buy 830 kg of rice and delivered to the relief team under the name Andy.

The letter and 10 million VND in Tuan Chau

In the letter, Andy wrote that he had been following the news, seeing many images and videos of the devastating consequences of the floods, and wanted to do something for those suffering losses. “I believe you can help me with this. I love Vietnam and its friendly, kind people. I hope I can be of some help,” Andy wrote.

The hotel owner, Ms. Hai, said she was surprised to receive the envelope because during Andy's three-day stay, he didn't ask about the flood situation in Central Vietnam. After discussing it, she used all the money to buy rice and sent it to the relief team under Andy's name.

Ms. Hai said Andy's kindness was precious because he was just a tourist, not a resident of Vietnam. The story was then widely shared on social media, receiving many thank-you messages to the German tourist.

Journey and decision to change route

Andy visited Vietnam last December, traveling to Sa Pa, Ninh Binh, Hue, Da Nang, and Hoi An; he avoided the southern provinces due to the rainy season. Returning to Vietnam in mid-November 2025, he visited Ho Chi Minh City and then Da Lat. He had planned to visit Nha Trang last week, but due to flooding, Andy changed his itinerary to Da Nang and ended his trip in Ha Long.

During his time in Ha Long, Andy followed the media and social networks to stay updated on storms and floods in the southern provinces. “Seeing people sitting on rooftops waiting for rescue, I thought I needed to do something. At that moment, I felt like I was a part of this country,” he said.

Community acknowledges

Many comments on social media expressed appreciation: “It’s wonderful to see foreigners caring about the difficult circumstances of Vietnamese people even though it’s not their responsibility,” Minh An shared. “Foreign visitors come here and feel like they’ve become a part of this place,” Tuan Linh said.

Andy said he regularly donates to charity in Germany because he earns a good salary as an engineer. "I want to share because many people would need that money more than I do," he said.

The context of floods and heavy rains in South Central Vietnam.

As of November 26th, floods in South Central Vietnam have killed 98 people, destroyed 426 houses, and damaged nearly 2,100 others. Economic losses are estimated at over 13 trillion VND; Dak Lak and Khanh Hoa, along with Gia Lai, were severely affected. Earlier in October, a group of tourists from Colombia, the Netherlands, and the United States also participated in clearing mud and repairing houses to help people in Tuyen Quang and Thai Nguyen recover after the storm.

Lessons learned from Andy's journey

• Monitor the media and social networks to stay updated on natural disasters while traveling, just like Andy did in Ha Long.
• Andy was flexible and changed his itinerary if his intended destination was flooded; he diverted his route from Nha Trang to Da Nang.
• The rainy season can affect plans in the southern provinces; last year Andy didn't go to the area because it was the rainy season.
• If you want to support the local community, you can send donations through the local accommodation provider to the relief team, as Andy did when he asked his hotel owner to buy rice and donate it.