Brasil Nguyen, whose full name is Nguyen Nam Hieu, was previously a music producer and emerging actor before turning to travel blogging. He arranged music for well-known Vietnamese singers and joined several music competitions with notable results.
He said he earned about USD 5,000-6,000, a month during his music career, but rising pressure and industry changes pushed him to pursue a different path.
Brasil Nguyen was formerly a music producer and emerging actor before shifting to travel blogging
After a brief business venture, Nguyen began filming daily life, street food and travel. His videos quickly attracted large audiences, laying the foundation for a full-time career in content creation. He spent months studying creator business models to build financial independence, earning income mainly from collaborations with tourism operators and travel product promotions.
“It allows me to keep sharing authentic experiences without turning my journeys into ads. I simply tell the story of a Vietnamese traveller seeing the world with his own eyes,” he said.
Brasil Nguyen recognised by Guinness World Records as the first Vietnamese to visit 100 countries in two years before turning 30
A turning point came in 2023, when he was invited to promote an international cruise. The response to the footage confirmed his passion for travel.
Nguyen’s TikTok channel now has more than 500,000 followers, making him one of Vietnams most recognisable travel bloggers overseas. Within two years, he visited 100 countries across South America, Africa, Europe and the Middle East.
Guinness World Records certified him as the first Vietnamese to visit 100 countries in two years before turning 30, and as the first Vietnamese to earn income from travel content abroad.
He has now visited 118 countries, producing hundreds of videos about culture, cuisine and destinations. He plans to spend much of 2025 exploring North America, with 18 new stops planned.
Nguyen estimates that travelling to nearly 120 countries typically costs about VND 4-5 billion (approximately USD 152,000-190,000) , depending on transport, length of stay and spending needs. Coming from a working-class family, he said most of the support he receives is emotional rather than financial.
“I am proudest of my Vietnamese passport,” he said. “I want to show that Vietnamese people can go far, reach new places and return home with the same pride.”
His most memorable destinations include Switzerland, with its dramatic landscapes and historic towns, and Israel, a major centre of global religions.
For Nguyen, travel is not only about records but also a journey of self-discovery, from leaving the stage to sharing Vietnamese stories across five continents.
