Nguyen Thien Phuoc is 32, married with one son and was born in Xuan Ha in Danang. Before becoming a tour guide in the central region of Vietnam, Happy, as he’s more commonly known, worked as a tour operator and marketing officer in Hoi An. He loves to eat seafood, drink green tea, his favourite sports are football and billiards and he would love to visit Thailand and Italy. Happy is happiest when he’s enjoying a visit to one of Vietnam’s fifty-four ethnic minority groups or in an area of natural beauty like Halong Bay.

Nguyen Hong Phong, known as Wind, was born in Ha Tay province and graduated from Hanoi university before becoming a tour guide six years ago. He’s married with one daughter. Kayaking is his favourite pastime and he likes nothing more than to kayak amongst the karst landscapes in Halong Bay. At mealtimes, his preferred menu includes Cha Ca La Vong (fish grilled in a charcoal brazier with noodles) and fruit-shake smoothies.

Dang Thai Hoa was an English teacher before becoming a tour guide in Sapa in 1999. He was born in Yen Bai in Lao Cai province thirty years ago and is married with one son. His three favourite places in Vietnam are Sapa, Hoi An and Dalat. To eat, he loves grilled mackerel wrapped in banana leaves or chicken and to drink, gin and tonic. Mountain-biking along the Ho Chi Minh trails is his idea of relaxation and the USA is the country he’d love to visit.

Nguyen Xuan Thuan is 28 and single, and was born in Lang Son. From 2003 he worked as a tour guide in Sapa after previous jobs as a waiter and receptionist while studying. Halong Bay and Sapa are his favourite parts of Vietnam. Though China is less than 50 kms from his home village, Thuan has never been there and would love to visit Vietnam’s neighbouring country. He enjoys a game of table tennis and loves to eat crab and drink white wine.

Nguyen Van Phu was born in Hanoi but now lives in Saigon. He’s 26 years old and single, working as a receptionist before qualifying as a tour guide in 2003. He’s very popular with American and Canadian tour groups and his favourite part of Vietnam is the mountainous areas around Sapa and Ha Giang. Malaysia is a country he’d like to visit, Thai kick-boxing his preferred sport while crispy fried chicken washed down with a cold beer is his mealtime preference.