Nearly two weeks after returning from a family vacation to Sam Son Beach in Thanh Hoa Province at the end of June, members of Nguyen Thi Dao's extended family in Hanoi are still talking about what became their largest gathering ever.

The three-day, two-night trip brought together 100 relatives spanning four generations, including elderly family members, siblings, cousins, children and great-grandchildren.

"This was a reunion of my husband's paternal family, bringing together the descendants of his grandparents' nine children," Dao said. "Both of my husband's grandparents have passed away. The oldest participant on this trip was my husband's eldest uncle, who is 75 years old.

"We had organized family trips before, but usually only 20 to 40 people joined. This was the first time so many relatives came together," she said.

According to Dao, the idea of organizing the biggest possible family holiday first emerged during the family's year-end gathering.

By March, relatives had begun discussing destinations and planning the itinerary before deciding on Sam Son for the late-June reunion.

Her parents-in-law and several of her husband's siblings still live in the same village in Ung Thien Commune, Hanoi, while younger generations are based in Hanoi's urban districts and nearby provinces including Bac Ninh and Hung Yen, making it relatively easy to coordinate the trip.

Although the extended family has nearly 150 members, some relatives living farther away were unable to arrange time off to attend.

Thirty rooms for one family

To avoid worrying about logistics, the family hired a travel company to arrange transportation, accommodation, restaurants and group activities.

They traveled from Hanoi aboard three large coaches, departing early in the morning. For accommodation, the family rented three seaside villas offering a total of 30 bedrooms. Each villa featured 10 bedrooms, a private swimming pool and spacious outdoor areas where adults could relax while children played together.

Meals were served at local restaurants throughout the trip. Each meal accommodated the group across 12 banquet tables, with menus featuring seven to eight seafood dishes.

Before departure, family members also prepared around 50 baguettes, 5 kilograms of sticky rice, 15 kilograms of Vietnamese pork sausage, along with large quantities of fruit and drinks for the journey.

"Everyone woke up between four and five in the morning, but both adults and children were excited and looking forward to the trip," Dao said.

One of the highlights of the vacation was a series of team-building games on the beach, bringing relatives of all ages together through friendly competition.

Strengthening family bonds

During their stay, the family visited local attractions including Hon Trong Mai (Cock Fighting Islets) and Doc Cuoc Temple.

They also organized a gala dinner and team-building activities designed to strengthen relationships across generations.

During the evening celebration, family members performed songs, socialized and presented awards to children who had achieved strong academic results.

"The trip wasn't just about relaxing," Dao said. "We also wanted to use the occasion to thank our parents with meaningful gifts and activities that brought everyone closer together. Seeing the smiles on our fathers' and mothers' faces made us, as their children, feel incredibly happy and proud."

The warm gala evening also included small gifts for both the children and the family's elderly members.

According to Dao, the three-day, two-night holiday cost around VND300 million (US$11,500). Each household in the third generation contributed about VND7 million (US$270), while the eldest brother covered a substantial additional share of the expenses. Grandparents and young children did not contribute financially.

Although the trip lasted only a few days, Dao said it created lasting memories for everyone.

The elderly enjoyed swimming in the sea, visiting local attractions and spending quality time with their children and grandchildren, while the younger generation took part in games and received meaningful gifts.

"For our generation, the greatest value was how much closer everyone became," she said. "Our family is so large that many cousins rarely had the chance to spend time together before. After this trip, we understand each other better, and everyone hopes to continue this tradition in the years ahead."

Thao Trinh