Dona the goose: Feathered friend on cross-Vietnam journey

Vinh, 41, commonly known as Ty, is a native of southern Dong Nai Province, while Dona is the goose that hatched from an egg he once forgot to cook.

Earlier this week, Ty and Dona were seen leaving Dat Mui Commune of southernmost Ca Mau Province, heading back toward the province’s center before continuing their trek north along National Highway 1, which winds through the forests of Ca Mau Cape National Park.

The duo has become a familiar sight to many.

“They treat each other like best friends or even father and child,” said Nguyen Thi Dung from Ca Mau’s Bac Lieu Ward after meeting them on the road.

“He poured water for himself and then gave some to Dona; it was very touching.”

Dona is not just a companion; the goose walks briskly, deftly avoids vehicles, bathes in rivers, and even "nuzzles its owner to flatter him," prompting many passersby to stop, take photos, and record videos for social media.

“It walks so fast I couldn’t keep up,” said one pedestrian who tried to follow them for a short distance.

Ty, carrying a backpack and pushing the now-defunct electric bike loaded with supplies, has roamed almost all of Vietnam's provinces and cities for over a year and a half.

He has no permanent home, no fixed schedule — just determination and the companionship of Dona.

“When it first hatched, it was so weak I had to feed it rice by hand,” Ty recalled.

“Now it eats grass and noodles — whatever I eat, I share with it. It’s clever, always avoiding vehicles wherever we go. When I rest in my hammock, she lies beneath it.

“This morning, it jumped into the water for a bath. I scolded it, and later it started nuzzling my face like it was apologizing," Ty recounted.

“I used to walk up to 40 kilometers a day alone.

“Now with Dona, I walk slower to let the goose rest, graze, and drink. We only cover about 20-25 kilometers a day,” Ty said, gently patting the bike, which has a water bottle and some rice attached—just in case Dona gets hungry on a deserted stretch of road.

Worried that the goose might hurt its feet, Ty even sewed soft fabric shoes for it.

When one pair was too tight and caused bleeding, he let Dona ride on the bike for a long stretch to heal.

“It’s my friend,” he said simply. “I love it like family.”

Along the way, people have offered to buy Dona, with some offering thousands of dollars.

On one occasion, a passerby named Manh witnessed someone offering US$1,000, but Ty refused and said, "It’s with me for company. I’m not selling it. We’ll stay together as long as we can.”

Ty’s meals often consist of instant noodles and wild vegetables gathered roadside, cooked over a fire made from dry twigs.

He sometimes catches snails or clams, and occasionally receives food from locals.

He also collects plastic bottles along the road to sell, using the money to buy grain for Dona.

Their image — a rugged man pulling a broken electric bike with a white goose loyally walking at his side — has become a quiet symbol of simplicity, resilience, and unexpected friendship amid the hustle of everyday life.