From Cuba to Somalia: TravPholer’s founder is on a quest to uncover the world’s unexplored wonders

TravPholer organises tours to nearly 120 locations by collaborating and planning the itinerary with a network of local business partners. One of its first trips was to Somalia in East Africa, which is known for being plagued by conflict and crime.

Lam had built connections with people in the travel industry during his college trips to the region. In Asia, they visit places known for their rich and unique natural resources. The company also covers Latin American destinations such as Belize and Guatemala, countries known for their Mayan culture.

“One of the most challenging aspects of exploring these areas is that their government policies are constantly changing. For instance, in West Africa, there have been frequent coups. We had to cancel a tour to Niger last year because of this. We always prepare in advance and react to real-time information,” Lam says.

Lam’s team prioritises safety by avoiding dangerous locations and communicating with local governments and communities about their travel intentions, sometimes using safety measures such as an armoured car. “As long as we are safe, all the experiences from the trip are positive. You walk away from the experience knowing more about the world and how others live. Even if you witness bribery, it’s all part of the experience,” he says. 

They bring guests to cultural spots at the destinations and arrange for them to meet with a local family. “This allows travellers to see what a local home looks like and interact with the residents. The translator reminds us to avoid sensitive topics, but overall, the conversations are carried out without boundaries,” he says.

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Before Lam had the chance to go on solo trips, he harboured a strong curiosity about other cultures, religions and languages. “When I was in secondary school, I visited religious spots like mosques and Hindu temples and asked the people there about their religion. I also learned Arabic in a mosque. Through these experiences, I found that their stories are markedly different from the versions I read online or in the media. From then on, I had the urge to travel the world and meet people everywhere to discover their authentic experiences,” he says.

As a student majoring in Global Business at the City University of Hong Kong, he participated in a one-semester programme and landed an internship outside Hong Kong. With support from his institution, he chose Mexico; he wanted to travel as far as possible. Although Mexico was often seen as a country with high crime rates and drugs, the trip marked the first chapter in Lam’s travel journey—he has since visited almost 70 countries.

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In Mexico, Lam learned about Santa Muerte, a local folk saint of death believed to provide protection, healing and financial abundance. The local Catholic church, however, has condemned Santa Muerte, considering it to be a cult of criminals and drug traffickers. The saint is often also linked to crime in popular culture, most notably in the American TV drama Breaking Bad, which featured an enigmatic shrine filled with candles and roses dedicated to the deity.

“It was interesting to see how Mexican culture fused with Catholicism brought in by [the country’s former ruler] Spain to create this new culture. It reflects the local community’s challenging livelihood as they seek solace from alternative beliefs and spiritual symbols,” he says. Often, the devotees of this skeletal deity are marginalised members of society, including the urban working class and petty criminals.

Mexico is now one of the destinations offered for tours by TravPholer. On a recent trip, Lam visited a Santa Muerte temple where various rituals were performed and consecrated items were sold. One of his tour guests even participated in a fortune-telling ritual.

“The officiant drew a symbol on the floor with gunpowder and our guest stepped on it. He then lit the gunpowder and observed the fire to determine the guest’s luck based on how the fire ignited the gunpowder. It turned out that my guest had bad luck. The officiant suggested we visit later for a few more ceremonies to address that,” Lam recalls.

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While many travel agencies in Hong Kong have closed their physical stores and transitioned to operating online, Lam is opening his first physical location in the city. “When you organise tours to rare locations, it’s important to establish trust with customers. They are reluctant to sign up if you only exist online. Having this store lets them know we are a serious business and are investing resources into running it,” he says.

TravPholer, in addition to organising tours, also arranges workshops and lectures to educate people about the history and culture of their destinations. There is typically insufficient information about these far-flung locations readily available. After the store’s opening, they plan to host events and set up a library containing travel-related books and information on various countries. The last thing on Lam’s to-do list is to pivot the app they launched eight years ago to focus on community building.

“Ultimately, our goal is to become a travel agency specialising in hosting Grand Tours,” says Lam. “These trips will challenge individuals to learn and grow mentally. We will focus on travellers from the Chinese-speaking region, as we all need more travel resources. I also hope to break down misunderstandings within the community through our mutual interest in travel and building friendships.”

After returning from a trip in June, Lam is already preparing for another trip to West Africa, a region new to him that he is eager to explore further. “Besides work, it’s important to remember to keep our curiosity about the world.”

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