Only half a day of scenic drive out of Hanoi, there’s an area where a few travelers have ever made way to, largely due to poor infrastructure until the recent past. Pu Luong – as strange as the name may sound – turns out to be a heaven for photographers. Lush green scenery of a Nature Reserve, bucolic view, simple and authentic living style of the local, cool climate. All have made Pu Luong a place where photographers cannot afford skipping. Join us as we take you to the heart of this photography paradise.
Back in the 2000s, not many outsiders would hear of Pu Luong Nature Reserve. The place was a jungle are with small communities of minority groups. Infrastructure was simple and villagers struggle in the rainy season to move back and forth on the muddy trails. And we had not Vietnam photography trips made way here
Several years ago, some fancy lodges were built in Pu Luong. following an infrastructure development. And more photos of Pu Luong were shared online. Then photographers started to come, and Pu Luong became a name on the itinerary of our Vietnam photography trips.
The first striking thing was a winding and upward road leading to Pu Luong. It was an astonishing and thrilling experience riding motorbike with camera bag on my back. The road started from a mountain foot, made its way uphill, then went above the shrouded clouds. Along the way, it slithered through small minority community.
When getting closer to Pu Luong, cascading rice fields form a strikingly scenic wall leading the way. Nestled in valleys or within mountain foot are small, grass-roof houses of the local Thai or Muong minorities. A peaceful countryside scene and so picturesque.
When is the best time to come to Pu Luong for photography?
Pu Luong is located right in the heart of the Nature Reserve, pristine scenery of primitive forests is everywhere. As a result, Pu Luong is beautiful and peaceful all year round. And a photographer can go shooting or look for some relaxation at any time of the year. However, there are 02 times that Pu Luong changes itself. These are the times that Pu Luong is best for photography trips in Vietnam. These are the beginning and the end of each rice crop. The first one starts in Feb and ends in June. The second one starts in July and ends in October.
During these months, expect to see farmers working in the rice field with various activities for your photography. In Feb and July, when the water floods the field, Pu Luong looks like a giant mirror reflecting the sky above. In June and Oct, it changes itself to a gigantic golden carpet, covering the valleys and hillsides.
Pu Luong houses
Where to stay in Pu Luong on your Vietnam photography trip?
Multiple choices of accommodation are available at Pu Luong, thanks to Vietnam’s recent development programs in the mountains. You can choose to stay in fancier accommodations like: Pu Luong retreat or Pu Luong tree house. There is also a dozen of home-stays of the Thai and the Muong, where guests are accommodated in a large room with soft mattresses laid on the floor of a house on stilts. These are great places to base yourself for photography, since a walk of some minutes will reveal stunning scenery of mountains, clouds and rice terraces with farmers working. Best scenery is within a walking distance.
Which lens to use for Pu Luong on your Vietnam photography trip?
A tele lens is firstly needed, since the rice terraces stretch afar. The misty mountain tops, farmers working in the field are things to consider. Of course, a wide angle lens can’t be lacked, since you will get to walk into the field and be with the farmers for close-up shots.
Yes, you should bring a tripod. Since there’s no need to risk the quality of your image while hand-hold the camera.
Equip yourself with all necessary gears, there’s simply no supply of photography equipment in this beautiful corner of Vietnam.
Water wheels in Pu Luong
Which are the photography spots of Pu Luong
The rice terraces: Make sure you don’t miss sunrise and sunset time. The locals get to work in the field pretty early in the morning, starting from some 6:00 am. These terraced fields are everywhere in the area of Don Village and some in Hieu village.
Panoramic views from higher roads
The water wheels: These unique wheels surely will add some contents to your Vietnam travel photography album. From Don village, travel to Canh Nang area (17 km or 10 miles), you will get to see “the unseen”. The locals were truly creative in inventing giant wheels made from bamboos. These wheels spin, propelled by the running water from the stream. The “tread” of each wheel is a group of bamboo pipes, each scoops up little amount of water and dispenses it into an elevated bamboo tube leading to the rice paddies. No electricity or engine needed.
How long to be in Pu Luong for photography?
Well, how often do you travel back and forth to a place, aiming for the best light and most photogenic scene? It might just never be enough, right? Especially if you’re on photography trips in Vietnam. Different times of the year offer different lights and colors.
Still, as a personal opinion, a 2-day stay will let you cover most photogenic areas of Pu Luong in different lights, at least the area where the above accommodations are located. Of course, you might want to know that Pu Luong is an area. And you can stay overnight in either Pu Luong retreat area (Ban Don) or Ban Hieu area.
From Ban Don village, if you’re on a motorbike, aim for Ban Quan (a road of gravel surface starting from the U-turn to test your riding skill), pass Pho Doan and then continue to Hieu Village. This road is 31 km or 19 miles. In Hieu village, you can also stay overnight in one of the local Muong houses on stilts.
Long story short, if you have some good time for photography in Vietnam, save some 3 days in Pu Luong, with 02 days in Ban Don area and 01 day in Ban Hieu area.
Looking for Vietnam travel photography trips to Pu Luong? You can check out this link! Thank you and we hope to have you on this photography trip with us!
are with small communities of minority groups. Infrastructure was simple and villagers struggle in the rainy season to move back and forth on the muddy trails. And we had not Vietnam photography trips made way here
