From the mountain to the sea

Day 1: Hanoi’s Lively Long Bien Market & Scenic Drive to Pu Luong
Highlights: Street photography, local markets, mountain landscapes

Start your Vietnam photo tour before dawn at Long Bien Market, one of Hanoi’s most photogenic spots. Capture the raw energy of vendors, vibrant colors of fresh produce, and the interplay of light and shadow under the iconic Long Bien Bridge.

Later, journey along the countrýide, then on the mountain roads to Pu Luong Nature Reserve, a hidden paradise for photographers. Arrive in time for sunset, where the golden light bathes the rolling hills—perfect for your first landscape shots.

Day 2: Pu Luong’s Ethereal Rice Terraces & Rural Life
Highlights: Rice terraces, farming activities, ethnic culture

Spend a full day immersed in Pu Luong’s breathtaking rice terraces, where layers of emerald-green fields cascade down the mountains. Photograph farmers at work, water buffaloes plowing fields, and misty morning scenes that evoke a painter’s dream.

As the sun sets, capture the warm glow over wooden stilt houses—a true paradise for landscape and documentary photographers.

Day 3 & 4: Nam Dinh’s Fishing Villages & Golden Light Moments
Highlights: Fishing boats, coastal life, sunrise & sunset photography

Travel to Nam Dinh, where the coastal life unfolds in stunning visuals. Spend two days documenting:

• Dramatic fishing boats silhouetted against fiery sunrises
• Fishermen hauling nets, their weathered faces telling stories of resilience
• One of Vietnam’s largest salt pans, where workers harvest glistening salt under the sun

On Day 4, wake before dawn to capture the silky hues of sunrise over the sea. Later, photograph the ancient salt-making process, where reflections and silhouettes create striking compositions.

Day 5: Salt Fields & Play of Light
Highlights: Silhouette photography, salt workers, reflections

Return to the Nam Dinh salt fields under the midday sun, where the mirror-like pools create surreal reflections. Experiment with:

• High-contrast black-and-white shots of laborers at work
• Golden-hour silhouettes as workers rake salt crystals
• Abstract compositions of textures and patterns

As the light shifts, so do your opportunities—every moment is a photographer’s dream.

Day 6: Final Coastal Shots & Return to Hanoi
Highlights: Soft morning light, farewell coastal scenes

On your last morning, chase the gossamer light along the shore for final fishing shots before heading back to Hanoi. By noon, you’ll return with a memory card full of stunning images—each telling a story of Vietnam’s raw beauty and culture.

Photography time

Please be prepared for rising before dawn and getting back to the hotel after sunrise. If weather permits we will also do some optional night photography.

Clothing

Long, thin pants are suggested.

Food

Vietnamese cuisines are available for our feasts.

Level of difficulty

Be prepared to walk in the mud of the rice terraces in Pu Luong to get closer to the farmers and photograph scenes at close-up distance. Also we might get ourselves into the water of Nam Dinh beach to photograph fisherman in their daily fishing task. If you can take these, it’s an easy trip.

Accommodation

We will stay in local homestay of the Thai people in Pu Luong. The house is on stilts and there’s a shared sleeping area for everyone. In Nam Dinh, we stay in a motel, the best one available at the beach, which is close to the photography subjects.

Cost per person:

Please contact us for details

Inclusions:

• English speaking guide & air-con private car/driver
• Accommodation as detailed in “accommodation details” beneath
• Meals as indicated in the itinerary (B=Breakfast, L=Lunch, D=Dinner)
• Water, soft drinks & biscuit during van transfer
• All entry fees/permission
• Tip for driver

Exclusions:

• Airport transfer(s)
• Personal expenses (laundry, phones, tips)
• Items not listed in the Inclusions