THE VIBRANCE OF VIETNAM

I'm excited to announce that in September 2025 I'll be teaming up with Vietnamese photographer and guide Giang Nguyen again to lead my third Vietnam photo tour - this time to coincide with the colourful rice harvest season in the Northwest of the country. 

The tour begins in the bustling city of Hanoi, from where we explore numerous locations including a vibrant incense village, a soy sauce factory and traditional fishtrap village. Heading north takes us to the stunning terraced landscapes of Tu Le and Mu Cang Chai. The trip has been planned to coincide with rice harvest and we'll travel high into the mountains to breatktaking locations at both sunrise and sunset. We'll also visit Hmong villages and capture the lifestyle and traditions of local people.

After travelling back to Hanoi by road, we'll fly the Hue in Central Vietnam. There, we'll visit ancient monuments, photograph fishermen at work and local women placing floating lanterns on the river at dusk. In bustling and beautiful Hoi An there will more fantastic portrait oppotunities, as well as dawn visits to busy fish markets and fish net villages. We'll also make time to explore Hoi An - down by the river during Blue Hour the views are stunning.

Finally, we fly south to Ho Chi Minh City for 2 nights, primarily to visit Long An and photograph women harvesting water lillies. There will also be opportunities to capoture the city's breathtaking skyline at dusk.

This will undoubtadly be our most diverse tour of Vietnam so far, and whatever your experience level, you'll be rewarded with many amazing opportunities to capture the culture, colour and scenery of this stunning country! This trip is also ideal for drone photography, so if you have one, be sure to bring it!

 

Day 1/ September 21st 2025: Arrival in Hanoi

After arrival and check-in has been completed, in the afternoon we'll jump straight into photograpy with a shoot at historic Temple of Literature with beautiful model wearing a traditional Ao Dai dress. Advice will be given on flights, but ideally we need to arrive in Hanoi on the morning of September 21st 2025. I plan to arrive on the 20th to have a rest day before the tour starts. If you wish to do this as well, let me know. There will be an additional cost for gthe extra night at the hotel.

Accommodation: Hotel De L'Opera Hanoi M Gallery for 2 nights

 

Day 2/ September 22nd 2025: Hanoi - Quang Phu Cau - Ban Village - Thu Sy Fish Trap Village

A busy but productive day will begin with an early morning to Quang Phu Cau village, the centre of incense production in North Vietnam. We'll spend time there photographing the vibrant incense being laid out in the sun to dry.  In the afternoon we'll visit Thu Sy fish trap village, where, for 2 centuries, local people have crafted bamboo fishtraps by hand. This tradition continues today. We'll photograph local women making the baskets, and also shoot portraits of Mr. Luong Son Bac. Now in his 80s, he has been making fish traps for over 70 years! Our final shoot of the day will be at Ban village soy sauce 'factory' where hundreds of stone urns fill a traditional courtyard.

 

Day 3/ September 23rd 2025: Hanoi – Tu Le

A 3am checkout this morning (gulp!) from our Hanoi hotel, so we can travel to Long Coc tea plantation (2h 30) in time for a sunrise shoot - hopefully with some mist thrown in for good measure! The rolling hills in this region are truly breathtaking. When sunrise is over, we'll drive to Tu Le (4h30), in time for a sunset shoot at Khau Pha Pass.

Accommodation: Le Charm Resort in Tu Le for 2 nights

 

Day 4/September 24th 2025: Tu Le

Today we enjoy a full day of shooting at Lim Mong village and It Thai village, capturing the traditional lifestyle and culture of the local M'hong people, as well as the stunning landscape of the Tu Le Valley, with its meandering rice terraces that offer seemingly endless opportunities to shoot colourful patterns. Local people working in the fields way below us add a perfect sense of scale.

 

Day 5/ Septewmber 25th 2025: Tu Le - Mu Cang Chai

After breakfast we head northwest to the rice-growing region of Mu Cang Chai. Our main location for today is the Sang Nhu rices terraces, which we'll photograph at sunset - though there will undoubtedly be photo stops along the way as the scenery is so beautiful.

Accommodation: Garrya Mu Cang Chai resort for 3 nights

 

Day 6/ September 26th 2025: Mu Cang Chai

Today we start early and travel to Mamxoi La Pan Tan viewpoint, considered to be the most beautiful place in the Northwest Vietnam with its unique shape of terrace rice fields. We'll arrive in time to capture dawn breaking and the sun rising over the stunning landscape, and golden light briunging the colourful ricde terraces to life. After breakfast we'll head even higher up into the mountains to the towering bamboo forest, where there will also be the chance to shoot portraits of local people. Finally, we head back to Mamxoi La Pan Tan viewpoint for sunset.

 

Day 7/ September 27th 2025: Mu Cang Chai

Our morning shoot today takes us to Sang Nhu, the H’Mong terrace rice field. The name basically means “horse shoe”  and when you get there, you'll see why! Today we will also visit a traditional Corn house for portraits in a very unique setting, then in the afternoon we'll travel to Lao Chai to photograsph yet more stunning rice terraces until the sun sets. This location is also ideal for portraits of local people - including children playing in the terraces.

 

Day 8/ September 28th 2025: Mu Cang Chai to Hue

A long drive back to Hanoi airport today, then an evening flight to Huế City. There will be fewer photo opportunities today, but the time travelling will give us a chance to relax before we embark on the next exciting chapter of the trip.

Accommodation - Hue La Vela Hotel for 2 nights

 

Day 9/ September 29th 2025: Huế City

A busy day today that starts with a morning shoot at Minh Mang King Tomb, which is considered as the most beautiful king tomb in Hue, with a beautiful local model wearing a traditional Ao Dai dress. In the afternoon we'll have the amazing opportunity to photograph local fishermen on the Nhu Y River casting their 'butterfly fishing nets. Backlighting from the afternoon sun makes the nets glisten - and provides amazing photo opportunities. In the evening, we'll have another portrait shoot with some local women, then photograph them placing floating lanterns on the river at sunset and blue hour.

 

Day 10/ September 30th 2025: Hue to Hoi An

An Early morning sunrise shoot at Quang Loi lagoon, capturing local fishermen returning from their night expedition, and casting their nets in the river at sunrise. This location offers many great photo opportunities from the the ground and the air (with a drone). In the afternoon we'll make the short drive to the beautiful, colourful town of Hoi An where we'll spend time shooting portraits of a young model in various locations in the town, plus the wonderful Mrs Xong, who's considered the most beautiful old lady in Vietnam!

Accommodation - Bell Marina Resort for 3 nights

 

Day 11/ October 1st 2025: Hoi An

An early start today to photograph fishermen tending to their huge nets at sunrise at Cua Dai village. The nets are left underwater overnight, raised at dawn, and the fishermen gently move under the nets in their small wooden boats to retreive the fish. We'll travel to by boat to the location. We also shoot from the same boat, which gives us the freedom to move closer to the nets for truly unique photographs. In the afternoon we'll explore the busy streets of Hoi An Old Town, capturing details, colour and architecture, and visit a nearby village where colorful sedge for sleepig mats is laid out in the sun to dry.

 

Day 12/ October 2nd 2025: Hoi An

Morning session at Duy Vinh to photograph local women mending fishing nets, then in the afternoon we visit a local lantern-making factory to capture the colourful lanterns and shoot portraits of local peole making them.

 

Day 13/ October 3rd 2025: Hoi An to Ho Chi Minh City

Early morning visit to Tamtien fishing market to witness the daily life of the fisherman in and locals in fishing market. At dawn, the market is very busy with large crowds of seafood sellers and buyers, creating great opportunities to shoot candid images. Fishing boats can also be captured against the dawn sky. Green sedge grass field photography later in the morning, then in the afternoon we fly to Ho Chi Minh City (HCM).

Accommodation: M Gallery - Hotel des Artes for 2 nights

 

Day 14/ October 4th 2025: HCM – Long An – HCM Early morning trip to Long An for water lily photography. Afternoon session capturing the Saigon skyline

 

Day 15/ October 5th 2025: Departure

Free time for last-minute shots or shopping before we are transferred to Ho Chi Minh City airport for departure. Advice on flights will be provided.

 

Lee and Giang will be on hand at all times to offer advice and guidance. Giang will also set-up shoots with local people so you will have the opportunity to capture portraits in amazing settings and ensure you get the most from this trip.

• At A Glance...

• Deposit / Price

  £500.00 / £6,400.00

  Sharing Discount - £800.00

• Date

  21st September - 05th October, 2025

• Included

  14 nights hotel accommodation in single en-suite rooms unless sharing, 14 x breakfast, 14x lunches, 14x dinners, airport transfers on group basis, transport in air-conditioned vehicle throughout the trip, internal fights, services of local English-speaking guide (an experienced Vietnamese photographer), tuition from Lee Frost, admissions where included in itinerary.

• Excluded

  Meals not mentioned, international flights, visas, services not mentioned in the itinarary, drinks with included meals, tips for local guide (suggested $100 USD per person), insurance, expenses of a personal nature.

• Fitness Level

  Easy to moderate

• Location

  Vietnam, Southeast Asia

• Max Group Size

  10