Please note that itineraries can change due to weather, timing and opportunities.

Day 0: Tuesday, October 3rd - Early Arrivals
Welcome to Vietnam! We will arrange airport transfers for early arrivals to their hotel of choice. Upon arrival, you’ll have free time to immerse yourself in central Hanoi before joining the group tomorrow for the official first day of the tour. Optional extra activities and / or tours can be arranged with Vietnam in Focus upon request.

Day 1: Wednesday, October 4th - Hanoi  (L, D)
Today we welcome arrivals in the morning, and all guests transfer to the Golden Silk Boutique Hotel in Hanoi’s Old Quarter. We’ll gather for a welcome lunch at a fantastic local restaurant for our first taste of Vietnamese cuisine, followed by Dave’s photographic slideshow and an introduction to the tour. After lunch we venture into Hanoi’s famously bustling streets, enjoying an informational city tour to the Imperial Citadel of Thang Long before returning to Hoan Kiem Lake (Lake of the Restored Sword) for casual street and iconic waterside photography. At blue hour we’ll shoot the skyline and enjoy a dinner overlooking a busy intersection where we can try time lapse or slow exposures of Hanoi’s constant flow of daringly choreographed traffic. Afterwards if we still have energy we can capture more color as we explore the Old Quarter’s historic trading streets.

Accommodation: Golden Silk Boutique Hotel - Luxury Room with City View

Day 2: Thursday, October 5th - Hanoi
This morning, we’ll venture deep into one of Hanoi’s most intriguing and photogenic street markets. No one knows exactly how long the ‘Thieves Market’ has been in existence, but it has an ageless feel to it. Tiny stalls cram next to each other, selling everything from motor parts to timber, spices to vintage electronics. Why the name ‘Thieves’? We’ll tell you once there.

This market is a great place to get lost with your camera in a labrynthian bazaar full of parts vendors in their packed stalls filled with wares. Dappled sunlight streaming through makeshift roofs provide an unusual stage for micro-compositions and decisive moments. This is the lesser-seen Hanoi, and you’ll create a visual story of street life in one of this city’s most fascinating urban markets. Need an odd part? It’s surely here.

This afternoon, discover and photograph one of the north’s most fascinating and colorful craft villages, Quang Phu Cau Incense Village. Only about an hour by car from Hanoi, the villagers here produce traditional bright red incense, making for stunning imagery of this fascinating century- old tradition. You’ll capture authentic and images of our local friends at work with the bright red incense bunches a recurring motif. After dinner in Hanoi, we’ll return to the hotel to refresh and pick up our luggage. We then head to Hanoi Railway Station for our overnight train journey to stunning Lao Cai. The railway line north, traveling all the way to Kunming in China, was originally laid as a way of connecting French colonial outposts and maximizing trade as well as arms shipments to China. Today the line remains a single gauge one, meaning a slow but comfortable journey through the night and into the Lien Hoang Son mountain range. Each sleeper cabin has four berths, but you can also opt to pay a surcharge in advance for a private cabin with one or two berths. The train arrives in Lao Cai in the morning at 6 am.

Accommodation: Chapa Express Luxury Train One Deluxe Cabin per one or two persons.

Day 3: Friday, October 6th - Lao Cai - Hoang Su Phi
Upon arrival in Lao Cai, we’ll have breakfast near the station, before setting out west towards Hoang Su Phi province. Our journey takes us up into the hills, and we’ll stop a few times for spontaneous photography opportunities with farmers and tribes people along the way.

We arrive at our spectacularly set eco lodge for lunch. We’ll spend the afternoon exploring the area for people photography, with locals working in the rice terraces and in the surrounding villages. However we won’t need to go far for the best landscape in the vicinity; it’s right on the back doorstep of our lodge, and that’s where we’ll be as the sun drops into the valley below.

Accommodation: The Dawn Hoang Su Phi - Private bungalow with Rice Terrace View

Day 4: Saturday, October 7th - Hoang Su Phi    
We’ll capture sunrise in the golden arena of rice terraces behind our lodge, before heading out to visit local villages on foot. The harvest is underway in some areas, giving us great opportunities to take images of people working together in the fields. We’ll even be invited to lend a hand by the friendly locals. Our photographic focus now turns to creating specific photo stories of our own, working around an assigned theme.

After lunch at our lodge, it’s time to discover local tribal villages on foot. The area is home to a diverse array of ethnic groups, including Giay and Dzao, and we’ll find out about their traditional cultures and daily lives while focusing on aspects of people photography. We’ll have a group photo review at our lodge before dinner, when we’ll also be treated to a performance of Dzao music and fire dancing.

Accommodation: The Dawn Hoang Su Phi Private bungalow with Rice Terrace View

Day 5: Sunday, October 8th - Hoang Su Phi -  Bac Ha
This morning, we’ll enjoy the colorful and bustling Thong Nguyen tribal market, a fantastic opportunity for portraits of local life. The market is a treasure trove of opportunities for vibrant people photography, as well as colorful imagery using the textiles and patterns on display in the many stalls.

After breakfast, we drive to the town of Bac Ha, situated on a plateau in the foothills of the mountains. A variety of ethnic groups inhabit the surrounding hills, in particular the colorful Flower Hmong. After lunch, we will visit the town’s historic Hmong King’s Palace, the seat of power for the local tribal chief during the French colonial period. Time now to look at architectural photography, using dynamic angles and natural light to our advantage. In the afternoon, we’ll enjoy a longboat trip along the River Chay, reaching remote riverside villages and a beautiful waterfall. We’ll stay overnight near Bac Ha town. Depending on the weather, the afternoon fog often falls fast around Bac Ha, offering atmospheric images of locals bringing their horses and buffalo home out of the mountains.

Accommodation: La Beaute Bac Ha - Charter Full

Day 6: Monday, October 9th - Bac Ha - Lao Cai - Overnight train to Hanoi    (B,L,D)
We’ll spend this morning exploring some short trekking routes to the Hmong villages around Bac Ha. Vietnam reveals itself to those who travel on foot. These walks offer great opportunities to discover and capture local lives and what we have missed on the previous day. After lunch in Bac Ha, we can spend some time to refresh and perhaps review your images. We then head to Lao Cai for a local dinner in town before checking in for our overnight train journey back to Hanoi.

Accommodation: Chapa Express Luxury Train - Deluxe Cabins, single or shared by two travelers

Day 7: Tuesday, October 10th - Hanoi - Cat Ba Island
Once we arrive in Hanoi, we’ll head out for a delicious breakfast, before continuing our trip to Cat Ba Island. The journey involves a short ferry trip, itself an interesting local experience, and a chance to mingle with Vietnamese vacationers and the ferry’s crew while the jagged hills of Cat Ba appear on the horizon. 

We’ll have time to freshen up at our hotel before climbing aboard a local boat tour of beautiful Lan Ha Bay, forested limestone mountains on all sides. Along the way, we’ll enjoy a delectable seafood lunch including grilled prawns, oysters and clams, as well as the ‘catch of the day’. We’ll then pass through a traditional floating village, the houses mostly operating their own farms, and providing fishermen with a place to rest after a night at sea. There will be a chance to kayak and swim around some lagoons in the bay, before we cruise back to the main port at sunset. On land, we return to the hotel for refreshments before dinner.

Accommodation: Flamingo Lan Ha Bay Resort Deluxe Ocean View Room

Day 8: Wednesday, October 11th - Cat Ba Island - Hanoi         (B, L)
It’s an early start this morning for a trip up to Cat Ba Cannon Fort, a historic spot offering gorgeous sunrise views of the surrounding bay. The fort was originally built by the Japanese in WW2, but subsequently commandeered by the Viet Minh, and has a tunnel system leading to various vantage points across the sea. Cat Ba fish market is also up and running at this time, and we’ll swing by to capture images of traders haggling over squid and freshly-caught tuna. After breakfast, we head back to our hotel, and have time to relax on the beach or by the swimming pool. We’ll have a relaxed lunch before heading back to Hanoi. In the evening, we’ll have free time for shopping and exploring. This evening we have dinner on our own, allowing us to sample any tempting spots we’ve seen along the journey. Optional extra activities and / or tours can be arranged with Vietnam in Focus upon request. A rejuvenating massage can also be arranged through our hotel. (oh yes, you want one!)

Accommodation: Golden Silk Boutique Hotel - Luxury Room with City View

Day 9: Thursday, October 12th - Hanoi
This morning we’ll explore one of Northern Vietnam’s best-preserved traditional handicraft villages. We head out to Tho Ha, a riverside village renowned for its charming architecture and production of rice paper pancakes. The village retains mud brick houses and winding, narrow alleyways typical of the old Red River Delta, among which residents spread out their rice paper to dry in the sun.

After lunch we head to another traditional Red River village, this one specializing in the manufacture of vermicelli noodles. We’ll explore the atmospheric backstreets and workshops, then photograph locals drying vermicelli in fields of dazzling gold.

It’s been a long day, but those with the energy may still wish to explore Hanoi after dark. Our photo tour takes in the city’s colorful Quang Ba flower market, an atmospheric end our time in Hanoi.

Accommodation: Golden Silk Boutique Hotel - Luxury Room with City View

Day 10: Friday, October 13th - Ninh Binh
Today we head south to Ninh Binh province, a land of soaring limestone mountains and crumbling pagodas. Home to Vietnam’s ancient capital, Hoa Lu, and the country’s largest complex of Buddhist temples, the province is a magnet for Buddhist pilgrims from all over Southeast Asia. Our trip includes a leisurely boat journey through caves at Tam Coc Nature Reserve, or ‘Ha Long Bay on land’, and a climb to Hang Mua, with incredible views over the paddies and river valleys of this beautiful region. We’ll also be exploring some of the area’s fascinating craft villages to witness the production of traditional ceramic art and carving of headstones and statues. 

At day’s end we’ll be capturing images of locals heading home through the paddies, including school children on their bicycles and farmers leading their livestock along the dyke roads. We’ll even hopefully catch some shots of buffalo enjoying a refreshing bath in the river before turning in for the night. 

Accommodation: Muong Village Ninh Binh - Private Bungalow

Day 11: Saturday, October 14th - Ninh Binh - Danang     (B,L,D)
Sunrise is a great time to capture the action in rural Vietnam, as people start their day, whether around the home or out and about. We’ll go for a dawn wander in search of classic images of Ninh Binh country life. After breakfast at our accommodation we’ll drive over to Cuc Phuong National Park, where we’ll have a short guided trek in the subtropical rainforest. Cuc Phuong’s dense jungle is the habitat for thousands of species of plant and rare wild animals like the Clouded Leopard and Asian Black Bear. While we’re unlikely to encounter these, it also contains a fascinating endangered primate rescue center, worth supporting with a visit before lunch. Emerging from the jungle, we’ll pass by the stunning Van Long wetland nature reserve, temporary home to many species of migratory birds. Sunset brings flocks of storks returning to their nests in the reserve, offering us some magical imagery. We’ll freshen up before heading over to the old Ninh Binh Railway Station. Time to climb aboard the legendary Reunification Express for our picturesque journey south! 

Accommodation: Overnight train to Danang Tourist cabin with Shared or Individual berths.

Day 12: Sunday, October 15th - Danang - Hoi An      (B,L,D)  
We’ll have breakfast on the train as we make our way south along the coast. After passing through Hue, we head up over the Hai Van Pass, one of the most spectacular rail journeys in the world. Snak-ing our way along the mountainside, we’ll enjoy views of forested ridges above the roaring East Sea, as well as secluded beaches and fishing coves. It’s fun to head over to the day passenger carriages for this part, so we can open the windows and get the full experience, sea wind in our faces. Halfway along, look out for the architectural stylings of the now abandoned North Hai Van Station, built with assistance from the Cuban government during the 80s.

Arriving in Danang at around 1pm, we’ll drive straight to our hotel in nearby Hoi An. Now a UNE-SCO World Heritage site, Hoi An’s history as a trading port dates back to the 15th century, and its traditional architecture and layout have been beautifully-preserved. After lunch—Hoi An’s delicious cuisine is as eclectic as its cultural influences—we have time to relax and refresh, before heading out to enjoy golden hour in the old town. Although rather touristy nowadays, Hoi An still packs plenty of vintage charm, as well as a vast array of top restaurants and bars. A great place to relax and enjoy our last few days in Vietnam.

Accommodation: Zen Retreat Hoi An - Lake View Room

Day 13: Sunday, October 16th - Hoi An    (B, L, D)
All aboard this morning on a private river boat for an authentic photography journey into the heart of Hoi An’s spectacular Thu Bon river delta. You will be immersed in Vietnam’s traditional fishing culture, which has been the lifeblood of this region for centuries. Led by our local experts, you’ll capture stunning shots of the fishermen and women plying their trade amidst breathtaking views, away from the crowds of tourists. During the tour, you’ll have the opportunity to explore off the beaten track, allowing you to take in the smallest details and widest panoramas of this picturesque river. You’ll photograph the entire fishing trade process, from catch to market, creating a visual story that tells the tale of real working life along the river. We will have our farewell dinner tonight.   

Accommodation: Zen Retreat Hoi An - Lake View Room

Day 14: Monday, October 17th - Departures    (B)
We exchange hugs and board our complimentary Airport transfer in Da Nang for your flight home.