Vietnam Photography and Travel Guide
- Where to fly into: Noi Bai International Airport in Hanoi is your best best.
- Best luggage: For a trip of this length, the Nomatic Check-In roller bag is the ideal choice. It offers polycarbonate construction that stands up to the rigors of travel, silent wheels, low-profile handles, and a three-stage aluminum handle to fit your height. With space for 78 liters of gear, this bag has plenty of room for a 5-day trip or longer.
- Attractions & Things to Do: Visit the Old Quarter in Hanoi and enjoy the 2,000-year-old history of the oldest area of the city. The Lotte Observation Deck is a must-see for breathtaking views of the city.
- Best Time of Year to Visit: Generally speaking, the winter months are best for visiting Vietnam. The temperatures and humidity are lower and the chance of rain is less, too.
- Check the weather in Hanoi right now.
Photo by Ken Lee/Art of Seeing Photography Adventures
Vietnam has emerged as a prime tourist destination in recent years, and one that photographers of all skill levels and abilities regularly visit to seek out unique photographic opportunities.
Aside from its breathtaking landscapes, Vietnam has a vibrant culture with many different ethnic groups that call this country home.
As you prepare to visit Vietnam, be sure to consult our photography and travel guide for some insider tips on where to go and what to photograph.
What to Photograph in Vietnam: Mountains
Photo by Ken Lee/Art of Seeing Photography Adventures
When many people think of mountains, they probably think of snow-capped peaks, like the Rocky Mountains, the Alps, or the Andes.
But Vietnam’s mountains - like Pu Ta Leng Peak in the North - are covered with thick jungles, their peaks vibrant and green with lush vegetation.
The sheer number of mountain peaks is astounding, and when paired with deep valleys and canyons covered with trees, it makes for a breathtaking sight, even if the mountains are no more than a distant backdrop, like in the image below.
Photo by Ken Lee/Art of Seeing Photography Adventures
Of course, many Vietnamese landscapes have been changed by rice farmers, whose fields are in and of themselves worthy of your attention (more on that in a moment…).
The interesting interplay between the unspoiled jungles and the carefully manicured rice fields is a beautiful compositional opportunity in which you can highlight the relationship between man and the environment.
Photo by Ken Lee/Art of Seeing Photography Adventures
Likewise, the small villages that dot the Vietnamese landscape - like the one above - are spectacular in their own right, their brightly-colored buildings adding color variation to an otherwise green landscape.
By getting away from the city centers and into the countryside, you can find hidden gems like these - beautiful and inviting villages tucked up against soaring mountain peaks.
What to Photograph in Vietnam: Rice Fields
Photo by Ken Lee/Art of Seeing Photography Adventures
The rice fields of Vietnam represent an interesting subject for your photos on a couple of different levels.
First, if you visit Vietnam just before the harvest, you’ll find the rice fields in their peak form - gorgeous, green vistas whose lines undulate with the changing topography of the landscape.
As shown above, this is the ideal chance for trying your hand at a panorama that allows you to highlight those interesting vistas, their shapes taking center stage in the shot.
Photo by Ken Lee/Art of Seeing Photography Adventures
Secondly, the rice fields are an ideal location to tell a deep and meaningful story about the people that grow and harvest the rice.
That is, set against the backdrop of the rice field, you can create a telling portrait of farmers like the woman pictured above.
Her weathered and stained hands tell the tale of a woman that has worked hard her entire life in this field, but who nonetheless appreciates all the land has given her and her family over the years.
Photo by Ken Lee/Art of Seeing Photography Adventures
It’s the people of Vietnam - who are wonderfully welcoming and friendly - that make these landscapes so beautiful.
In fact, as noted in the introduction, you’d be remiss if you didn’t travel to Northern Vietnam, where you’ll find many ethnic minorities - the Red Dao, Black Tay, Flower Hmong among them.
These unique people can be found tending their crops and sharing their goods in local marketplaces. And if you visit Vietnam the right way, you might even be welcomed into their home in the rural countryside to experience just a taste of what life is like for them.
What to Photograph in Vietnam: Marketplaces, Coasts, and Cities
Photo by Ken Lee/Art of Seeing Photography Adventures
While there is certainly something to be said for venturing into the countryside of Vietnam, there are many reasons to spend time in the more populated areas of the country as well.
Its many marketplaces are bustling with life and sights that are prime subjects for an interesting photograph, be that the goods that are offered for sale or the many different people patronizing the market.
Photo by Ken Lee/Art of Seeing Photography Adventures
One of the most spectacular areas of Vietnam, Halong Bay, should certainly be on your list of must-see places when visiting Vietnam.
Here, you’ll find towering tree-covered rock formations called karsts jutting out of the blue waters of the bay where fishing villages and boats dot the water.
This is an extremely popular area to visit, but if you take the time to explore, you’ll find small enclaves away from tourists where you can enjoy a more authentic experience.
Photo by Ken Lee/Art of Seeing Photography Adventures
Likewise, exploring cities like Hanoi should be done off-the-beaten path. Wander far and wide. Visit markets and squares. Head out at night to capture the vibrant street scenes of the bustling city.
Rain or shine, day or night, urban or rural, Vietnam has much to give you to experience and photograph!
Planning Your Vietnam Photography Trip
Photo by Ken Lee/Art of Seeing Photography Adventures
Vietnam isn’t a large country by any means, but the sheer diversity of the landscape and its people can make planning a photography trip a difficult task. Deciding where to go and when, and how long to stay there are decisions that can cripple the planning process.
What’s more, you don’t just want to scratch the surface of Vietnam when you’re there exploring. Instead, you want to wrest as much out of the experience as possible by immersing yourself in the sights, sounds, culture, and people you encounter.
And the way to do this is by visiting Vietnam as part of a photography tour.
Photo by Ken Lee/Art of Seeing Photography Adventures
When selecting a photography tour, it’s important to really dive deep into what they offer, how many people will be on the tour, where you will visit, and so forth.
I say this because some photography tours only give you a few days to experience Vietnam, and even then it’s only to the tourist hotspots where you can immerse yourself in the beauty of Vietnam.
Likewise, some photography tours are large groups that make it difficult to get much time with the photography leader to get feedback on your work.
Photo by Ken Lee/Art of Seeing Photography Adventures
That’s simply not the case with The Art of Seeing Photography Adventures.
If you travel to Vietnam with The Art of Seeing, you’ll be one of no more than 10 participants, so you can be assured that you won’t just be a number, but instead a valued participant in the workshop.
Additionally, once you’re in-country, everything is taken care of for you, from the itinerary to the meals, lodging to transportation, and of course, photography instruction while you’re there.
In fact, you’ll spend two weeks there - September 13-26, 2020 - on an authentic, immersive travel experience that will be unforgettable.
Photo by Ken Lee/Art of Seeing Photography Adventures
Ken Lee, the expert photographer who will lead this Vietnam Backroads & Byways 2020 Photography Workshop & Tour, loves helping other photographers grow in their craft as much as he enjoys taking his own photos.
It’s that kind of leader you want on a photography tour - someone that’s genuinely invested in your development behind the lens.
You’ll learn both technical and creative aspects of photography from Ken, and come out of the workshop a more skilled and creative photographer.
The deadline to sign up for this incredible tour is May 24, 2020, but with limited space, you don’t want to wait too long. Sign up for this Vietnam photography workshop now.
Other Tips for Planning a Vietnam Photography Trip