North Vietnam photography tour with local experts

Morning activities:

Origin Vietnam Travel tour guide greeting you at your hotel in Hanoi at 8.00 am, we drive south west of Hanoi and pass Ha Tay province, we stop at Ha Dong Town to visit Van Phuc traditional silk, which is famous for silk weaving in the North of Vietnam, you will have an opportunity to see how local people here made silk by tradition and simple way.

We continue our drive on narrow road through lush rice field scenery, look at famers working their field by traditional method, stops for taking pictures along the way up to Hoa Binh town. We reach the town at about 10:00 am, we then following up mountain curving road from here all the time to reach Mai Chau, the scenery bellow valley is very spectacular, dotted with Muong and Thai house on stilts, far away is high towering peak mountains, on the mountain side minorities people work hard to earn for their living.

After that we reach Mai Chau district at about 12:00. You will feel fresh air and good climate when you just arrive. Our tour guide we set off for your accommodation at a basic village called Pom Coong village, this village is spread out in the middle of Mai Chau green valley, where we will check in a local Thai Minority’s house for our overnight stay today. As quick as possible the Thai people here will prepare for us a good and lunch.

Afternoon activities:

Afternoon is the time for you to take a loop walk through surrounding rice paddies and villages around Mai Chau, in here you will see how local people working, plan and harvest water rice. You will also see animals like buffaloes, pigs, cats, goats…freely around.

We stop at LAC village to have a rest and see people here weaving traditional brocades. We return to Lac village late afternoon after seeing sunset.

Evening activities:

A warm hospitality and delicious dinner will be prepared at around 7:30 pm at the home where we stay overnight. We then see special tradition Thai’s dance until late evening. Enjoy your overnight stay on sleeping mats on the floor of the stilt house.

Morning activities:

Breakfast at homestay, You have more discover Mai Chau with its beauties.

You visit Hang Kia, passing villages of Muong and Dzao tribal groups. Arrive in Hang Kia, a typical H’mong village, peacefully nestled in a small valley at 1200m altitude. Have lunch en route.

Afternoon activities:

Our guide and driver transfer you to Moc Chau with passing through beautiful countryside of villages. On arrival you will visit some famous places in Moc Chau. Such as: Bat Cave, Dai Yem Waterfall, Pine forest.
Return to homestay to unwind and take a picture with the sunset at Moc Chau.

Evening activities:

Enjoy the dinner and have fun with activities. Such as: Karaoke, Traditional games. Enjoy the night in homestay. Have dinner at local restaurant. Overnight at Moc Chau.

Morning activities:

After breakfast at the home stay, we walk on village roads which run between mountains and rice paddies around Mai Chau to get more enjoyment especially get up early to enjoy the sunrise.

Then this morning our tour guide invites you to visit the village of H’Mong Ethnic family. Where you have chance to know more about their lifestyle. Besides, you will enjoy the glamor of the beautiful rolling hills of wild flowers, gardens of plump trees, peach trees. Next you will visit Moc Chau San Tuyet tea factory (if allowed to go inside because this depends on each time can allow or not). Where produce the best quality of Shan Tuyet Tea by the traditional method of Moc Chau.

Have lunch en route.

Afternoon activities:

Continually, you leave Moc Chau to Nghia Lo and passing through beautiful landscapes of mountain, villages and see local people. Reach Nghia Lo after 5 hours on car. Check in homestay. Enjoy the sunset over the mountain in Nghia Lo.

Evening activities:

This is the time for having dinner at the family. Enjoy the tranquil atmosphere at the village. Overnight at homestay.

Morning activities:

Start trip at 5.00 and leave Nghia Lo for Tu Le. You will have a stopover to shoot sunrise photo on Lim Mong valley at Kong Hill camping site or return Nậm Búng commune on National Highway 32 to get the beautiful sunrise photo.

Have breakfast at local restaurant.

After that you travel continue to Khau Pha Pass and discover its beauties. This is one of beautiful view for the valley as well as parasailing site on yellow rice season on September yearly

Tu Le terrace field offers you more chance to take beautiful of rice photo, especially golden time of rice; it covers a large area for golden terrace fields.

Have lunch at restaurant.

Afternoon & Evening activities:

Spending this afternoon to visit and shoot photo at Mam Xoi Hill in La Pan Tan village where is one of the beautiful sightseeing of terrace fields.

Infact there are Mam Xoi Lon and Mam Xoi Nho hill in La Pan Tan village so it depends on your time you can visit both or just Mam Xoi Lon only.

The rest is you get more photo shooting and sunset at Mong Ngua view point (Horseshoes) in De Xu Phinh village. Having as much as possible beautiful photo here and enjoy the sunset over the hill.

Special note: You must walk 5km from main road to hill or can have a support of motorbike to reach the village and then can have a short walking distance

Have dinner with the family. Evening just simple interact with local family and enjoy the mountain atmosphere. Overnight at homestay.

Morning activities:

At 5.00, you wake up and take photo of sunrise if the weather is fine and sunny at your homestay or around rice terrace fields here (Or can back Mui Giay in De Xu Phinh village – or reach Mam Xoi Be Hill in La Pan Tan village to get sunrise photo here again).

Then you travel to Nha Ngo Mang Mu (Corn House) where you can see local minority people is keeping their corn as their way and here is also a nice spot to see local culture and the way the save their foods.

Continue your trip to reach Bamboo Forest (Rừng Trúc Mồ Đề) where can see the amazing scenery of bamboo forest here. This is one of nice place to shoot photo as well as harmony yourself.

Next you will visit Shan Nhu village – 2 km from Mu Cang Chai town where you can catch beautiful scenery of terrace fields looks like as Mong Ngua “Horseshoe”.

Have lunch at restaurant.

Afternoon activities:

More time to discover its amazing scenery on terrace fields in Mu Cang Chai with famous villages and nice view for shooting photos.

Next you visit and take photograph Che Cu Nha Rice Terrace Field of Hmong people with the famous rice terrace hill. Reach Háng Tàu Dê of Chế Cu Nha village where has the special way when Mr Giang Dua Cha create by stone to make his rice terrace field more special than.

Back Mu Cang Chai town centre and check in homestay (You can check in after lunch time). Have dinner with the family. Overnight at homestay.

Morning activities:

At 5.00, you wake up and take photo of sunrise if the weather is fine and sunny at your homestay or around rice terrace fields here.

Say goodbye the family and Continue your trip to Kim Noi village where has the nice terrace fields for shooting photo and enjoy its beauties.

And then leave Mu Cang Chai for Sapa and pass through Lai Chau Province.

Have lunch at restaurant.

Afternoon & Evening activities:

Continue on your trip in Lai Chau and pass through tea hill and Tram Ton Pass.

If you would like to stop and visit Rong May Glass Bridge you can ask our guide and pay the entrance fee ticket by yourself.

And then travel ahead to Sapa town and pass through Silver Waterfall. Check in hotel on arrival. Free to have your own dinner. Overnight at hotel

Special note: Depending on the location homestay you will overnight,  the itinerary can be flexible to change, however, still guarantee you will visit famous villages and sites we list in tour. Or depend on that date as well as climate our guide can be flexible to change the position of each village how to have the most reasonable itinerary but not cut your trip.

Also apart from rice terrace fields seasons, Mu Cang Chai is very nice in each season which you can visit all year round.

Morning activities:

Have breakfast at hotel. You can get up early and enjoy the sunrise over Muong Hoa Valley

After that you start your trek to Suoi Ho – Ma Tra & Ta Phin village to get more experience the beauties of terrace fields as well as the different minority people as well as their culture

Passing through bamboo forest in Ta Phin village.

Afternoon activities:

Have more discovery of Ta Phin village home of Dao and Hmong people and then return Sapa town.

Evening activities:

This evening you are free to have your own dinner. You can wander around Sapa town and enjoy BBQ foods which is famous of Sapa. Overnight at hotel.

Morning activities:

Have breakfast at hotel. This morning you continue your trip to have a trek on road to visit Cat Cat village and Sin Chai village for getting more experience of Hmong people as well as beautiful landscapes of terrace field. Have lunch on route.

Afternoon & Evening activities:

This afternoon continue on car to reach Ban Khoang village for more experience and continue to Ta Giang Phing to discover its beauties and mountain landscapes. Then back Sapa town and free to enjoy your evening and dinner. Overnight at hotel.

Morning activities:

Have breakfast at hotel. This morning you start your trek to Sau Chua village and then to Hang Da and Sa Seng village to get more experience the mountain landscapes and its special as well as terrace field.

Back Sapa and have lunch.

Afternoon activities:

You continue to Y Ling Ho for short trek and then back main road where car is waiting and continue to Ta Van village. On arrival Ta Van you check in homestay.

Evening activities:

The rest of time is for you wander around the village for shooting photo. Have dinner at the family and overnight at homestay.

Morning activities:

Have breakfast at homestay. You leave Ta Van village and travel to Can Cau Saturday market for more experience. Here is the chance for you to experience hill tribe trading activities (you can choose other market each day: Bac Ha Sundays, Coc Ly Tuesdays, Cao Son Wednesday…).

Afternoon & evening activities:

You leave Bac Ha Town with our guide and transfer you to Ha Giang. You spend 4 hours on car to reach Ha Giang. Along the way is the chance to catch the authentic, nature, mountainous beauties and not touristic. you make a time for visiting around Hoang Su Phi Lodge and relaxing.

And then you can spend more time to wander around to discover Hoang Su Phi Terrace field and  then trek via rice field terrace, tea hill, bamboo forest and Red Daos villages.

Have dinner at the homestay and overnight at homestay.

Note: If it isn’t market day, the itinerary may change.

Morning activities:

After breakfast at the lodge, today you will spend full day to discover Hoang Su Phi Terrace field. You will make a trekking route around 3 hours from Nam Hong village to Nam Khoa village.

And here is the chance to trek via rice field terrace, tea hill, bamboo forest and Red Daos villages as well as enjoy rice terrace fields.

Have lunch at local family.

Afternoon & Evening activities:

Afternoon continues more trek to village and enjoy the beauties of terrace fields view and villages from Nam Khoa to Nam Ai village (belong to Nam Son commune).

After that you trek back main road and driver transfer you back your homestay. Have more chance to view beautiful sights. Have dinner with the family and overnight at homestay.

Morning activities:

After breakfast at hotel, This morning you leave Hoang Su Phi Lodge and travel back Ha Giang (75 km and takes around 2 hours on car).

You will travel ahead to Khuoi My Hamlet – Phuong Do Commune to discover the unique Mossy House which created from years of year of local people. Now there is only this village has this type of house. (photo as below)

Have lunch at local.

Afternoon activities:

This afternoon you continue to Quan Ba and will have chance to pass through Bac Sum Pass which is well known as 6 attractive passes in Ha Giang to conquer and then continue to Quan Ba.

You will have the admiring beautiful mountain-scapes and pass through stunning passes, rolling mountains and valleys of Heaven Gate Quan Ba, Twin Mountain in Quan Ba and visit Nam Dam Village where is famous tourism village in Quan  Ba and visit the museum of Nam Dam village. Check in homestay. Have dinner at the homestay and overnight at homestay. Wish you a great time and shooting many beautiful and unique photo of our beautiful country!