Top 6 destinations for Travel Photography in Northern Vietnam
HANOI
As the country’s capital, Hanoi attracts tourists by the sedate ambiance of a one-thousand-year city but does not lack the vibrant atmosphere of modern daily life. You’ll find lots of things here to photograph from impressive landmarks, beautiful architecture to narrow streets or busy locals. Best places in Hanoi that you can spend time wandering around and take some great pics are listed as below:
Hanoi Old Quarter
The Old Quarter consists of almost the highlights of Hanoi’s photography including ancient architectures, busy train street, small alleys and streets, local shops and markets, or several landmarks such as Hoan Kiem Lake, St Joseph Cathedral, etc. Just be ready with your camera and click!
Temple of Literature
The first university of Vietnam is a prominent tourist spot in Hanoi where remains a beautiful campus, old pavilions as well as gorgeous interior. Besides taking photos, people visiting here can contemplate the serenity of a historical site locating amid busy streets in Hanoi’s center.
West Lake
West Lake is the largest natural lake in Hanoi’s urban area, where situates to the North of the city. Different from the buzzing metropolis, West Lake has a more tranquil atmosphere with two sacred spiritual sites of Hanoi: Tran Quoc Pagoda and Quan Thanh Temple. Here is also well-known to one of the best places in Hanoi to witness the sunset.
Duong Lam Ancient Village
Famous for ancient houses, laterite structures, and slow-paced daily life, Duong Lam Ancient Village is one of the typical villages for the Vietnam countryside in the North. If you’re too familiar with cityscape, Duong Lam Ancient Village will be an enchanting place for great photos about the rural life in Vietnam.
HALONG BAY
Perhaps there isn’t enough word to describe the magnificent landscape in Halong Bay. If you desire to possess the best photos in Halong Bay, the best option is taking experience on Halong Bay Cruise with overnight programs so that you can traverse the most notable tourist spots as well as admire the beauty of the UNESCO Heritage Site all the time within a day.
Best places in Halong Bay to take the stunning photos:
Titov Island
Regarded as the best viewpoint offering a bird’s eye view of Halong Bay, Titov Island is a favorite stop of many visitors who are interested in photography. Landing on the island, you need to hike up to the top of the mountain before the panoramic view of the UNESCO Heritage Site is captured in your eye view.
Sung Sot Cave
Located on Bo Hon Island, Sung Sot is not only the most beautiful cave in Halong Bay but also has one of the best views overlooking Halong Bay. Standing on both the entrance and the exit gate of the cave will give you the nicest check-in photos when in Halong Bay.
Viet Hai Village (Lan Ha Bay)
Nestled in Cat Ba National Park (Cat Ba Island), Viet Hai Village is a peaceful village with the charm of serene ambiance and surrounding beautiful mountainous landscapes. You can easily capture many photographs of rural life as well as the scenery while exploring the village.
Thien Canh Son Cave (Bai Tu Long Bay)
Here is the best spot in Bai Tu Long Bay that offers great opportunities for photography. As there is another viewpoint at the end of the cave, both the starting and finishing point will help you admire the sleepy beauty of Thien Canh Son Cave from two different angles.
SAPA
Home to the most majestic mountain range in Northern Vietnam, Hoang Lien Son Range, Sapa owns its charm of remote areas with small tribal villages, living places of many ethnic minorities here. If you are fascinated by the natural beauty and local culture, Sapa is an ideal place for sightseeing and encountering the local experiences in your Vietnam Tour.
Best places in Sapa to take the stunning photos:
Fansipan Mount
This is a must in your bucket list when in Sapa if you expect numerous stunning photos here. From the Summit of Indochina, the surrounding breathtaking view evokes the feeling of being lost in heaven. Taking a cable car ride from Fansipan Legend is the fastest and easiest way to reach the Fansipan mount.
Haven Gate – O Quy Ho Pass
Home to one of the four grand passes of the North, Heaven Gate is located on the way go to Lai Chau Province and overlooks amazing O Quy Ho Pass and beautiful valley underneath the mighty ranges. It is well worth your visit for great photos with landscapes in Sapa.
Muong Hoa Valley
Right near the center of Sapa Town, Muong Hoa Valley is an enchanting place for trekkings and sightseeing. Muong Hoa allures tourists by its beauty of terrace fields, rural paths, and remote tribal villages. You can also rent for a local ethnic costume and take some lovely pictures here.
Bac Ha Sunday Market
Bac Ha Sunday Market is the place where you can get a close insight into local daily life in Sapa. This marketplace happens almost trading from different ethnic groups here with a wide range of local handicrafts, specialties, furniture, etc. A colorful picture of a Sapa local market is awaiting you to explore and capture.
MU CANG CHAI
Less well-known than Sapa, Mu Cang Chai is a real dream for any photographer or backpack traveler. The district is located in Yen Bai Province and has a dreamy vista of terraced fields all over the region. Mu Cang Chai is extremely busy when the harvest season comes when all the fields turn the golden hue of vibrant yellow.
Oustanding spots in Mu Cang Chai for the best travel photos:
Raspberry Hill (Doi Mam Xoi)
The unique shape of the Hill is regarded as the avatar of Mu Cang Chai and Yen Bai Province in general. As a big natural raspberry pie amid the picturesque surrounding scenery, Raspberry Hill becomes a symbolic image that must be included in any check-in photo in Mu Cang Chai.
Horseshoe Rims Hill (Doi Mong Ngua)
The awe-inspiring curves from rice terraced fields along the hillside have created a very stunning natural Horseshoe Rims Hill in Mu Cang Chai. Here is also one of the best spots to admire the sunset in Mu Cang Chai besides the perfect place for photography.
Toebox Hill (Doi Mui Giay)
Overlooking the river under the foot, the hill has a shape of a Toebox when standing from above. People can witness the beauty of the hill and surrounding terraced fields when passing through the paths or experiencing paragliding.
HA GIANG
Ha Giang is endowed with the sublime beauty of rock formations in the remote area of northernmost Vietnam. The craggy topography might be a worry at first, however, it is a deserving challenge for any photography traveler. The natural masterpieces of Ha Giang will surely blow your mind away once setting foot to this land.
Best places in Ha Giang for photography:
Ma Pi Leng Pass
Named as “the King of Vietnam mountain passes”, Ma Pi Leng is famous for winding paths along the very craggy mountain ranges in Ha Giang. Conquering this pass is a truly thrilling but very exciting experience. This is also a wonderful chance for you to catch epic photos of Vietnam mountainous areas.
Hoang Su Phi
If Northwest is famous for terraced fields in Mu Cang Chai or Sapa, Hoang Su Phi in Ha Giang is well-known to be the best place to admire this beauty in Northeast. The harvest season (from September to October) is also the best time to have the nicest photographs in Hoang Su Phi.
Nho Que River
Flowing through mighty ranges in Ha Giang, Nho Que River is a viewpoint where you can admire the breathtaking landscape from below. Taking a boat ride on Nho Que River, you will get a chance to come closer to great Tu San Canyon, the deepest canyon in Southeast Asia.
Dong Van Karst Plateau Geopark
With a unique geological feature, Dong Van Karst Plateau Geopark consists of 4 districts of Ha Giang with around 80 percent of the total area is limestone. Ma Pi Leng Pass and Nho Que River are only two among many other attractive sites that you can have great opportunities for photography in the park.
NINH BINH
Just around 100km to the South of Hanoi, Ninh Binh is well-known to be the place blessed with both historical valued and natural landscapes. This is also a favorite check-in destination in Vietnam of both locals and foreign visitors. Let’s check out the list of the most famous photography spots in Ninh Binh that you should not miss below:
Trang An Complex
Featuring the vast beauty of mountains, rivers, greens, and cave systems, Trang An is one of the most prominent places in Ninh Binh for sightseeing. The scenery here surely fulfills your photography interest from the beginning until the last moments on the boat.
Tam Coc
Tam Coc has the rural beauty of paddy fields on both sides along the riverbank. Hence the recommended time to visit Tam Coc and have the best photos in Tam Coc is during the harvest season when the hue of yellow covers the area.
Mua Cave
The viewpoint in Hang Mua Cave overlooks the entire Tam Coc, which is a perfect place for some great pics in Ninh Binh. You need to follow a way up with around three-hundred stone staircases, but the view from the top of the mount really deserves your climb.
Am Tiem Cave (Tuyet Tinh Coc)
Am Tiem Cave, as well as the front calm lake, is surrounded by verdant mounts which made up a great hidden gem in Ninh Binh. Less-visited than three spots above, Am Tiem Cave possesses its inherent peace of a place that is out of this world.
If you’re expecting a Vietnam tour that could fulfill your interest in photography, the diverse landscape in Northern Vietnam will make your dream come true. We do hope that each destination is a fantastic experience during your journey capturing the moments of a lifetime. In case you find no the most appropriate travel schedule for yourself, feel free to contact our Asia Tours Team for more reference.
