Vietnam Travel tips, suggestions, etc...

[berley]

We?re going to Vietnam later this year and would like to tap your

collective wisdom about travel there?

 

1. What are the must visit/photograph places?

 

2. What tips do you have on travel there (photo or general)?

 

3. What travel companies are best to help us organize a ?enjoy

the nicer side of life? type trip ? who will also really listen to

our wants and deliver?

 

Thanks a lot,

 

Steve Berley

berley.com

Oakland, CA

[Spearhead]

<i>1. What are the must visit/photograph places?</i><p>

 

This depends on what you like to visit and photograph. I much preferred the north (Hanoi up to Halong Bay) and the center (Hue) to the south. Some of that was the weather - the south is extremely hot and humid. <p>

 

Some of the standard tourist places, like Halong Bay, are worth visiting. I'd also recommend getting a good guide and going into the ethnic minority villages in the north.<p>

 

<i>2. What tips do you have on travel there (photo or general)?</i><p>

 

Hire guides. Rent motorscooters in the smaller cities, you can travel like a local. Airfare is very cheap between cities, sometimes cheaper than a driver, and almost always faster. Eat the food on the street - it's clean and fresh. Don't photograph people gambling on the street or any government facilities. Get out of the cities and into the jungle.<p>

 

<i>3. What travel companies are best to help us organize a ?enjoy the nicer side of life? type trip ? who will also really listen to our wants and deliver? </i><p>

 

Pick the places you want to go and stay and then call around to the travel companies to see who will give you the best deal on the places you want. In most areas, hotels can be found on very short notice, so you don't need to book everything in advance. Also, since you are in the Bay Area, I would recommend using a Vietnamese travel agency in San Jose for plane flights. I was able to save about $400/ticket by using an agency. Also, if you are traveling at Christmas time, book your flights now, as a lot of Vietnamese-Americans go home at that time of year.

[glen_johnson1]

Take plenty of silica gel bags to keep your cameras and lenses dry.

[Spearhead]

Hmmm, my camera was out 14 hours a day, hard to keep it dry when you're shooting. If you're going to store it for a few weeks instead of using it, that might be useful. Otherwise...

[nigel_nagarajan]

<p>Vietnam is one of my favourite countries, as much for the friendliness of the people as for the beauty of the country. My <a href="http://www.photo.net/photodb/folder?folder_id=176232">Vietnam photo.net gallery</a> could give you an idea of what to expect. I am mainly interested in photographing people, so my tips below reflect this.

 

<p>1. Must visit places for photography:

<br>In the North, Sapa, Bac Ha and surrounding villages for tribal people. The people are incredibly friendly, as is the case throughout the country. Hanoi's old quarter is also not to be missed. Halong Bay is also lovely. In central Vietnam, Hue and Hoi An, especially the latter which has a lot of faded charm. In the South, I loved Chau Doc, but Tra Vinh and Tay Ninh are also interesting for people.

<p>2. Travel tips:

<br>You can arrange quite a lot while you are there through traveller's cafes. For example, you can book one or two day trips to Halong Bay from traveller's cafes in Hanoi. Transport between major towns can also be arranged in a similar way. Most of the big places are well served with higher quality hotels. There are also luxury hotels in places you wouldn't necessarily expect (e.g. Sapa, Chau Doc).

 

<p>3. Travel agencies

<br>I booked my flights and accommodation in Hanoi with a company int the UK called Visit Asia. However, as I mentioned above, it is very easy to organise things once you are there.

[glen_johnson1]

"Hmmm, my camera was out 14 hours a day, hard to keep it dry when you're shooting..."

 

Most travelers I know won't be exhibiting their equipment like that, in Vietnam or otherwise. Instead it will be inside some damp daypack and only pulled out when needed. Not to mention what's going on with your spare lenses or bodies not in immediate use. Or when you get caught in a sudden rain, etc..or are exploring that old cave tunnel from the war, splashing along a muddy trail in the country, etc, etc. Throwing a bag of silica gel into your camera bag doesn't seem very burdensome to me. The effects of rain and humidity are probably why NGS pros shooting tropical climes also recommend not only silica gel but separate dry boxes for extra lenses and spare bodies, but you may know more than they do...

[rachelle_m.]

Hi Steve,

 

Like a few of the other posters above, I also recommend the central and northern regions of Vietnam. I found Hoi An and Hanoi to be the most photogenic places while I was there (I was in country for 10 days -- not enough time by far!). Ho Chi Minh City was disappointing photo-wise, as was Halong Bay. Yes, Halong Bay is a world heritage site, but everyone knows it, and I fear what it's going to become by what it is already. There are a ton of tourists, a ton of tourist boats, and they all go to the same places. I think (if its possible and you have the time) it would be worthwhile to charter your own boat and take a few days to explore the bay. I was in Vietnam at a time when haze was the prevalent weather condition, and I don't have a single photo that's salvagable from my time in Halong as a result. You didn't say when you were going or what your main photographic interests are, but I'd keep (the weather) in mind no matter where you go, especially if you're interested in landscapes.

[fourfa]

definitely watch the weather in Ha Long Bay if good photos are the desired result. The street food is great - just make sure it's fresh and hot off the grill, not been standing or stored. Clean bottled water is cheap, safe, and everywhere. Even fruit is safe, unless peeled by someone not wearing gloves. In restaraunts it's almost always fine. Things have definitely changed since 1970, laugh.

<p>

I spent a month backpacking around Vietnam with no travel agency, just a Rough Guide (Lonely Planet is great too). There are hotel/guesthouse recommendations for all levels of luxury in there. I don't think you'll gain anything by using an agency with an pre-planned itinerary, though that comes down to personal travel style. The backpacker's quarter of town will have plenty of options for getting around cheaply and touring various destinations. Personally I take the tourist buses over the local buses, but I'm 6'3" and just don't fit into small rows, otherwise I'd prefer to travel with the locals.

<p>

Anyway, my favorites (you can see more <a href="http://fourfa.com/photo/Galleries/Southeast%20Asia/Vietnam/index.html">here</a>)

were Hanoi (old quarter and French quarter), Sapa, Tam Coc or "Ha Long Bay on land," perhaps more beautiful than Ha Long to my eyes, and Hoi An (a real treat for the eyes and stomach). Hope you have fun.

[Spearhead]

The key to Halong Bay for me was getting onto the houseboats of the local fishermen. It didn't take a lot of effort to convince the boat captain to stop, and I got some great shots and met some wonderful people, although I couldn't talk to them.

 

By the way, you can have your camera out 24 hours a day, nobody is going to bother you, contrary to what is implied in Glen Johnson's comment above.

[michael_chmilar]

I spent the month of November, 2002, travelling through Vietnam. I started in the North (entered from China) and exited to Cambodia. The Lonely Planet book was packed with useful information.

 

If you are travelling for a while, I recommend just booking your flights in and out of Vietnam, and improvising while you are there, instead of having a pre-planned itinerary. There is no trouble arranging for transportation and lodging. If your time is short, it is probably more efficient to have everything pre-arranged.

 

The best photo opportunities in Vietnam are people and daily life. Vietnam is not so good for landscape photography, with the notable exceptions of Ha Long Bay and Tam Coc. I also agree that the north and middle are more interesting than south.

 

The street food is excellent and cheap. Bottled water is easily available, and most places know that foreigners prefer it.

[salvatore.mele]

Go south of Ho Chi Minh city, to the Mekong river delta. Cantho is a good base. Then arrange a trip to the (one of the) floating market(s), which is easy: just stand on the street (or below Ho Chi Minh huge silver statue) and wait to be offered one. The trick is not to go with a big boat, but get a small rowing boat, for two to four people, and be rowed into the thick of the action. Big tourist motor boats just stay at the edge of things. You might negotiate a paddling/motoring through backwater channels, which are a very interesting window on riverside rural Vietnam.

 

Food cooked on-demand in markets or streetside stalls is both safe and delicious! If hygiene is a concern to you, you might want to have a spoon/chopstick/fork in your pocket.

[brian_rosenbloom]

I spent a week in Northern Vietnam (Hanoi, Sapa and Halong Bay). Each place provides excellent photo opportunities, but I liked Sapa the best, then Hanoi, followed by Halong Bay (Halong Bay was a bit of a disapointment because it didn't live up to all the hype, but it was still nice). Sapa was very beautiful and picturesque. You can see my photos here:<p>

 

<a href="http://www.pbase.com/brosen67/thailand__cambodia__vietnam">http://www.pbase.com/brosen67/thailand__cambodia__vietnam</a>

<p>

My one tip is to watch out for condensation on your lens. Northern Vietnam was VERY hot and humid when I was there, and I had trouble preventing condensation from forming on the lens. I took two lenses with me: (1) cannon 17-85mm IS EFS and (2) and cannon 50 mm. I hardly used the 50mm. The 17-85 range worked out very well.

 

Happy travels.

[berley]

********

<p><strong>Thanks to all of you who provided valuable advice for our trip. We had an amazing time and I took lots of fantastic photos.</strong></p>

<p><strong>Please feel free to enjoy my shots at <a href="http://pix.berley.com/gallery/1047398/1">pix.berley.com/gallery/1047398/1</a> </strong></p>

<p><strong>Steve </strong></p>

[charley_brockbank]

<p>I'm glad you had a good time! Wish I got on sooner to suggest my favorite place: <a href="http://www.ruba.com/vietnam_travel">Ha Long Bay</a><br>

-----------<br>

Vietnam Traveler - Charley</p>

[stephanie_godfrey]

<p>1. Must visit places for photography: <br />Vietnam is a country full of photographic opportunities. The landscape is diverse and includes a very long and beautiful coastline, karstic rock formations, and mountains: Halong Bay, Sapa (or Mai Chau) with mountainous landscape, Ninh Binh (Trang An, Tam Coc), Hoian ancient town, Quang Binh (Phong Nha park, Son Doong cave, Da Nhay Beach), Hai Van pass in the central, Mui Ne Sand Dunes, Phan Thiet Salt Field, Hang Rai Beach (Ninh Thuan), romantic Dalat (waterfalls, lakes, hills, flowers gardens...), Indigo Forest in Mekong Delta, and so on...<br /> 2. Travel tips: <br />Eat street food, Vietnamese food is super awesome. Sometimes hawkers are annoying, just ignore them if you don't want to buy anything. If you want to buy souvenirs/find a good place for dinning, hire a guide and he/she can tell you the right address. And, of course, be careful with your properties. Try bargaining. <br /><br />3. Travel agencies:<br />It is very easy to organise things once you are there. For me, I booked tour with Bestprice Vietnam. Their price is reasonable and much cheaper than tours organized by other operators. And base on my experiences, the booking process was fast, they replied me just after 1 day of request, and the payment was flexible. I only paid a deposit of 30%, and paid the rest when I was in Vietnam. You know, we were a little cautious sending a small pile of money to a travel agency we found on the internet.</p><div></div>