Long Coc - Mai Chau - Pu Luong - Ninh Binh Photo tour

7:30 AM : Meet tour guide and driver at your hotel in Hanoi and transfer to Long Coc – Phu Tho.

On the way, we will stop to capture the Duong Lam ancient village.

At noon, arrive in Long Coc, have a refresh and waiting for our lunch at local homestay.
It is time for you to walk arround the homestay for some first shots.
After lunch with delicious local foods, we will take a short walk to the tea hills for our shooting day.
We will capture the farmers working in the tea hills, and bring your tripod as we combine the sunset photo hunting after that.

Full afternoon for photo shooting, back to homestay for relax, hot shower and enjoy the delicious dinner.
Overnight at homestay.

Included: 
Accommodation: Homestay in Long Coc – Private room.
Tony Luan Homestay 
Private transportation
Entrance fees
Models fees
Meal: Lunch, Dinner
Private English speaking guide

4:30 AM: Get up early for beautiful sunrise. Transfer to the top of the hill. Set up your tripod and camera then wait for the great momments.
Your show time….
After sunrise hunting, back to homestay for breakfast and relax before transfer to Mai Chau.
On the way, you will have a chance to capture the local people working in the field. Especially, in the september, it is the rice hardvest in the foot of tea hills.

Arrive in Mai Chau, check in homestay and have lunch.
In the afternoon, we will take our bike to ride around the village and capture the locals, landscapes of mountain and rice fields.

Later, “ hunt” the sunset over the mountain ranges before we return to homestay for shower and dinner.

Included:
Accommodation: Homestay in Mai Chau – Private room
Private transportation
All entrance fees
Meal: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Private English speaking guide

After breakfast at homestay. Depart from Mai Chau and head to Pa Co, a Hmong village nestled near the Moc Chau plateau. If it's Sunday, enjoy the lively local market full of colors and ethnic charm.
Trek through traditional Hmong villages to Hang Kia commune, surrounded by plum orchards, rice terraces, and forested hills. Visit a local family, school, and dispensary to connect with authentic highland life.
It is time for you to capture the beautiful landscapes and locals.

Hang Kia’s cloud hunting point is also on our list for the best photos of nature and cloud. ( If you are interested in cloud hunting, we will revise the route and starting the trip at 4.30 AM to Hang Kia)
Having a lunch in a local family, descend into the peaceful Cun Pheo Valley. Capture the sunset from Tau Na.

In the evening, transfer to homestay for dinner and restful night at a local homestay.

Included:
Accommodation: Homestay in Mai Chau– Private room
Private transportation
All entrance fees
Meal: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Private English speaking guide

Get up earlier and transfer to Pu Luong nature reserve at 5.00. Arrive in Pu Luong before the sunrise. Stop on the place to set up our gear to capture the sunrise and cloud in the valley. ( depend on the weather)

Having breakfast box and relaxation before enjoying a trekking along the valley of this beautiful region. Down to Don village and following the trail to the Chom Uoi and Chom Lan village.

This amazing trekking will bring to you the changing of landscapes from rice terraces to ponds, streams and the mountain range. Keep enjoying the walk to Pho Doan. 

Meeting our driver and transfer to restaurant for lunch.
Check in hotel and relax till late afternoon. Get the sunset over the mountain range

Included:
Accommodation: Hotel in Pu Luong
Private transportation
All entrance fees
Meal: Breakfast, Lunch
Private English speaking guide

Again, get up for the Sunrise and return homestay for breakfast, after breakfast in Pu Luong, driver for a 3-hour journey to Ninh Binh.

Arrive in Van Long around 11.00, enjoy a biking tour along the Van Long dyke and through the village to see the local life, the beauty of Van Long with water and mountain. That we may capture the best photos.

Return to the village. Lunch will be served in a local restaurant or homestay, relaxing before enjoying a rowing boat trip to explore Van Long nature reserve. You may see the Monkeys on the cliffs of the mountain and egrets on the water of the nature reserve.
After the boat trip, visiting one of the local families in the village and capture the local portraits.
In late afternoon, we will “ hunt” the sunset over the rice field in village.

Dinner at homestay.

Included:
Accommodation: Van Long Family homestay – Deluxe private room
Private transportation
Models fees
All entrance fees
Meal: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Private English speaking guide

Get up early for sunrise over the Van Long Nature reserve.

Return homestay for breakfast and move to Tam Coc for a Sampan boat trip along the Ngo Dong river which is a colorful rice field in the harvest season among Karst mountain ranges. The rowing boat will lead you to the gorgeous landscapes and throughout the 3 grottoes (Tam is three and Coc is grotto). Back to the pier after 1.5 – 2 hours in the rowing boat trip and enjoy a lunch at a local restaurant.

After lunch, we will explore Bich Dong pagoda, one of the typical pagoda in the red river delta of northern Vietnam. Crossing the stone bridge to the ancient gate of Bich Dong pagoda. Discover The “Lower pagoda” then more than 100 steps to Chua Trung (Middle pagoda). A special pagoda in the cave and the unique clay statues. Walking up through the cave will lead you to the highest pagoda (Chua Thuong) which not only provides you with the history but also offers a great view from there.

And in front of the stone bridge and ancient gate, it is place for you to capture the beauty.

Later, transfer to Hang Mua (Mua cave) to enjoy hiking to the Ngoa Long mountain. Conquer 500 steps to reach the peak. That would be worth it for a great panorama view from the top and “ hunt” the sunset.

Stay in Tam Coc

Included:
Accommodation: Hotel in Tam Coc
Entrance fees
Boat trip
Private transportation
Meal: Breakfast, Lunch
English Speaking guide

In the morning, enjoy breakfast at hotel.

Transfer to Trang An to enjoy sampan rowing boat trip on the clear water of the stream where you can see the bottom or many fishes. Rowing through the grottoes, some of them are 100 – 200-meter long that really bring you an impression.

On the boat trip, we will stop and get off the boat to discover some pagodas and temples which were built to worship the Tran dynasty’s mandarins. It is also great time to have great photos in this nature beauty.

After 2 hour on boat, return to the pier and have lunch at a restaurant.

After lunch, transfer to Hoa Lu to capture the 2 king temple. The temples of Kings Dinh and Le in Hoa Lu offer a blend of ancient architecture, tranquil courtyards, and sacred atmosphere. Their ornate gates, stone carvings, and shaded gardens provide striking subjects for cultural and architectural photography.

Return to Hanoi in the afternoon.
Drop off at your hotel.

End of a 7 day Northern Vietnam photo Tour

Note: you can extend your trip from Ninh Binh to Halong Bay, Bai Tu Long Bay, Lan Ha Bay for 2 day/1 night cruise trip.
 

Included:
Accommodation: N/A
Entrance fees
Boat trip
Private transportation
Meal: Breakfast, Lunch
English Speaking guide

More photos about this route at Flickr: Northern Vietnam Photo tour