Vietnam

[dreamingartemis]

Let's try to keep this to travel and photographic advice, please, ideally from people who have some experience in visiting Vietnam.

Thanks, I was wondering why there were so many "removed because of off topic" replies on this thread and I was wondering who was removing them.

 

[dreamingartemis]

Tourists definitely are not ripped off in Vietnam. The people are beautiful, the land too. It's the place to be with a camera or two (of three!).
My family is considering a return visit to Vietnam now; we last visited in 2003. Ha Noi was the memorable highlight, but the stifling heat bothered my sister and triggered her asthma. Speaking of conditions like that, take all medications with you into the country (with a note from Doctor what they are and why you take them); don't rely on street chemists to have any specialist medication that you may need.

I haven't seen much photography here in this thread of Vietnam, though I am inspired by the atmospheric sample posted by Richard S above. More recently my oldest niece went on a two week holiday to Vietnam, visiting Ha Long Bay but coming back with nothing more than awful iPhone pics taken amidst breaks in a typhoon! She spoke of the exotic French-flavoured eveningwear (she bought two vamp-red evening gowns for only a few Dong) that is popular in the classier establishments (eateries) of the city. My own record would have been of Nui Dat and the Mekong Delta — two places I would like to see again. Also Som Doomg underground caverns.

I suggest the OP get hold of a Lonely Planet guidebook on Vietnam: this will surely fire the imagination and start the itinerary planning!

Another main reason why I'm planning a trip there, not many photos so I figure why not give a try then.

 

[dreamingartemis]

Thanks to everyone who replied, it really helps in building my plans and confidance on this idea of mine. Since my 3rd trip to Japan last year, I've been really bummed out on where to go next since all of my trips are 80% solo and unless I really have a passion to go to a place, I don't go unless its with a friend.

Hopefully, things will come together nicely

 

[Prof_Pixel]

Thanks, I was wondering why there were so many "removed because of off topic" replies on this thread and I was wondering who was removing them.

See Message 15 in this thread from Moderator David Goldfarb.

 

[Poisson Du Jour]

Another main reason why I'm planning a trip there, not many photos so I figure why not give a try then.

There are two very enticing photos in part of the downloadable Lonely Planet Vietnam guide (.pdf format); you can download individual chapters or the whole book (well, at least here in Australia!). The country is pretty accessible and quite different to the ultra-modern world that most of us live and work in; in some respects it's like stepping back a few centuries! I would expect a few surprises. Might be best to go on an organised tour rather than solo; it seems to me that many solo travels pose the most perplexing questions in forums (e.g. lonelyplanet.com/thorntree).

What is your genre, landscape, people, architecture, mountains, festivals, night scenes? At the time mine was people and architecture (now, for a long time, the landscape). I can recall having been overwhelmed for a few days until I got my marbles back!! I was initially even fearful of the place (many beggars and touts that I can recall). Keep your wits about you and be wary of flashing expensive camera gear around in big-note cities like Hanoi or Ho Chi Minh.

 

[dreamingartemis]

There are two very enticing photos in part of the downloadable Lonely Planet Vietnam guide (.pdf format); you can download individual chapters or the whole book (well, at least here in Australia!). The country is pretty accessible and quite different to the ultra-modern world that most of us live and work in; in some respects it's like stepping back a few centuries! I would expect a few surprises. Might be best to go on an organised tour rather than solo; it seems to me that many solo travels pose the most perplexing questions in forums (e.g. lonelyplanet.com/thorntree).

What is your genre, landscape, people, architecture, mountains, festivals, night scenes? At the time mine was people and architecture (now, for a long time, the landscape). I can recall having been overwhelmed for a few days until I got my marbles back!! I was initially even fearful of the place (many beggars and touts that I can recall). Keep your wits about you and be wary of flashing expensive camera gear around in big-note cities like Hanoi or Ho Chi Minh.

Hi,

Well my genre is landscapes and culture, I especially want to see places few have been yet (No, I'm too scared to go to North Korea for now.)

Though right now I'm trying to determine a budget for the trip, plane fare is no problem with accessible budget flights like airasia. But generally what can I expect in terms of logging, food and transport? Will not be buying march, the only thing I hope to be taking back are photos, memories and a better sense of other cultures.

and also hopefully an addiction to do more travelling

 

[Poisson Du Jour]

Vietnam is probably the cheapest place on the planet to travel to, bus or fly about; I think that's because of the Dong, valued at 20,000:1 (Dong:USD), which can also cause nightmares at ATMs when literally thousands of notes of Dong are spewed out for something like a $50 withdrawal!! It was not cheap for us in 2003; things have changed hugely in a decade. Maybe seek out items of interest at Angkor wat (Hindu/Buddhist) in evening or morning light — it is hauntingly beautiful, if so well-known as a tourist trap that you will be standing in millions of previous footsteps and probably won't get something that none of the rest of the inquisitive world has seen before you. The most remote areas of Vietnam are probably best done (safety and local knowlege) with a guide (our own tour was with an Australian-based company at the time which was taken over by APT some years ago). I can't imagine finding any really accessible wilderness/undiscovered areas close to cities because so many photographers do visit Vietnam with the same ideals! If we go again and I photograph Ha Long Bay, I'd first hope to get rid of all those tourist junk boats cluttering the scene — they really are prolific and pesky.

 

[Richard S. (rich815)]

Angkor Wat is in Cambodia.

 

[Mainecoonmaniac]

Hoi An is very photogenic and a Unesco World Heritage site.

http://whc.unesco.org/en/list/948

 

[Mainecoonmaniac]

I'm Chinese too!

Hmm, I guess Americans do standout in Vietnam but I'm a chinese Malaysian. So i wonder how will they react to be instead. I've been oddly mistaken for either a Japanese, mainland chinese and Thai before when I was in those countries. I actually hope Vietnam would be a first step in a nice long vacation or eye opener.

I'm Chinese American and traveling with our group so I wasn't asked if I were Japanese . Actually you won't stand out at all because Chinese have been immigrating to Vietnam for the last 800 years. Culturally similar.

 

[dreamingartemis]

I'm Chinese American and traveling with our group so I wasn't asked if I were Japanese . Actually you won't stand out at all because Chinese have been immigrating to Vietnam for the last 800 years. Culturally similar.

You're right! that would actually help in my shooting, until I pull out my camera

 

[dreamingartemis]

I have one more question to ask, I'm planning to go in Mid February, would that be a good time to go? Or should I delay until April as some have recommended?