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‘Five reasons to visit Vietnam’ by last year’s tour participant & photographer Tracy Burr

16th October 2018

Five reasons to visit and photograph Vietnam

Tracy Burr joined our 2017 tour to Vietnam. Here she shares her top five reasons for choosing Vietnam as a photography destination.

1. The People. 

Throughout our trip, we met the most interesting people, all of whom were so friendly and welcoming. Considering the massive language barrier, I will never forget the elderly lady talking to Clive at the Duonglam village. The gentleman making bamboo fish traps showing me pictures of his wife at his home and his medals…. Ohh and a massive thank you to our guide, Diep, being a photographer himself, he suggested places to visit and was so informative throughout the trip. 

2. Streetlife.

From the very start, we had a fascination with the motorbikes, from how many people - I think the most was 5, the whole family - to what you can carry on the back of a bike. I saw a boxed fridge freezer, a goat in the front basket and tank full of fish on the back of one! Hence, we spent time panning the traffic by the mosaic wall in Hanoi and capturing light trails from a terrace. It was when our guide first suggested that we cross the road - I'm sure we all looked at him and just thought you have to be joking… with 5 lines of traffic coming towards us…. Though with Diep taking the lead, we did it, and all in a line too, we must have looked so funny to them! By the end of the trip, we were used to crossing the road, just keep moving, don’t run and they will go round you… I somehow don’t think that will work over here though… 

3. Colourful markets

From the rich colours of the flower market, to the sights and smells of the Binh Dien fish market at Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon), most of which was still alive and a truly once in a lifetime experience…. to the relatively calm, floating markets in the Mekong Delta.

4. Crafts 

From the Bat Trang Pottery in Hanoi, to the making of bamboo fish traps by a lovely gentleman who is still working in the traditional method and mending fishing nets in the south. 

5. Off the tourist track

As you would expect from any Light & Land trip, we were taken to several locations which as a general tourist you would not have access too. From seeing the crafts to visiting the Hang Buddhist Monastery and learning Tai Chi on the deck of our boat at Halong Bay. 

 

I will most definitely be going back… 

You can see more of Tracy's photography here.

For further information on this year's tour, please click here.

Light and Land

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