If you travel to Vietnam, Ha Giang is the farthest province in the North of the country. The province is one of the most scenic in the mountainous region with majestic mountains, authentic hill tribe people, amazing rice terraces and local old towns.
You can find all the authentic features of the mountains in a photography tour to Ha Giang. Although it takes you a day to get to Ha Giang from Hanoi, it is really worth the drive here because the photos you take on this trip will never let you down.
Nung People in Dong Van, Ha Giang Province
Interesting photography locations in Ha Giang
Hoang Su Phi terraced fields
Along with Mu Cang Chai, Hoang Su Phi is one of the most beautiful terraced fields in Vietnam. The best time to take photos of Hoang Su Phi Rice Terraces is during the rice crop from June to October, from the beginning of the cultivation until the rice is green in the field and ends with a surprisingly beautiful golden color.
The village of the Tay people in Ha Giang
Although Ha Giang is quite a big town, there are still many beautiful traditional Tay villages lying around the town, which can be very interesting to photograph. Some great local villages to photograph are Me, Thôn Tha, or Chien Thang.
Ho Nong
Noong Lake is a very beautiful and special lake located about 16 km from Ha Giang. After driving along the beautiful landscapes and villages of the Tay people, Noong Lake will appear as the eye of the northern mountains. The water is quite shallow but you can go boating or rafting on the lake. On the lake surface, there are many tree trunks creating a very beautiful and unique landscape of the lake. The best time to take pictures here is in the early morning or late afternoon, before sunset.
Quan Ba – Heaven’s Gate
One of the other scenic spots in Ha Giang. In the mountains, if the path leads to the top of the pass, you can see a wonderful view, the locals call it “heaven’s gate”. From here, you can take great photos of the famous Twin Mountain in Quan Ba.
Yen Minh pine forest
Yen Minh is a small town located about 100 km from Ha Giang. On the way from Quan Ba to Yen Minh, you can see the beautiful scenery of mountains, terraces and beautiful pine forests in the mountains, which can be great for taking pictures.
Pho Cao
Pho Cao is a very small town with very genuine Hmong villages before reaching the very high pass. It can be a great place to take pictures in the village or from the pass down to this beautiful valley with great views.
Pho Bang town
Fu Bang is a small town located right on the Chinese border. Most of the people living in the town are Han Chinese. The town still preserves many traditional houses with bold characteristics of the Han people. If you’re lucky enough to catch the weekly market in Pho Bang, it can also be a great photo opportunity here.
Check Point Lung Cu
Lung Cu is a very famous and popular check-in point for locals as it is the furthest point of Vietnam in the North bordering China. For photographers, the most interesting route during a trip to Lung Cu might be the breathtaking scenery of the mountains, the local villages along the way, and the mountainous ethnic people.
Palace of King Hmong
This is one of the two famous palaces of the Hmong king that still exist in the Mountains. Great location, amazing architecture in wood and stone, it’s also a great spot to take pictures. A visit to the Palace of the Mongol King Vuong Chinh Duc is not to be missed during a photography trip to Ha Giang.
Dong Van town
Dong Van is a famous isolated ancient town in Ha Giang. You can easily see many old and beautiful houses still standing in the town. The best places to shoot are the streets near the old market and the village on the street on the left hand side of the market, where you can find hundreds of years old houses there.
Dong Van Market
This market is only open on Sundays and is a popular spot for local hill tribes to gather to socialize and shop. This is one of the best markets in Northern Vietnam and can be the perfect place to take pictures.
Ma Pi Leng Pass
Ma Pi Leng Pass is the most majestic pass in Vietnam with wonderful scenery of mountains and clouds and the beautiful Nho Que river running along the valley. You can also see Tu San – the deepest abyss in Southeast Asia here too.
Meo Vac town
Meo Vac is a small town located across the Ma Pi Leng pass from Dong Van. In this town there is also a very nice Sunday market, smaller than Dong Van but well worth taking pictures.
When is the best time for Ha Giang Photography Tour?
There are many good times to take pictures in Ha Giang depending on the location and season. From June to October can be a great time to take photos in Hoang Su Phi rice terraces from the beginning to the end of the crop. From October to December Ha Giang is now very famous for buckwheat flowers, but the most impressive time may be the spring time from January to March with wonderful plum, peach, pear and broccoli flowers.
How many days do you need for a photo tour in Ha Giang? You need at least three days to take pictures at all the above places in Ha Giang, but if you want to go slow and explore all the local villages, the best light in the best place, you will need about 5 days for your photo tour in Ha Giang in Vietnam.
