Touring Hanoi and the tribal areas with Vietnam in Focus - Having spent time in Saigon, the Mekong Delta and then Da Nang and Hue we then headed north to Hanoi and then on to the tribal areas close to the Chinese border. There we met up with Tung and his driver Hung. This was a memorable experience like our time in Saigon and the Mekong. Tung was able to provide me with with another photography perspective, especially on street photography and paying much more attention to framing the whole shot, not just the subject. He was able to get us into places we never would have been able to get to by ourselves, especially up in the tribal areas. Hanoi provides a different and somewhat more political/less commercial environment than Saigon, although still plenty of subject matter including both the inner city, night markets and the Thieves Market, all of which we covered. After this it was time to head further north into the tribal areas of Dong Van, Ha Giang and Meo Vac. This provided an opportunity to see both very different geographic environments from the cities (mountainous rocky terrain along with terraced rice fields). There were also local people such as Hmong and Red Dao. Here we got to see the small villages, markets and also inside some private homes. Throughout all of this Tung was a wonderful host and even injected a little of his British sense of humor gained during his schooling in England. During some of the tribal area excursions he also brought along local guides who assisted us with local language and access to certain areas. All in all another wonderful experience. Lastly we had the pleasure of meeting Hai Yen Nguyen, her husband Alex and Mike Stanbury, who own and run Vietnam In Focus. They went out of their way to make us feel at home and took us to lunch both when we arrived in Hanoi and right before we flew home. They are a great team and I highly recommend them.

Ultimate Hanoi and Tribal North Vietnam - Tung was an amazing guide -- he combined pro photography skills with a deep understanding of the local culture and history, and was a superb teacher and a fantastic travel partner. Inside Hanoi and in the far reaches of the north (Dong Van, Ha Giang, Meo Vac) we were treated to experiences, vistas and stories we could never have encountered on our own. This was a never-to-be-forgotten journey!

An amazing photography tour! - I had an amazing experience on the ultimate Hanoi photography tour. The day started early with Brian taking us to the lesser known part of train street where Brian guided me on exposure and composition. Brian timed our arrival well with time to take some shots of the track before the train arrived. We were fortunate to see three trains in our time there. We moved on to thieves markets, Thong Nhat Park, and the vermicelli village which all offered amazing photo opportunities with guidance again from Brian. To be able to capture people in their natural environment was amazing. I got to capture some wonderful shots in this morning part of the tour. We were handed to Tung for the second part of the tour which started at the incense village and ended at the night markets. Tung gave invaluable advice on composition and really made me think outside of the square. Again I was amazed at the images I was able to capture and was grateful for the guidance from Tung. If it wasn’t for this tour, I would not have had the opportunity to capture the images I did and I have these precious memories to take home with me.

Let me give you 3 reasons why you should sign up! - This program by Vietnam in Focus is the best travel experience I've signed up for during my travels across the globe. I've participated in food tours, wine trips, sake tastings, cooking classes, history tours and art tours. This program ranks the best of all the programs I've done for the following reasons: 1. Best Value - I flew to Hanoi for the sole purpose of participating in this immersive photo tour and workshop - and it was worth every dollar plus some! It has been the most fulfilling program because it did not only surpass my expectation from a photography standpoint, but I came out of this with a much better appreciation for the culture and the destination. Vietnam in Focus assigned three incredible professional photographers for my full day immersion. I spent the early morning with Phoung who worked with me on composition, street photography techniques and helped me with camera settings while we photographed the famous Hanoi train tracks (away from the tourists), a neighborhood market and a popular Hanoi park. Brian took me to a vermicelli and incense village that I would have never been able access if I had done it on my own. We walked the entire incense village as if we lived there because the locals knew him. As a result, I was able to take better photos of the workers and the residents. We shared a meal at a local restaurant and talked about his life in Hanoi (from NYC), other VIF programs I should entertain and more helpful lessons on how I can maximize the features of my cameras (Leica Q2 Monochrom and Sony A7II). I spent the evening with Tung at Long Bien Market. There, he worked with me on the panning technique. He also shared valuable lessons on how to better capture photo subjects in a setting as busy as the market. More importantly, he showed me the importance of patience when doing street photography and for "waiting" for the "shot." I've always loved photography since I received my first camera as a child. This experience gave me a sense of purpose for this craft that I love. It gave me justification for the amount of money I spend on cameras and trips!!! 2. Sense of Place - There is something to be said about spending an entire day looking at the destination through the viewfinder of a camera. It allowed me to slow down and truly capture the essence of the subject matter (and destination). I felt a better connection with the people I took pictures of. I felt I was able to to share a better narrative through my photos because meh guides were able to translate our conversations with the locals. 3. Excellent Communication - Hai from Vietnam in Focus made me feel like their most important customer through all my interactions with their office. I felt like I had a butler from the moment I signed up. Instructions were clear from what gear to bring to what to wear for the day. Vietnam in Foucs is run like a well-oiled machine. I highly recommend this program by Vietnam in Focus. It's truly one of the most fulfilling things I've done. Bravo! GA

Superb experience for photography enthusiasts and travelers alike - Fantastic experience! From start to finish, Tung Phan - our photographer guide - was professional, knowledgeable, and incredibly passionate about photography and Hanoi's culture. The itinerary was perfectly curated, giving us an opportunity to see life in Hanoi that a tourist would not typically get to experience. Tung is not only an expert photographer but also a great storyteller, and we got to experience some unexpected encounters with locales that made the tour all the more memorable. What sets Vietnam in Focus a part is their personalized coaching. Whether you're a seasoned photographer or a beginner, they tailor their tips and advice to your skill level. We left the tour feeling inspired, with a memory card full of amazing shots and a deeper appreciation for Hanoi's beauty. If you're visiting Hanoi and love photography, this is an absolute must!

Awesome experience, don't miss it ! - I had the most amazing learning experience with Brian and Tung during my full day tour, capturing interesting night market scenes and of daily public life in general. We also went to the incense village where we toured the factory and saw the whole process of incense making from start to finish. Tung provided valuable tips during the visit to photograph the process from multiple perspectives.

Amazing experience with insightful photographer guide! - I did a customised tour with the VIF team and I can honestly say that this is one of the most amazing experiences in Vietnam I had. Tung was my assigned photographer guide for the trip and he was a gem in guiding me in the angles and the stories and emotions I wanted to convey through my photos. Don’t worry about having a pro camera, I went on the tour only with my iPhone.

Wonderful 19 day photography adventure - A friend and I recently returned from a fantastic 19-day Ultimate Vietnam Photographic trip. It was in every way everything and more than I expected. The planning of our custom trip was made very easy with back-and-forth conversations with Alex who was extremely patient and helpful in arriving at our final itinerary. From the moment we were met at Vietnam Ho Chi Minh City customs with a representative from VIF who helped getting us through, to the moment we were dropped off at the Hanoi Airport Hotel everything went very smoothly. As we made our way northward, we had 4 guides and drivers with us each from the areas that we were in. The guides were knowledgeable, very friendly, patient, and helpful. They were all photographers and learned what we were looking for photographically. They all quickly became our friends as well as guides. Many thanks to Minh, Cristian, Phuong and Viet!! They were very flexible regarding our itinerary and easily made modifications based on our interests and activity in the areas we visited. They also made sure, because of the extremely hot temperatures that we were hydrated and well. Our drivers were likewise great. We felt safe and secure throughout the trip, especially while traversing the narrow, windy, mountainous roads in the north. There was so much that we experienced during our trip. Wanting to have an authentic experience, we visited many small villages with ethnic minorities. A few were quite out of the way, and we were clearly the only Westerners there. We visited many local markets, which we loved and always opted to eat at local restaurants or in the market with the local people. During the course of our trip, we had the opportunity to visit the Khmer, Chams, Hmong, Hoa and Dzao people. There were so many wonderful experiences that we were able to have. Each day was a new photography adventure. A few of the highlights for me were; By coincidence we were in the Khmer area on the last day of their New Year celebration and experienced a marvelous celebration in the streets with water and flour being tossed everywhere. We planned our trip so that we would be in Meo Vac to go to the once weekly ethnic minority market area where people from the villages from all the surrounding areas come to buy and sell and socialize. It was fantastic. We were able to visit villages where most of the economy revolved around a single industry. Whether it was the brick industry in Vinh Long, the fishing trade in Hoi An, the silk manufacturing process in Nam Dinh, the incense making villages or the pottery making village, we were able to see the entire process from start to finish. In the north, we made many stops as we wove our way through the mountains to photograph the breathtaking landscapes. I can’t imagine that there is another company other than Vietnam In Focus that can offer a trip as rich and varied, geared for photographers. My recommendation couldn’t be stronger. Just beginning to go through my photographs, so I can't post more.

Unique and unforgettable way to experience Vietnam - Going to start by saying that we did three tours with Vietnam in Focus and we really can’t rate them highly enough. The set up is really professional have established a network of super talented, highly experienced and very individual guides. We had trips with Eileen (Saigon), Cristian (Hoi an), Brian and Tung (Hanoi). Each photographer had their own unique style, interpretation and take on photography and what makes a great composition. We took something different from each which was amazing. What each had in common was a professional approach, superb communication with us and the Vietnamese locals. We got to go to places that were off the beaten track where we wouldn’t have found as a tourist and saw areas of this amazing country that many will miss and in fact actively avoid. All of our guides offered advice, information experience and I’m not sure if it’s company policy but each offered to review and cast an eye over any photos beyond the tour by way of critique. Also a massive thank to Yến for her communication and patience in accommodating our itinerary.

One day Hanoi through your lens - It was quite a full on tour to explore some unique photo opportunities in Hanoi in one day . Equipped with local knowledge and relationships they have cultivated , we found our 2 experienced photographer guides very helpful in assisting us to achieve certain shots . We were taken to places where we wouldn’t have got to by ourselves . It was an enjoyable experience and we took many pictures that we would certainly be proud of. Perhpas one little point to mention was we found the night wet market a bit overwhelming by the end of the day. If I could do it again , I wouldn’t have organised the tour the day after we just arrived from London .