Planning A Trip To Vietnam, Suggestions Appreciated

Looking for January suggestions page and saw that no one responded to this. I do not know what all countries FAA PIXELS has artists living in but it made me curious...........are there any FAA PIXELS artists living in Vietnam with any thoughts. I promise to look at the artwork of anyone currently living in Vietnam who responds.

1- SaPa, the ‘town of clouds’ in the remote northwest with fascinating and friendly ethnic minorities living in tiny hill tribe villages.

2-Mu Cang Chai, beautiful village with awesome scenery about 300km from Hanoi.

3-Hue: The ancient capital of Nguyen Dynasty 1802 to 1945. Hue boasts stunning palaces, majestic temples, and serene pagodas that offer a glimpse into the country's royal past.

4- Da Nang: Fantastic street food, the fabled Hai Van Pass, and a growing collection of cafes, restaurants, and bars, The warm sands of My Khe Beach sweep south from the mountainous Son Tra Peninsula. Da Nang was recognized as one of the world's top destinations in 2015 by the New York Times,

5- Hoi An: This well-preserved city was an important Southeast Asian trading port the 15th-19th centuries. You can take a taxi to Hoi An from Da Nang (about 29km and cab fare from US$15 to US$20).

I'd add to Viet Tran's suggestions:

1) Hanoi - The Old Quarter, and a walk around Hoan Kiem lake. I spent three weeks there on my last visit, could have stayed longer! So much to photograph!

2) Hoi An - A photographer's dream, even with the crowds. You just have to wait a bit longer to get the shot. Get up at dawn, go to market, walk the streets as the old part of city is waking up. Lots of good cafes and restaurants. Even though I've been there several times I spent three weeks there on my last visit, and again, could have stayed longer!

3) Get off the beaten track in the Mekong Delta. Take the local buses, with the locals, rather than a tourist coach, and see more of the real Vietnam. Lots of possible routes, eg, Saigon - My Tho - Ben Tre (by ferry, there and back - I spent a couple of days there and only saw two other tourists, in the distance) - back to My Tho - Vinh Long - Can Tho (backwaters, Cai Rang floating market, Ho Chi Minh statue!) - Chau Doc (take a boat up the Mekong River to Phnom Penh in Cambodia) - or, head back to Saigon via Sa Dec. Very cheap fares, flag the bus down and jump on - note that sometimes they don't actually stop, just slow down, so you are climbing onto a moving bus - travel light!

4) Halong Bay? - One night is probably enough. All the boats go to the same places. Problems with pollution (https://www.euronews.com/travel/2023/05/29/it-makes-you-sad-tourists-and-fishermen-leave-vietnams-ha-long-bay-covered-in-trash). I did it nearly twenty years ago when there were fewer boats, and none of them were painted white! They were timber, junk-style. They still are inside, but the Vietnamese government decreed that all tour boats had to be painted white, and thereby destroyed part of the attraction of going there. I splashed out on a luxury boat, the Dragon's Pearl - great cabin and excellent food. I think it sank later, not too sure. I did it one time, but now, I wouldn't bother going there again, for the aforementioned reasons. If you go, be very aware of safety on the water. Over the years there have been several boat sinkings, and fires, and tourist deaths - Google "halong bay tourist boat sinkings".

There are millions of photos of Vietnam on the internet, but feel free to check out my galleries for inspiration! I often put the location in the description, but if you want detailed info on locations of shots, please ask me.