From the view of a travel photographer, Vietnam is a superb mix of the past, the present and the future. It was one of the most thrilling travel experience I have had so far. As my motorbike cruised from the North to the South of the country, the sceneries were beautiful, the villages indigenous, caves mysterious and cities exotic. And food! Out of this world. Super delicious.
It began at Hanoi, dubbed as the ‘Paris of the East’ due to its influences from French. It has more than two dozen lakes! The key highlight was the Old Quarter and the One Pillar Pagoda. It makes one have a feel of what used to happen back in the old days.
My next stop was Ha Long Bay, the ‘descending dragon’ as the name means has even been listed in the UNESCO World Heritage Site. It surely deserves the accolade. The bay has breathtaking biodiversity that I could not get enough.
I could not have just passed Ninh Binh. It is a culturally rich town that has a history of being one of the most resistance centres in the colonial history of Vietnam. As I veered off the town, memories started flooding of the stories I heard about the colonial eras.
Then came Da Lat, the ‘City of thousands of pine trees’ the tree marigold and twisting roads was an experience of a kind.
Sa pa was next where the view of its mountain was breathtaking. It is one of those places I experienced how it feels to be an indigenous Vietnamese. The cultures are very diverse but very deep and connected. Furthermore, I made the most of my time there to get some stunning mountain landscape photography.
Ha Giang could not be left behind. If you want to get lost in the hills, then you found a perfect spot. Climbing, twisting and turning proved how powerful my motorbike could be. Before I left, passing the Sa Phin Hmong Palace and the Kings flag post was a reminder of the empires.
Nha Trang, here one thing only that is strongly embedded in my heart, the Nha Phu Lagoon. The experience could not have been any better.
Hue, I don’t mean the color, I mean that central Vietnam city which has the 9th-century Đại Nội Citade. Now you understand what I mean Vietnam gives one a feel of the past. It was just mind-blowing.
Hoi An, in the central coast, has the best architectural designs that I haven’t seen anywhere else. The city cut through the canal and the colorful French colonial buildings. What’s a such experience to appreciate this wonder through the lens of a photographer.
Detian Falls was my next destination. As I stared at the voluminous waterfall and reflected how my journey has been, this point made me appreciate nature in a big way. Mind you, the surrounding amenities run 24 hours, and the falls are aesthetically lit.
The best coincidence happened at Bac Ha. I got here on a Sunday, which is a market day. The most colorful day of the week, as that is when trading happens. I later popped in at Hong Hai Restaurant. Here all the menus are local! Nothing English or French. What a delicious meal they have.
As my journey came to an end, I could not have missed the Mui Ne, the white dunes were rich experiences. And the cuisine of seafood was just crazy.
If one is looking for place to do their road trip and unwind, then Vietnam gives it all.
Besides it’s remains a paradise for landscape photographer, street photographer, cultural and ethnical photographer. In other words, a photography paradise in the broad sense of the word!
