BAC HA HORSE RACING FESTIVAL
Join us for one of northern Vietnam’s most colourful and exciting festivals. The Bac Ha Horse Races draw thousands of ethnic minority spectators to this scenic mountain town, making for a carnival of colour and festivity. Jockeys come from H’mong, Nung and Dzao villages all over the province, and riding bareback, compete in both team and individual races. Our trip means a chance to explore and photograph this unique event, while learning how to create, pace and picture a photojournalistic story. We base ourselves at the homestay of our Tay minority friends on the banks of the River Chay, and the weekend also includes a journey by longboat and landscape workshop in the stunning nearby valleys.
Itinerary
6am – We arrive at Lao Cai Station and after a quick breakfast board our minibus for Bac Ha. The trip takes around 2 hours.
8:30am – Time to drop off our luggage at the hotel and freshen up before a review of photography essentials like settings and composition. We then head up to Bac Ha town to capture the day’s action at the festival, including the final races and presentation of prizes.
12pm – We have lunch in Bac Ha town and a review of pictures before heading back to the homestay.
2:30 pm – After a short rest, we take a trip by longboat up the River Chay, with an opportunity for some fantastic landscape shots as well as a swim at Hang Tien (Fairy Cave)
4:30pm – We return to the homestay and have a picture selection session before dinner at 6pm.
6am – An early start for sunrise in a valley near town.
8am – We return to Bac Ha for breakfast before exploring the Bac Ha ethnic minority market
12pm – We reconvene for lunch, followed by coffee and picture selection.
2pm – We climb aboard our minibus and head back to Hanoi, arriving in the capital at around 7pm.
Guiding Team
BORIS LOPATIN is 28 years old, and has lived in Hanoi for over seven years. A specialist in portrait, fashion and street photography. Recent adventures have taken Boris to New York, working with industry-leading designers and Instagram influencers. His work has featured in exhibitions in both his native Russia and Vietnam. Boris has been leading tours for Vietnam in Focus since early 2016 and received many glowing reviews.
His work has most recently appeared in Southeast Asia Globe
“Brilliant tour guide/instructor. Boris was simply amazing. My husband and I have very different levels of photography, him being experienced and me inept. Despite this Boris tailored it brilliantly so that we both got lots out of it, my husband improving technique and gaining the confidence in taking shots of locals, and me learning the basics enough to get some great shots.”
Deborah (UK)
Accommodation & Transportation
The detailed list of accommodation for the tour is –
Overnight Train (Hanoi – Lao Cai)
Bac Ha – Sao Mai hotel Bac Ha
Mini Van
Pricing and Dates
| 2020 | 29th – 31st May | $320 |
| 2021 | 29th – 31st May | $320 |
Prices are per person based on double occupancy and do not include international airfare to/from your destination or internal flights during the tour. Single traveler prices are available upon request. Surcharges may apply to certain travel dates based upon international or local holidays, as well as local events and festivals. All prices and fares are quoted in U.S. dollars and subject to change. See the terms and conditions for this trip for more information.
Whats included
Train Tickets
Accommodation as indicated in the itinerary
Daily activities and excursions as indicated in the itinerary
All gratuities
Whats not included
Airfare to and from destination, as well as internal airfare where applicable
Hotel Pick ups and Drop Off
Meals and Drinks
Trip cancellation insurance or any other travel insurance
Visas
Alcoholic beverages
