Gods of the Sea - Explore Southern Vietnam's Stunning Coastline and Cultures
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TOUR TYPE:
Photography Tour
TOur Length:
12

 Days  

Departure Date:
March 12, 2025

Gods of the Sea

Discover the Rich Cultures of Vietnam's Southern Coast

All aboard for an unforgettable journey into the traditional cultures along Vietnam’s stunning southern coastline. From the bustling streets and markets of Ho Chi Minh City, to serene seaside fishing villages, this adventure is a feast for both soul and lens. Immerse yourself in the colorful traditions of the Lễ hội Nghinh Ông, or Whale Worshiping festival, capturing portraits of devotees, and images of age-old rituals. Explore the rich traditions and temples of the ethnic Cham, whose maritime links with Indochina go back many centuries. In Mui Ne, the wind-sculpted dunes stretch to the horizon, and as we venture towards Nha Trang, the raw, volcanic landscapes of Nui Chua National Park will truly rock you. We’ll stop by hamlets and harbors to photograph the friendly locals fixing their nets and colorful boats, and capture salt fields as farmers harvest white gold under the setting sun. Along the way, you’ll develop your photographic skills and knowledge, refining your own style, and come away with a portfolio of authentic images that captures the true essence of this diverse region of Vietnam.

Gods of the Sea is a premium photographic adventure holiday, and we’ll enjoy the best accommodation available. We’ll also taste the most delicious cuisine in a part of the world already renowned for its culinary excellence. We travel by spacious and comfortable minibus, with enough room to carry along our luggage and camera gear. At the same time, our close connection to the people of this region, deep friendships, and many years of experience give us unparalleled access to authentic local life and the area’s most stunning vistas. As working photographers and journalists,, we provide you with unique insights and knowledge about Vietnam and visual storytelling.

Expectations

Gods of the Sea offers a thrilling range of image opportunities, exploring a variety of styles. In bustling Saigon, expect to wander the narrow alleyways of Chinatown and the crumbling apartment blocks of The Colony, mixing with the locals while you capture dynamic street photography. Don’t miss the unique opportunity to try out some of Saigon’s famous street delicacies, in the company of our expert foodie guide.

Your tranquil boat trip in the mangroves of Can Gio offers chances for nature and wildlife photography, including images of birds in flight (bring that zoom). This is also a great spot to fly a drone, with dramatic footage of the meeting of coastline and sea.

At the Phuoc Hai Whale-Worshiping festival, we’ll be working on a detailed visual story, including images of the devotees and performers, and the wild, colorful, ritual celebrations. We’ll enjoy an unforgettable, local experience of the festival, giving us plenty of behind the scenes images as well.

Heading north, we have peace and time to enjoy the seascapes at Mui Ne and Nui Chua national park, meaning a look at epic sunrise and sunset landscape photography using various shutter speeds.

Nha Trang is another culinary heaven, and we’ll be trying out some of the city’s famous recipes, like ‘Bo Ne’ sizzling steak and ‘Banh Xeo’ crispy shrimp pancakes.

Each day we’ll stop at salt farms, fishing markets, harbors and remote villages, enjoying the welcome of locals who rarely encounter foreign travelers, and giving us the joyful random encounters that make for dramatic travel photography and lifelong memories.

Image Gallery

Guiding Team

Our photographers are no ordinary guides. They’re adventurers, teachers and assistants, as well as experienced shooters. They’re up at dawn to catch the best light, and always looking out for unexpected moments and details that make for great photography. They are committed to making sure you enjoy exploring Vietnam through photography as much as we do. Your pictures and your experience are always the priority.

Photographers Eileen SjoqvistTung Phan will lead our 2024 Gods of the Sea.

Eileen Wingaard Sjøqvist is a Swiss-Norwegian photographer. She studied Photography at the Berlin University of Applied Sciences, followed by a Masters in Documentary Photography at the University of Barcelona. Her images have been exhibited in museums and at cultural events in both Europe and Vietnam. Based in Saigon now, Eileen is a passionate and immersive photographer guide, who has been leading tours for Vietnam in Focus since 2022.

Tung Phan is a Hanoi-based photographer with a Master’s degree in International Journalism from Sussex University in the UK. With a solid foundation in journalism and broadcasting, in particular with Vietnam Television (VTV), he brings a unique perspective to his work, capturing the essence and stories of Vietnam through the lens of his camera.

Tour Information

Recommended Equipment

  • Digital Camera
  • Drone
  • Selections of lens
  • Cable release
  • Tripod
  • Memory cards
  • CPL & ND Graduated filters
  • Laptop/tablet
  • Storage device

What's included

  • Transfers upon arrival and departure
  • Accommodation as indicated in the itinerary
  • All transportation
  • Meals as indicated in the itinerary
  • Daily activities and excursions as indicated in the itinerary
  • All gratuities
  • local guides and government permits

What's not included

  • Airfare to and from destination, as well as internal airfare where applicable
  • Trip cancellation insurance or any other travel insurance
  • Visas
  • Alcoholic beverages

Seasonality

This is a small private group tour with designated departure dates based on the Southern Vietnam festival season. However we can tailor this tour or something similar to your required dates.

Get in Quick!

Unlike many photo tours, we have very small group sizes of maximum five guests. This is to ensure the best quality experience and authentic photography opportunities. However, it also means we regularly sell out of places on our feature tours quickly, so we highly recommend you book today. And don’t forget, there’s a 5% early bird discount for those booking at least 12 months in advance!

Reviews

Villia (CANADA)
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We were delighted with our trip, We could not have asked for a more congenial and attentive guides, Duc and Nhan outdid themselves. Duc's ability to approach people and to get them to enjoy his company gave us an entry point for interacting with people. His profound respect for the ethnic minority peoples really impressed us and provided the means to engage with people on an equal footing. Nhan was an attentive and knowledgeable with a great sense of humor. We spent much of our trip smiling and laughing with the two of them. In Hanoi, Brett and Ling were great guides and instructors. Overall you have a great team who go the extra mile. The accommodations were great, the food fabulous and the car and driver were both superb. We had an exceptional time, see VIF again!
Tour FAQ and Information

Please contact us directly and request a Brochure for this tour.

Throughout the trip, we stay in quality 4-5 star hotels or the best mountain eco-lodges available locally. In some places there are shared bathroom facilities. There is a surcharge for single bookings. If you are open to sharing with someone outside your group, we will do our best to make sure your preferences are met.

Please contact us for more Information

Throughout the tour we travel by comfortable, air-conditioned 16 seat private minibus. There will be enough room in the vehicle to carry our maximum 5 guests, guide, driver, luggage and camera gear. Please however bring a maximum of 1 large suitcase, small daypack and/or camera bag.

Our photo tours are specially designed to minimize time on the road and maximize photo exploration. Even on longer stretches, the journey is broken up with exciting photography stops. For exact travel times, please inquire.

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 supplement is available at request. Surcharges may apply to certain travel dates based on 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

Please contact us for more Information

Yes. We offer a 5% early bird discount on all featured tours if bookings are received 12 months in advance of departure.

We offer an extra 5% discount to returning guests.

We take an initial holding deposit of $500 per person, which is non-refundable, unless Vietnam in Focus calls off the trip.

The remainder is due at least 3 months in advance of the departure date. This is also our latest date to confirm tour departure at this point, and guests can go ahead and book flights.

In the event that we have our minimum number of guests booked in for the tour earlier than 3 months before departure, we will confirm the tour, and guests are free to book their flights.

Your initial $500 reservation deposit is non-refundable, except in the event that Vietnam in Focus cancels the trip. The deposit can however be put towards a future trip with Vietnam in Focus.

If you cancel your booking with us, our cancellation policy includes the following fees and cut-off periods:

If canceling 90 to 61 days before departure, the guest is liable for 25% of the trip cost.

60 to 46 days before departure is 50% of the trip cost.

45-0 days prior to departure is 100% of the trip cost.

In order to ensure an authentic, personalized experience, we take a maximum number of 5 guests per one photographer tour leader. With larger groups, we will split between 2 photographer tour leaders.

Yes, you do.  You will be asked to sign a legally-binding liability disclaimer with your insurance details before tour departure.

Absolutely, they are most welcome. There’s plenty to entertain non-photographers on our tours, as long as they don’t mind the rest of us getting up at the crack of dawn most days.

Please see the What to Bring list included in each itinerary.

It’s a good idea to do this, as you’ll have a chance to get over the jetlag and do a bit of exploring before the action begins. We can help you arrange accommodation and adventures.

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Gods of the Sea

Customize Your Photography Experience

Our unparalleled knowledge of travel and culture in Vietnam, and where and when to get the best shots, mean we are experts in designing tailormade photo tours.  We have planned and run tours for everyone from professional photographers on a mission to amateurs who want to get to know their cameras better on an adventure.  Each person and group is different, so once you’ve completed the few questions below, expect to answer a few more before we can create your ideal photographic adventure.

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