Ha Giang, the far North of Vietnam

[Tim Zhou]

Thanks, @jbielikowski , always love your black and white work.

Two more shots from my trip. As I was there around tet thanh minh in Vietnam (tomb sweeping festival), I witnessed a Dao village pay their visit to their ancestor and celebrate afterwards by having a picnic.

[url=https://flic.kr/p/2p8ZVfE]_DSC7427-Edit by T Zhou, on Flickr[/URL]

A boy walks passed several tombs in the village in Hoang Su Phi. I was told one of the tombs buried this boy's ancestor.

[url=https://flic.kr/p/2p8VoJP]_DSC7128-Edit-Edit by T Zhou, on Flickr[/URL]

 

[kiemchacsu]

Thanks, @jbielikowski , always love your black and white work.

Two more shots from my trip. As I was there around tet thanh minh in Vietnam (tomb sweeping festival), I witnessed a Dao village pay their visit to their ancestor and celebrate afterwards by having a picnic.

[url=https://flic.kr/p/2p8ZVfE]_DSC7427-Edit by T Zhou, on Flickr[/URL]

A boy walks passed several tombs in the village in Hoang Su Phi. I was told one of the tombs buried this boy's ancestor.

[url=https://flic.kr/p/2p8VoJP]_DSC7128-Edit-Edit by T Zhou, on Flickr[/URL]

Interesting. I myself never seen these scences in real life. You were lucky to catch up the right moment.

 

[kiemchacsu]

It's been a few years since I returned to Ha Giang. I took less photos partly because of my short schedule, so I was mainly on the road. The main part was to spend more time admiring. Some pictures from the Du Gia market for you to see. bfsf #buyfilmshootfilm

Du Gia market by Trung Nguyen, on Flickr

Du Gia market by Trung Nguyen, on Flickr

Du Gia market by Trung Nguyen, on Flickr

 

[lynnb]

Great to revisit this thread. Wonderful pictures.

 

[kiemchacsu]

Great to revisit this thread. Wonderful pictures.

Thanks @lynnb , Ha Giang is always an interesting place to visit in Vietnam.
This time, I saw ALOT (yes ALOT) of foreigners FOLKS travelling to there by motorbike and even by bike. Those folks really know where are they visiting.

some more photos:
Du Gia market by Trung Nguyen, on Flickr

Du Gia market by Trung Nguyen, on Flickr

 

[jbielikowski]

Thanks, @jbielikowski , always love your black and white work.

thank you Tim!

Thanks @lynnb , Ha Giang is always an interesting place to visit in Vietnam.
This time, I saw ALOT (yes ALOT) of foreigners FOLKS travelling to there by motorbike and even by bike. Those folks really know where are they visiting.

those roads around Ha Giang are epic, two days on a rental scooter was a time of my life, and last year the weather in November was amazing.

 

[Tim Zhou]

Thanks @lynnb , Ha Giang is always an interesting place to visit in Vietnam.
This time, I saw ALOT (yes ALOT) of foreigners FOLKS travelling to there by motorbike and even by bike. Those folks really know where are they visiting.

@kiemchacsu
I was also surprised that tourists came back with vengeance, sometime saw a group of 30+ tourists on motorbikes going passed. Quite a sight. maybe Ha Giang has become even more known than before thanks to those social media influencers.

 

[boojum]

This is an interesting series of photos about an area that is entirely unknown to me. We can view these images unjudgementally of the circumstances and appreciate them for their beauty. The continuing undercurrent of mono vs color is enough disagreement for me. ;o)

 

[kiemchacsu]

This is an interesting series of photos about an area that is entirely unknown to me. We can view these images unjudgementally of the circumstances and appreciate them for their beauty. The continuing undercurrent of mono vs color is enough disagreement for me. ;o)

your post reminds me that I've NOT been in Ha Giang for quite a while; I should plan it for this year.
If you have time on your trip; take the "Ha Giang Loop" is NOT a bad idea at all.

 

[kiemchacsu]

Finally; I managed a trip to Ha Giang for a short trip; 60 hours total time , 900 km by car; quite exhausted but the photos taken are well rewarded.
That morning in Lao Xa, the temperature was 0°C, and the early morning sun shone obliquely through the wisps of smoke from someone's cooking stove, creating a surreal scene. Looking back at this shot taken with my Rolleiflex 3.5F, I can feel about 87% of that atmosphere, even though it only lasted about ten minutes.

Ha Giang 2025 by Trung Nguyen, on Flickr

Ha Giang 2025 by Trung Nguyen, on Flickr

 

[p.giannakis]

What a brilliant thread. First time I see it 😲

 

[kiemchacsu]

What a brilliant thread. First time I see it 😲

uff; it's been here since 2011; nearly 15-year old!
thank you.

 

[kiemchacsu]

Some more photos, in Pho La village, Dong Van, Ha Giang.

Ha Giang 2025 by Trung Nguyen, on Flickr

Ha Giang 2025 by Trung Nguyen, on Flickr

 

[kiemchacsu]

The Lung Phin market on the last market day here before they relocate. Like other markets in Dong Van, Sa Phin, etc., their old charm and atmosphere have faded after moving to the new market with its corrugated iron roof!

Lung Phin market, Dong Van, Ha Giang by Trung Nguyen, on Flickr

Lung Phin market, Dong Van, Ha Giang by Trung Nguyen, on Flickr

Lung Phin market, Dong Van, Ha Giang by Trung Nguyen, on Flickr

 

[jbielikowski]

Finally; I managed a trip to Ha Giang for a short trip; 60 hours total time , 900 km by car; quite exhausted but the photos taken are well rewarded.

I'd take such trip in a heartbeat, but it's 9000km one way for me.

I can almost smell the smoke it the cold morning air in your pictures, great work with the strong shadows in backlit situations.

The Lung Phin market on the last market day here before they relocate. Like other markets in Dong Van, Sa Phin, etc., their old charm and atmosphere have faded after moving to the new market with its corrugated iron roof!

As photographers we are cursed to chase the image of the world before it changes forever. Look at your first post from 2011, how fortunate you are to have those pictures but also to had a chance to experience it.

 

[kiemchacsu]

I'd take such trip in a heartbeat, but it's 9000km one way for me.

I can almost smell the smoke it the cold morning air in your pictures, great work with the strong shadows in backlit situations.


As photographers we are cursed to chase the image of the world before it changes forever. Look at your first post from 2011, how fortunate you are to have those pictures but also to had a chance to experience it.

Thank you for your kind words;

Ha Giang loop is Not that long, but I agree that you should spend more time on that if making the trip is not so easy as Local here though it took me two years to come back there. Normally a 5-days 4-nights trip would be decent for this amazing route.

I had a chance to visit Ha Giang first time in 2007 and try to come back every 2-3 years or so. I witnessed so many changes during those 18 years.

 

[jbielikowski]

Revisiting some of my old scans, I still have a truckload that I never bothered to post process.

no. 2 & 3 are from Bắc Hà

 

[jbielikowski]

 

[jbielikowski]

 

[jbielikowski]

And I guess that's all for now. Still have plenty to post in Hanoi thread (plus some from Ninh Binh and Ha Long, but no idea where to put them).
Shot on Tri-X with Konica Genba Kantoku 35.