Hanoi Explorer Photo Tour

If you are interested in learning more about photography, this is the tour for you. Cannot recommend highly enough. I learnt so much. I’m not very technical but feel like I have developed some more skills. The places we visited were varied and I and away with some fabulous shots.

I joined the Hanoi Explorer photo tour this morning and absolutely loved it! We started by photographing the passing train, then explored the Long Biên Market and another lively local market – all amazing places full of color and atmosphere. The breakfast and coffee stops were also lovely local spots I never would have found on my own. Both Linh and Gandaft were incredibly kind, helpful, and professional, and made the whole experience really enjoyable. A wonderful memory from my time in Vietnam – highly recommended!

As a photographer, this was my first street photography workshop — and it turned out to be an eye-opening experience. The energy of Vietnam’s streets, the constant rhythm of movement, and the everyday stories unfolding around each corner offered a refreshing perspective on capturing life through the lens. It was fast-paced, different, and truly exciting to step out of my usual rhythm. Huge thanks to Photographers Brian and Tung Phan for their guidance and thoughtful insights throughout the sessions. I also joined the Golden Harvest Workshop, where we journeyed into the mountains to photograph the ethnic minority villages. The experience was both humbling and inspiring — the warmth and authenticity of the people made every frame meaningful. A big thank you to Photographer Tung Vu, whose guidance was invaluable. His genuine connection with the locals reminded me that photography is as much about human connection as it is about composition. And to our driver Tiep, whose calm and skillful driving along the winding mountain roads kept us safe and comfortable throughout. Both workshops left me with not only beautiful images, but also a renewed sense of purpose — to see and tell stories with more heart and awareness.

Amazing experience. Gandaft was my guide and he went well above and beyond. Not only is he a fantastic photographer, but an even better human being. Thank you forna wonderful experience and hope to do more soon.

It was really worth the early start on my last day in Hanoi to do this photo tour! Brian was an excellent guide who not only showed me all sorts of places I would never have found myself but also gave great tips on settings and composition. The tour was relaxed with plenty of time to shoot at my own pace and have a good look around me. The Hanoi people seem happy to be photographed going about their daily lives and Brian is really good at getting you to look for a subject rather than just a scene. He also has great and interesting local knowledge Highly recommended 😊

Fantastic way to get to see some places in Hanoi we would never have found ourselves. Tung was a superb tutor/guide with perfect English who was able to teach us new techniques and skills. I'd thoroughly recommend this tour.

Fantastic experience - well worth the 0515 starting time. Tung was an exceptionally helpful and engaging guide. I learnt a lot and got some great shots.

Yesterday my husband and I did the Hanoi Explorer private tour with Vietnam in Focus, it has been the highlight of our time in Hanoi. Originally we were booked to do the Quang Phu Cau tour but due to Tet, we were advised that the factory would be not be working at its full capacity so would we consider another tour. We are so pleased that we did as the Hanoi Explorer did not disappoint. It was an early start, but totally worth it. Guided by Brian we were in awe of the places we explored and the people we met. They were so generous to allow us to photograph them at close range and at one stage, they were photographing us, it became a culturally immersive experience 😁 As an enthusiastic amateur photographer, Brian showed me how to navigate functions on my camera I had not yet explored and was so patient when I stumbled. My husband was photographing with his iPhone and Brian gave him composition tips. Consequently we have some great photos. Qudos also has to go to Hải Yen Nguyen and the team at Vietnam in Focus who handled our booking so professionally, answering emails in a timely manner, setting up a WhatsApp link when we arrived in Hanoi and checking in on us after our experience. Based on all of the above, we have booked another tour with Vietnam in Focus in Hoi An.

The best tour i’ve ever done!! i learnt so much about my camera, the streets of hanoi, the food, photography ideas. it was so brilliant i can’t recommend it more. my teacher brian was incredible and i so loved the morning it was the highlight of my holiday.

I landed in Hanoi and was instantly overwhelmed. I did not know where to land my lens, neither how to get where I wanted to be. Going out early with Brian was lovely. I got a feel for the local community and how to calm my focus in all the bustle.

The time with Tung could not be more exciting or more valuable. This session, Hanoi Explorer is a great introduction to Hanoi taking in some of the most special places. Starting with the 6am Ho Chi Min city to Han Oi express in deserted streets then a quick walk over to Thong Nhat Park to capture the sunrise tai chi practice. Tung’s guidance is invaluable that helped me get shots that will long be admired. His style of quiet coaching and sharing his vision helps my enthusiastic amateur become just a little better. I enjoyed it so much it would be my first go to place on a return visit to Hanoi. From there over to Long Bien Bridge – get ready to watch the world pass by – either on the bridge or beneath it. It is a place you could stay for hours and get amazing shots of Hanoi living its life. Again it is Tung’s quiet guidance that makes the shots I took stand apart. From there into the real Hanoi old quarter for a few last shots and a steaming bowl of pho. The perfect introduction to Hanoi

Our photographer guide was Tung Phan who has an extensive experience being a photo journalist and photographer. Started the tour on time and was very helpful in explaining where we were going and the objective of photos at the site. He is very knowledgeable, professional and helpful in obtaining great photographs at each site. We used Grab (similar to Uber) to go from site to site which worked well. If you want to see some places to photograph in Hanoi your will not find on your own. I highly recommend this tour. It is a whirlwind tour to get everything in. Ended the tour with tea and pho for breakfast!

Amazing trip and support in to the world of street photo. Fantastic to be up before sunrize, to see how the town wake up!

Had a great time with Brian shooting the markets and train street. He also had lots of food and cultural info to share as well. Would def reccomend!

Vietnam in Focus is surely the best option if you pretend to have a full and real experience into Vietnam. Since the first contact they have always been very kind and fast (even considering different time zones). The experience itself was amazing. The guides can lead you to the best spots at the best timing, regarding light, and experiences. I'll be back in Vietnam soon, and surely join them again

Brian is an awesome photography guide! He has given me so many tips about best settings and angles to capture the sights of Hanoi markets. His interactions with locals helped me alot too. I've learnt so much about Hanoi in one morning. Thank you!

This was an amazing tour! My guide, Tung, is a photo journalist and not only did teach me photography, he also guided me in exploring and telling stories. Thanks for Tung, I have a completely new perspective and deepened relationship with Hanoi. Hai Yen & other VIF staff were also extremely professional & considerate. I look forward to many more adventures with VIF!

Getting up for a 4.45 start sounded horrendous... BUT we were so pleased we made the effort. We saw the early morning life of Hanoi that is so easy to miss. Our day began in the dark with some lowlight photography and as the sun rose the city gathered pace, as did our photos. Our guide, Boris was fantastic. Super knowledgeable, patient and generous with photography tips and great locations. I was taking photos with a mirrorless camera and my husband was using his phone to make videos and photos. We both came away knowing a lot more about Hanoi and very pleased with our varied selection of images. We both got a great deal out of this experience and I would highly recommend it.

They sent us a brief plan of what we were going to do a few days before. we did a photo tour day ( ultimate Hanoi ) with two photographers: Brian and Boris They are great persons and excellent photographers. They gave us excellent tips and helped us in the best composition. We were very happy with the result.

This was a great photography experience. Brian was a wonderful guide, very knowledgeable and helpful and knew some fantastic places to get some unforgettable images. The early start was well worth it to catch some images of the early train in a less touristy area and the market was full of amazing people and sights. Great tour thanks

I had an excellent photo tour with Brian. Our tour started early (5:30am) and we photgraphed train street, Long Bien bridge, local wetmarket, and various locations around Old City. Brian was very knowledgable about photography and provided guidance on composition and subject, and knew the area very well so that we could travel to various locations within the short time before my flight. (I do not think I would have found all of those locations in that time on my own). Overall recommended.

Our photo tour guide Brian is a working Hanoi photographer. Being US born, there were no language barriers. He picked us up on time and he called cars for our travel to the different photo spots in our itinerary. Brian gave clear suggestions on how to enhance my photography and accommodated all my questions and requests. The Vietnamese coffee with banh mi sandwiches was a welcomed break during the tour. It was a wonderful way to experience Hanoi and very worth getting up before dawn and U got so many great photos!

I am very happy with this photo tour, Brian was and excellent guide, attentive, kind and helpful, showing different city spots and how to get the best of each attending to composition and technique. Absolutely worth it!

Fantastic trip! Brian was so helpful, knowledgeable and easy going. A truly enjoyable tour. Such a variety of locations and things to photograph makes it such an amazing tour.

Boris is one of the coolest guys and best photography teachers you could hope to meet - I would have no hesitation in recommending Vietnam in Focus to anyone!!

Our photo tour with Brett was one of the highlights of our short time in Hanoi. He really showed us a part of the city we would not have seen otherwise and presented us with some fantastic photography opportunities. I only wish we had had more time to explore the city. In addition, everything was super easy in dealing with Hanoi Explorer. They were responsive to inquiries and able to personalize the photography tour to reflect what we wanted to see and to work within our time constraints. I would highly recommend working with Hanoi Explorer. They will show you a Hanoi you won't see any other way.

Brett enables photo opportunities that were unique and very special. He is very personable and helpful and knowledgeable. Highly recommend

Brett was an excellent photo guide. We explored some fascinating parts of Hanoi that get little tourist traffic. We photographed the night market and Long Bien station and surrounding area. Brett was an excellent photo coach and provided useful tips and camera settings, as well as suggested views. I learned a great deal about Hanoi's street market life and local train station activity. I recommend this tour highly for anyone interested in going beyond the tourist sites and exploring more about the daily lives of the people of Hanoi.

This was an amazing introduction to the backside of Hanoi! Steer carcasses, beef market, dog market, produce market, fish (wet) market, you name it. Brett knew his stuff and was a great help in setting up and framing shots. i would do it again!

I learned more from this photography tour than any photography tour I’ve ever been on - this is my fourth. Duc was outstanding. He was a delight to talk with, his own photography is outstanding, and he is a terrific instructor. I will be a better photographer as a result of my time with him. I’m glad I did this at the beginning of my trip as it will help me get better pictures, and be more comfortable taking pictures, throughout my stay in the country.

Thanks Alex and Duc for a wonderful excursions and being very flexible when things don't go according to plan due to weather. Took 2 private tours, the Hanoi Explorer and Tho Ha Handicraft Village. Had a wonderful experience and some nice photos too. Will definitely do Vietnam again with your service. Highly recommended!

Boris the guide was great. Saw the city from a different perspective, being new to street photography we both learned a lot and took home some great memories

I had visited Hanoi several times for work, but after the early morning tour with Mr Mansour I now experience the city completely differently. Mansour is a skilled and enthusiastic photo guide who clearly loves both this city and this amazing country. My shots of the textiles warehouse are some of the best travel photos I've taken for some time. Mansour - I owe you one!

Vietnam in Focus and Duc our photorapher gavr us a great morning. They were flexible altering the tour to suit our needs. We got some great photographs, plenty of photo tips and saw what I would call real Vietnam rather than a tour of the usual tourist spots. Thank you Dux for a great morning

My daughter and I took the Hanoi Explorer Private Photo tour. Tour description: "while learning how to take great photos. Following the classic structure of the three picture story, we discover the fundamentals of travel photography and gain a unique insight into the real Hanoi as well as fantastic pictures to share with friends. The tour is suitable for both beginner photographers" I think the tour guide we had is probably a very good photographer but I don't think he had the skills as a tour guide or as an instructor. These are very different skills. I think in the context of the 4 other tours we did in Vietnam this photography tour was very expensive. I don't have a problem with the price but it felt like poor value for money compared to the other tours. There was no initial explanation about what we were going to do or where we were going to go throughout the morning. I did email in advance to say we were both at a beginner level and I think the course description states that it is ok for beginners. I felt like it was assumed that we already had knowledge about camera settings and why we were making certain settings. Sometimes, I wondered what we were supposed to be doing next. I felt like there was very little rapport between us and the instructor. There was some initial discussion about composition at Long Bien bridge but, in the end, there did not seem to be that much content or insight. I've got a couple of good photos on my camera but, unfortunately, those are the ones the tour guide took and I have no idea how he did it! I did feedback to the tour company but got no response from them directly.

This was the first time I’ve taken a photo tour and my wife and I really enjoyed it. Mansour, our guide, was friendly, professional, and his technical suggestions and local insight were very welcomed. The locations he took us to were a visual feast- the old train bridge overlooking a section of the wholesale market, and then into the chaos of the market itself. After that we walked down a long alley with vendors just starting their day and setting up, and then on to a really cool spot behind the main market where fruit and flower vendors sell on the street. Next was train street north of the station close to the old city, and we ended with a short intro to panning shots. I took many many fantastic photographs during the tour. But beyond the great locations, my discussions with Mansour really impacted the way I approach taking photos. How I look at composition, lighting, and mostly, the story-or message- that I want to convey in the image or images. I came away from the tour more excited and inspired about photography than ever. Thank you Vietnam in Focus!

I can really recommend the private photo tour with Colm. We were walking along all interesting spots in Hanoi and had good opportunities to shoot great pictures. Colm did great work in continuously giving technical advice with the camera, how to approach photo motives and how to catch a scene. It also trained my eye for identifying photo opportunities and to put them into the right framing. It gave me a good basis and I am now constantly improving. So all in all, it was totally worth doing that photo tour. Also during lunch I got a good impression on how to tell a story by pictures and Colm answered me all the questions I had about professional photography.

An early start but that meant I managed to take photos I would never have achieved otherwise. Boris was a great guide and gave me lots of tips (and confidence!) for taking candid photos. I was really pleased with the results and learned a lot about Hanoi. One tip - if you can, do this tour early on in your trip to Hanoi - you'll then have more chance to re-visit locations and put your new found knowledge to practice!

This was a great experience from start to finish. Really easy to book, great communication from their office as well. I took this tour with Mansour and he was a great guide and teacher. If I make it back to Hanoi (and really hope I do), I’ll hit these guys up again for sure.

<p>The Hanoi Explorer Photo Tour was the highlight of my four-day trip to Hanoi this September. I took two other tours during my trip and this one was the best!</p> <p>Boris was a fantastic tour guide. He pickup me up from my hotel on time, safely drove me through the streets of Hanoi by motorbike and patiently explained camera settings and photography techniques. The scheduled route is full of iconic street scenes. It is hard not to take at least one or two awesome shots. While the tour requires some walking, it is not strenuous, especially if the weather is nice. Toward the end of my tour, Boris gave me the option of ending with a local breakfast or taking a quick juice break instead to allow more time to shoot. I went for the juice break, which was at a café where Boris is a regular, the juice is delicious and the service super friendly. </p> <p>Also, Boris keeps you nice company as you explore. He answers small, but important questions like, Can I take pictures of this place or person, or would it be rude or anger someone? He also watches your back, so you can focus on taking shots in the very hectic Hanoi streets. </p> <p>I really cannot say enough about this tour. I highly recommend it!</p>