Vietnam and Cambodia · September 2027
Expeditions · Cambodia · Vietnam
Vietnam and Cambodia · September 2027
From Sapa's golden rice terraces to the eternal temples of Angkor
At a glance
About the expedition
There is a moment in Sapa, before the sun climbs high enough to burn off the mist, when the terraced rice paddies look like staircases of gold rising toward the sky. That is September. We designed this trip for exactly that.
This expedition connects four radically different visual worlds: northern Vietnam with its terraces and ethnic minorities, the most photographed bay in the world, central Vietnam of artisans and lantern-lit rivers, and the Khmer temples that time has returned to the jungle. Fifteen days with a dedicated Zero photographic guide, small groups and access to communities that conventional circuits never reach.
The dates are chosen with precision: we capture Sapa's golden harvest at its peak, we avoid the crowded Angkor equinox (which gathers more than 36,000 visitors in three days), and we stay clear of the Tet period. This is a trip designed for photographers who want images they could never get on a conventional tour.
- Sapa's terraced rice paddies in their golden harvest peak (first week of September)
- Sea of clouds at sunrise over O Quy Ho Pass with Muong Hoa valley below
- Quang Phu Cau incense village with compositions prepared by the artisans at dawn
- Halong Bay cruise with night on board between the karsts
- Optional photographic session with the Thu Bồn river fishing community in Hoi An (€100 per person)
- Evening lantern release on the river in Hoi An
- Sunrise at Angkor Wat without the equinox crowds (deliberately avoided)
- Koh Ker and Beng Mealea: the forgotten Khmer capital and the temple devoured by jungle
- Floating village of Kampong Phluk on Tonle Sap lake in active fishing season
- Small group of maximum 8 photographers with Zero guide throughout the trip, to guarantee attention, quality and the best photographic experience
Itinerary
Day by day
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1
Departure from Madrid · Heading to Hanoi
Departure from Madrid on 29 August on a one-stop flight to Hanoi (Noi Bai airport). There is no direct flight: the journey takes between 16 and 24 hours and Hanoi is 5 hours ahead of Madrid, so you land at some point on 30…
Night on board (flight)Read the full day
Departure from Madrid on 29 August on a one-stop flight to Hanoi (Noi Bai airport). There is no direct flight: the journey takes between 16 and 24 hours and Hanoi is 5 hours ahead of Madrid, so you land at some point on 30 August, the first day of the programme on the ground. Each traveller books their own international flight, which is not included in the price. Night on board.
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Hanoi awakens
Arrival on 30 August at Noi Bai International Airport, after the flight from Madrid. Let us know your arrival time so we can arrange the private transfer to the hotel in the heart of the Old Quarter. Rooms are available from…
4★ hotel in Hanoi Old Quarter, double roomRead the full day
Arrival on 30 August at Noi Bai International Airport, after the flight from Madrid. Let us know your arrival time so we can arrange the private transfer to the hotel in the heart of the Old Quarter. Rooms are available from 14:00: if you land earlier, you can leave your luggage at reception and walk around the city until then. The afternoon is free: an unscheduled walk through the streets of the Thirty-Six Guilds is the best way to read the pulse of the city before starting to photograph. Photographic orientation with the Zero guide at the end of the day.
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![Tren atravesando un callejón estrecho entre edificios coloniales en Vietnam, rodeado de flores y vida urbana]()
The city before the city
Pre-dawn departure to Long Bien Bridge, the French colonial bridge of 1902 that crosses the Red River every morning with bicycles loaded with vegetables and motorbikes carrying the whole day ahead. The grazing light and the…
4★ hotel in Hanoi Old Quarter, double roomRead the full day
Pre-dawn departure to Long Bien Bridge, the French colonial bridge of 1902 that crosses the Red River every morning with bicycles loaded with vegetables and motorbikes carrying the whole day ahead. The grazing light and the movement over the water are a genuine image of northern Vietnam, without poses or staging.
Return to the hotel for breakfast. Free time during the morning to explore or process images. Late afternoon, departure in private minibus to walk through the Old Quarter, Hoan Kiem lake, the exterior of the Ho Chi Minh Mausoleum and the famous Train Street, where the railway tracks cross an alley so narrow that trains pass within centimeters of the café chairs. Access to Train Street is managed through the local cafés in the alley, not as an organized group visit.
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![Dos mujeres con sombreros cónicos de paja trabajan en un campo de incienso rojo secándose al sol en Vietnam]()
The Vietnam that doesn't appear in the guidebooks
Departure at 5:30 from Hanoi heading to Hung Yen. Three artisan villages that have been doing the same thing for centuries and preserve, intact, the visual dimension of that work. Quang Phu Cau, the incense village: thousands of…
4★ hotel in Hanoi Old Quarter, double roomRead the full day
Departure at 5:30 from Hanoi heading to Hung Yen. Three artisan villages that have been doing the same thing for centuries and preserve, intact, the visual dimension of that work.
Quang Phu Cau, the incense village: thousands of red sticks drying in the sun in compositions that look painted. We arrive before the tourist groups. Tuong Ban, the soy sauce village: endless rows of black ceramic jars fermenting in the sun, and artisans whose hands have been on the same clay for generations. Thu Sy, the bamboo fish trap weaving: techniques passed from grandparents to grandchildren in a village that mass tourism has not yet reached.
In Quang Phu Cau, the artisans prepare and arrange the compositions specifically for the photographic session. It is not the spontaneous everyday life of the village, it is a collaboration with the local community, directly compensated.
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5
![Agricultora en arrozal verde sostiene manojos de arroz joven, Vietnam]()
Heading north
Departure in private minibus from Hanoi at 8:00. Six hours of road climbing northwest, crossing the Red River delta and entering the mountains of the Chinese border. Arrival in Sapa around 14:00. Check-in and lunch. In the…
4★ hotel in Sapa, double room with mountain viewRead the full day
Departure in private minibus from Hanoi at 8:00. Six hours of road climbing northwest, crossing the Red River delta and entering the mountains of the Chinese border. Arrival in Sapa around 14:00. Check-in and lunch.
In the afternoon, first immersion in the Muong Hoa valley aboard the mountain monorail: an elevated route over the terraces that allows a first visual reading of the landscape before going down to photograph it the next day.
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6
The sea of clouds and the gold of the valley
Pre-dawn start. We climb up to O Quy Ho Pass or the Lonely Tree viewpoint: after days of rain, the valley wakes covered by a sea of clouds that the sun gradually breaks into layers. It is one of the most photographed weather…
4★ hotel in Sapa, double room with mountain viewRead the full day
Pre-dawn start. We climb up to O Quy Ho Pass or the Lonely Tree viewpoint: after days of rain, the valley wakes covered by a sea of clouds that the sun gradually breaks into layers. It is one of the most photographed weather phenomena in northern Vietnam, and September is its best month.
Back to the hotel for breakfast. Then a walking day through the valley: Lao Chai and Ta Van, the H'mong and Dao villages in the heart of the valley, with their terraces in full golden harvest. We continue toward Nam Sai and Nam Cang, much less touristic, where the path winds along rivers and bamboo forests between Red Dao villages that receive few foreign visitors.
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7
![Mujer sonriente con tocado y bufanda tradicionales de colores vibrantes en Vietnam]()
The plan B you hope you don't need
We have an extra morning in Sapa before the return. If the weather did not cooperate the day before, today we repeat the key spots. If it was perfect, we use the time to explore mountain markets or climb to a different vantage…
4★ hotel in Hanoi Old Quarter, double roomRead the full day
We have an extra morning in Sapa before the return. If the weather did not cooperate the day before, today we repeat the key spots. If it was perfect, we use the time to explore mountain markets or climb to a different vantage point for a new perspective on the valley.
Departure by minibus toward Hanoi at midday. The return includes stops at panoramic viewpoints and villages along the route. Night in Hanoi before embarking in Halong.
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8
Among karsts
Early pickup at the hotel. Transfer to Tuan Chau marina (three hours). Boarding the boutique cruise at midday. Lunch on board while the boat enters the limestone formations. In the afternoon, visit to the Sung Sot Cave, one of…
Deluxe cabin on Hera Classic Boutique cruiseRead the full day
Early pickup at the hotel. Transfer to Tuan Chau marina (three hours). Boarding the boutique cruise at midday. Lunch on board while the boat enters the limestone formations. In the afternoon, visit to the Sung Sot Cave, one of the largest cavities in the bay, with formations the light transforms. Climb to Titop Island for an elevated view of the bay.
At sunset, the boat anchors in a quiet cove. Dinner in the open air. The night in the bay, with the karsts cut against the starry sky, is a photographic experience in itself.
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9
![Barca pesquera roja y azul con velas amarillas en puerto vietnamita, otras embarcaciones y edificios al fondo]()
The bay before anyone else
Optional Tai Chi on deck at sunrise. The bay at this hour, with the first light filtering between the karsts and the local fishermen starting their day, is the image we have been carrying in mind since leaving Madrid. Kayak…
4★ hotel in Hoi An, double roomRead the full day
Optional Tai Chi on deck at sunrise. The bay at this hour, with the first light filtering between the karsts and the local fishermen starting their day, is the image we have been carrying in mind since leaving Madrid.
Kayak through the Luon caves area: we cross natural limestone arches by kayak into silent inner lagoons that the large boats cannot reach. Check-out. Buffet lunch on board. Return transfer to Hanoi and domestic flight to Da Nang (flight not included in the price). Transfer to the hotel in Hoi An.
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10
![Barcas de madera iluminadas con luces de colores amarradas en el río durante la noche, con mercado y gente en el muelle]()
Craft as image
Morning in two villages around Hoi An that have been perfecting their work for centuries: Thanh Ha, the pottery village where the wheel has not changed in three centuries; and Tra Que, the 300-year-old horticultural village next…
4★ hotel in Hoi An, double roomRead the full day
Morning in two villages around Hoi An that have been perfecting their work for centuries: Thanh Ha, the pottery village where the wheel has not changed in three centuries; and Tra Que, the 300-year-old horticultural village next to the lagoon, where farmers work with tools their great-grandparents already knew.
Late afternoon, the guide takes us through the Old Town: the Japanese Bridge, the merchant houses from the 17th century, the night market. At 18:30, boat ride on the Thu Bồn and lantern release on the water. The city seen from the river, with hundreds of lights floating, is an image you do not forget.
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![Tres mujeres vietnamitas con áo dài de colores tejen redes de pesca sentadas frente a un mural azul]()
The fishermen of the Thu Bồn · optional
Free day in Hoi An, with an optional photographic session with the fishing community of the Thu Bồn river delta: fishermen who work with traditional nets and basket boats —the thung chai, made of waterproofed bamboo fiber— at the…
4★ hotel in Hoi An, double roomRead the full day
Free day in Hoi An, with an optional photographic session with the fishing community of the Thu Bồn river delta: fishermen who work with traditional nets and basket boats —the thung chai, made of waterproofed bamboo fiber— at the same points in the river that their families have occupied for generations.
Sunrise over the water. The grazing light on the river reflections, the silhouettes of the basket boats, the nets that fly and fall.
The session is optional, not included in the trip price, and costs €100 per person, to be finalised on site. It includes direct economic compensation to the participating fishermen. It is not a performance, it is their everyday work. We ask permission, we pay for their time and we let them remain themselves in front of the camera. Those who do not take part have the day free to explore Hoi An on their own.
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12
The Japanese Bridge with no one
The morning is free for an independent photographic session: the Old Town before 7:00, when shopkeepers are setting out their goods and the tourists are still asleep, is a completely different place from the one we saw the…
4★ hotel in Siem Reap, double roomRead the full day
The morning is free for an independent photographic session: the Old Town before 7:00, when shopkeepers are setting out their goods and the tourists are still asleep, is a completely different place from the one we saw the previous afternoon. The Japanese Bridge with morning mist over the river is one of the most iconic compositions of central Vietnam.
At midday, transfer to Da Nang airport. Direct flight to Siem Reap (1h 37min, Cambodia Angkor Air; flight not included in the price). Arrival, immigration procedures and transfer to the hotel.
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13
![Templo de Angkor Wat reflejado en el agua al atardecer con palmeras y cielo rosado]()
The city of the gods
Departure at 5:00. We arrive at Angkor Wat before it opens, to position ourselves at the reflecting ponds of the western access. The sunrise over the silhouette of the five towers is one of the most reproduced images of Asia, but…
4★ hotel in Siem Reap, double roomRead the full day
Departure at 5:00. We arrive at Angkor Wat before it opens, to position ourselves at the reflecting ponds of the western access. The sunrise over the silhouette of the five towers is one of the most reproduced images of Asia, but in the second week of September, without the equinox event, the crowds are considerably smaller. The difference is visible in every composition.
After sunrise: Angkor Thom, the fortress city of King Jayavarman VII, with its 54 stone towers covered in smiling faces. The Bayon temple at the exact center of the city. The Terrace of the Elephants. And at sunset, Ta Prohm: the temple the jungle has made its own, with the roots of centuries-old trees embracing the stone blocks in a symbiosis that looks deliberate.
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![Rostro monumental tallado en piedra arenisca de un templo jemer en Camboya, con detalles erosionados por el tiempo]()
The forgotten capital and the jungle temple
The most differentiating day of the entire Cambodian itinerary. Early departure to Koh Ker, more than 100 kilometers north of Siem Reap: the ancient capital of the Khmer Empire between the years 928 and 944 AD. Only about twenty…
4★ hotel in Siem Reap, double roomRead the full day
The most differentiating day of the entire Cambodian itinerary. Early departure to Koh Ker, more than 100 kilometers north of Siem Reap: the ancient capital of the Khmer Empire between the years 928 and 944 AD. Only about twenty of its monuments are accessible to visitors because most of the area has not been completely demined. The solitude, the vegetation and the awareness of being in a place that mass tourism has not touched are part of the experience.
On the way back, stop at Beng Mealea: a 12th century Hindu temple that was never restored and that the jungle has completely colonized. Trees splitting walls, vines wrapping statues, stones lying in disordered piles where nine hundred years ago there were courtyards and galleries. It is the Angkor that would have been if no one had rediscovered it.
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![Bote tradicional con bandera camboyano navegando por río turbio con pasajeros a bordo]()
Delicacy in stone and life on water
Banteay Srei, 35 kilometers north of Angkor: the smallest of the great Khmer temples, built in pink sandstone in the 10th century and dedicated to Shiva. Its bas-reliefs are the most detailed and best preserved of the entire…
4★ hotel in Siem Reap, double roomRead the full day
Banteay Srei, 35 kilometers north of Angkor: the smallest of the great Khmer temples, built in pink sandstone in the 10th century and dedicated to Shiva. Its bas-reliefs are the most detailed and best preserved of the entire Khmer civilization. The Khmer say they must have been carved by women's hands because men do not have that precision.
In the afternoon, toward Tonle Sap lake: the largest freshwater lake in Southeast Asia, which in September is at its peak level due to monsoon rains. The floating village of Kampong Phluk lives literally on the water: stilt houses, floating schools, boat markets. The community depends on fishing and September is its full active season. Sunset over the lake.
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Return
Breakfast at the hotel. Free time for the last images or to sit with a coffee and review what the days have left on the memory cards. Rooms must be vacated by 12:00. Transfer to Siem Reap International Airport for the flight back…
Read the full day
Breakfast at the hotel. Free time for the last images or to sit with a coffee and review what the days have left on the memory cards. Rooms must be vacated by 12:00. Transfer to Siem Reap International Airport for the flight back to Madrid (not included in the price); the transfer time depends on each traveller's flight.
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Arrival in Madrid
The one-stop flight lands in Madrid on the night of 13 September or during 14 September, depending on the airline. End of the trip.
Gallery
What's included
Included
- Accommodation 13 nights in 4★ hotels and 1 night on a deluxe cruise in Halong Bay
- Daily breakfasts and lunches on tour days
- Dinners on the Halong cruise
- Zero Expeditions photographic guide for the whole trip (guide's flights, single hotel room, per diem and fees included)
- English-speaking local guide in Vietnam and Cambodia
- All ground transport in private minibus
- 2 days / 1 night cruise in Halong Bay in deluxe cabin
- All entrance fees to temples, caves, museums and itinerary sites
- Collaboration with artisans in the Hung Yen villages
- Bottled water on all activity days
- 24/7 assistance throughout the trip
- Airport-hotel-airport transfers
Not included
- International flights Madrid → Hanoi (departing 29 August) and Siem Reap → Madrid (departing 13 September). Each client arranges and books their own. Estimated cost: €1,350-1,700 per person
- Domestic flight Hanoi → Da Nang
- Direct regional flight Da Nang → Siem Reap
- Vietnam visa (~€23, online at evisa.xuatnhapcanh.gov.vn)
- Cambodia visa (~€28, online at evisa.gov.kh or on arrival)
- Single room supplement: €450
- Travel insurance (mandatory, photography equipment coverage recommended)
- Drinks at meals and dinners
- Dinners not specified in the itinerary
- Tips for guides, drivers and crew
- Personal expenses, laundry and shopping
- Camera lens or equipment rental
- Optional photographic session with the Thu Bồn fishing community in Hoi An: €100 per person, to be finalised on site
- Early check-in and late check-out (rooms available from 14:00, check-out at 12:00)
- Any service not specified under “includes”
Your guide
Néstor Rodan
Néstor Rodan is a landscape photographer and photographic travel guide from León, Spain. With deep expertise in the landscapes of northwest Iberia and a passion for extreme, cold-climate destinations like Baikal, Greenland, and Lofoten, he combines storytelling and technical mastery—including drone photography—as a Canon ambassador. Recognized internationally, he leads transformative real-world photography experiences.
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Frequently asked questions
What photographic level is required?
Any level. The trip works for both advanced photographers and beginners with their own camera. The Zero guide assists with composition, settings and light handling for anyone who needs it. Being comfortable with your own camera makes the sunrise and low-light situations much easier.
What equipment do I need?
A body with good high-ISO performance helps at sunrises and inside temples. We recommend a versatile zoom (24-70 or equivalent) and a moderate telephoto (70-200) for community portraits and landscape compression. A wide angle is useful for the temples. A light tripod is recommended for sunrises. Lens rental is not included.
Why September and not another date?
September is the only window in the year when Sapa's rice paddies are in their golden harvest. The actual harvest goes from late August to mid-September, and after that the fields are cut and lose their photographic value. The rest of the year the paddies are green (June-July) or brown. If Sapa is the priority, September is the date.
Is there a typhoon risk in Halong in September?
Yes, there is. September is the tail of the typhoon season in northern Vietnam. That is why we schedule the cruise in the first half of the month, when the risk is lower, and we recommend taking travel insurance with cancellation coverage for activities. A typhoon typically lasts one or two days, it does not affect the whole trip. If the cruise had to be cancelled, Lily's Travel offers land alternatives.
Why not take advantage of the Angkor equinox?
The autumn equinox (September 21-23) attracts more than 36,000 visitors in three days according to Apsara's official figures. For a photographic expedition, that level of crowding is incompatible with quality work. We arrive in Angkor on September 16th and leave on the 19th, just before the event, to have the temples with significantly smaller groups.
How does the session with the Hoi An fishermen work?
It is a service coordinated directly by Zero Expeditions with the fishing community of the Thu Bồn river through an established local contact. The fishermen receive direct economic compensation for their time. It is not a performance: they work with their nets and their basket boats (thung chai) as they do every day, but knowing that we are photographing them. We communicate it this way with transparency.
What about Train Street in Hanoi?
Since March 2025, the Hanoi authorities have banned group tours on Train Street. The visit is still possible for individuals or pairs through licensed cafés in the alley. Our guide coordinates the access so the group can photograph the train passing from a safe position inside one of the local cafés.
What weather should I expect?
Vietnam and Cambodia in September: warm and humid, with temperatures between 25 and 32 °C. Possibility of short and intense tropical showers, especially in the afternoon. In Sapa the nights can be cooler (18-22 °C). We recommend breathable clothing, a light rain jacket, comfortable closed shoes for walking and a light fleece for Sapa.
Do I need a visa?
Yes, for both countries. Vietnam: electronic e-visa available at evisa.xuatnhapcanh.gov.vn, valid 90 days, cost ~€23. Cambodia: e-visa at evisa.gov.kh or available on arrival at the airport, cost ~€28. Visas are the responsibility of each traveler and are not included in the trip price.
What about the flights? Which ones are included?
Included in the price: the domestic flight Hanoi → Da Nang (1h 15min) and the direct regional flight Da Nang → Siem Reap with Cambodia Angkor Air (1h 37min). Not included: the international flights Madrid → Hanoi (outbound) and Siem Reap → Madrid (return), which each client manages on their own. Indicative cost of international flights: between €1,350 and €1,700 per person depending on airline and booking lead time.
Can a non-photographer companion come?
Yes. The trip is perfectly enjoyable without a camera: culture, gastronomy, landscape and local communities are the other 50% of the experience. Please check availability when booking.
What happens if the group does not reach the minimum?
The published price is calculated based on a group of 8 clients. If the group is smaller than the minimum of 7, Zero Expeditions reserves the right to adjust the price or reschedule the trip, communicating it in advance.
Another question? Ask the assistant or write to us on WhatsApp.