The Photographic Society of SingaporePSS Photography Trip to North Vietnam(Hanoi/Halong Bay/Sapa)3rd to 8th September, 2008(5N/6D)

The Photographic Society of Singapore is organizing a photographic trip to NorthVietnam as above. The highlights of the trip are visits to Halong Bay and Sapa inNorth Vietnam. In Sapa we will visit two major market places for the minorities. Theyare colourful and rich in photographic subjects. The Itinerary is as follows:

Day 1: 3

Sept (D, G)

Assemble at Singapore Changi Airport (Terminal 2 ) to board Singapore Airlines SQ176 leaving for Hanoi, Vietnam at 10:00 AM.Arrived at Noi Bai airport in Hanoi by SQ176 at 12:30, you’ll be met anddriven to your hotel. In the afternoon, your guide will take you to the Templeof Literature, the first university in Vietnam dating back to the 11th century,you’ll then drive to the excellent Ethnology Museum for an overview of Vietnam’s 54 distinct ethnic groups in anticipation of your trip to Sapa, andother popular attractions including the serene Tran Quoc Pagoda, the oldestin Hanoi, on the banks of Hanoi’s Ho Tay (West) Lake and the bustling OldQuarter, is a magnet for visitors – it’s noisy and hectic, but definitely a ‘must-see’attraction. The Old Quarter is a maze of shopping streets and restaurants with ahotchpotch of architecture - traditional tube houses, religious buildings, artisans’workshops and cottages, colonial houses and modern concrete edifices. Your overnight stay will be in Hanoi.

In the evening, you’ll have dinner in a colonial building. You’ll spend the night in Hanoi.

Day 2 (Thurs, 4

Sept 2008): Hanoi/Ha Long/Hanoi/Lao Cai (B, L, D, G)

Your morning will be your own for shooting. After breakfast, you’ll leave for Ha Long Bay, one of the most spectacular UNESCO World Heritage Areas and the world’s largest marine limestone‘karst’ landscape. There you’ll board a traditional-style boat for four-hour cruise on the bay to visitsome of the less well-known grottoes and caves. You’ll be served a seafood lunch on the boat. Inthe late afternoon, you’ll return to your hotel for your check in and refreshment. You’ll have dinner before a private vehicle will arrive to take you to Hanoi railway station in time to board the 10p.m. overnight sleeper train to Lao Cai.

Day 3 (Fri, 5

Sept 2008): Lao Cai/Sapa (B, L, D, G)

You’ll arrive in the early morning, where you’ll be met and taken up into the mountains by a 30-seater to Sapa, a small town perched on the mountainside opposite Mt. Fan Si Pan, Vietnam’shighest peak. After breakfast at your hotel, you’ll be driven along a scenic Muong Hoa valley tovisit some of the H’mong ethnic minority villages. After a stream-side picnic lunch, you’ll visit theRed Dao ethnic minority people of Giang Ta Chai village. Later in the afternoon, you’ll return toSapa for your overnight accommodation.

Key

B = BreakfastL = LunchD = DinnerG = GuideDP = Driver pickup

Day 4 (Sat, 6

Sept 2008): Sapa/Can Cau ethnic market (B, L, G)

After breakfast, your transport and guide will arrive to take you to visit

Can Cau market

frequented by ethnic minority peoples. The first part of your journey will take you through LaoCai, which is a border crossing point, and alongside the river marking the boundary with China.After lunch, your time will be your own for easy shooting! You’ll spend the night in Bac Ha.Although it’s quite a long drive, the landscape is attractive and the ethnic markets are afascinating experience. Unlike those in the tourist areas, the markets that we choose are for notonly buying and selling, but also meeting places for ethnic minority people to meet and exchangenews. There will be plenty of colour and authentic costumes, but very little to buy as souvenirsunless you want to barter for a water buffalo or a sack of fertiliser!

Day 5 (Sun, 7

Sept 2008): Bac Ha ethnic market/Lao Cai/Sapa (B, D, G)

After an early breakfast, you’ll visit

Bac Ha market

near by your hotel. Your time will be your ownfor easy shooting!In the late afternoon, you’ll check out and be driven to Lao Cai station to catch the overnight trainto Hanoi.

Day 6 (Mon 8

Sept 2008): Hanoi departure (B, G)

You’ll arrive in Hanoi railway station in the early morning where you’ll be met and picked up to ahotel for check in and refreshment. After breakfast, your time will be your own for shootingphotos in the Old Quarters, Markets in Hanoi and whatever takes your fancy until your driver arrives to take you to Noi Bai airport for your departure flight at 13.30. Tour ends.

Cost per participantTwin sharing: Members: S$ 1,288. Non-members: S$1418.

Supplement for single room occupancy: S$ 210.00

Fee includes

Breakfast and accommodation sharing in double or twin rooms

Day used on Day 2, early check-in on Day 6 in Hanoi

All pick-ups and transfers by private air-conditioned vehicle as specified in the itinerary aboveReturn train tickets: Hanoi – Lao Cai – Hanoi, good local standard four-berth cabin in Tulico or Polerstar carriage (air-conditioned soft four-berth cabin)Boat cruise as per programme.Travel by private, air-conditioned vehicles with an experienced, safe driver.The services of an experienced English-speaking guide as indicated in the itinerary Entry fees for all sightseeing as mentioned in the programmeLunches and dinners, as specified, in the best local restaurants and on the boat in Ha Long BayVAT and other taxes

Fee does not include:

Lunches and dinners except as specified aboveDrinks, gratuities and personal expensesVisa servicesTravel Insurance

Hotel list for Mid-range standard:

Hanoi: Nam Hai I Hotel (** mini-hotel in the heart of the Old Quarters – Superior room)Sapa: Bamboo Hotel (***local standard hotel standing on terraces on the side of the mountain –good views – Superior room)Bac Ha: Cong Fu Hotel (Basic accommodation - small hotel in the centre of Bac Ha, about110km from Sapa)

Cancellation charges:

1.The trip will be cancelled if there are less than 10 participants. Fees paid willbe refunded in full.2.When trip is confirmed, cancellation will be subject to 50% of the fees paid.

Registration:

As there are limited vacancies, please register with full payment, as soon aspossible. Members are encouraged to arrange for travel insurance.

Inquiries:

For inquires contact William Teo at +65 8128 0500 or via email:

jwteo8@gmail.com

Or Edward Cheong at +65 9665 9512 or via email:cheong_edward@yahoo.com