In 2016, my family had very good experiences with Vietnam in Focus on two half-day Hanoi tours.
I was contemplating a Myanmar photography trip (with my son) and saw that VIF had such a tour scheduled in 2020, but (unfortunately), we could only travel this past month (Aug., 2019). I’d asked if VIF might arrange a guide and/or itinerary for a 7-8 day Myanmar photo tour, and Alex and company assembled and arranged an excellent tour – working with our contemplated travel dates -- with photographer/guide Mostafa Mansour.
I think the planned VIF tour in 2020 is a longer trip, with more destinations. Ours covered three basic areas: Mandalay; Bagan; and In Le Lake.
We’ve just returned. The tour was truly outstanding -- even better than I could have possibly expected -- and my son and I both enjoyed it immensely. We really liked every single shooting locale, and Mansour was a superb tour leader and enthusiastic and encouraging adviser; always up for an extra shoot (as were we), full of good ideas and aesthetic insights, patient and helpful, and excellent and worldly company besides. Between the sheer beauty (and warmth) of the Myanmar people, the extraordinary activities in the markets, fields, and workshops, the exotic and stunning structures, and the landscapes, it's simply an incredible place to visit. We had a couple of unlucky weather/lighting half-days (U Bein Bridge; first boat ride), but we also had some great and lucky accidents: side-of-the-road encounters with rice harvesters, a single farmer with his animal pulling a wooden plow; a chance run-in with two traditional acrobatic dancing fisherman when we were the last boat on the river; and then the really fun slow train to Thazi.
Our days were occupied from 5:30 or 5 AM to 9:30 PM every day and I'm only now getting the time to look at my pictures. Mansour asked about our favorite activities and any critiques: really, there were no critiques, aside from a recognition that an extra day in 2 (or all 3) of the sites would have allowed us a little more time to roam, to spread out the activities or to take a second shot at a sunrise or sunset shoot. Among the highlights: All of In Le Lake -- especially the monastery (young monks studying and later praying); parents picking up their their kids at school on the lake; the incredible central market; and cruising the river canals.
Bagan is other-worldly: the monkeys at two of the temples we saw; the spectacular edifices and beauty of the landscape; the mere fact that it exists relatively unscathed in the 21st century.
Also, the roadway encounters; Mandalay blacksmith/silversmith workshop; the amazing Buddha-carving quarter; textile workshops and the gold-leaf workshop as well; and the night market.
Finally, the logistics accommodations and meals were good, and between Mansour and the Buffalo Tour local guides (all of them good) and drivers, everything was handled very professionally and went quite smoothly. (We're not used to being spoiled, but everyone was extremely helpful). We actually had a lovely room at the Bagan hotel, and the issues weren't really that consequential: we were barely there more than 5 - 6 hours at night, and it's possible that we just had them on an unlucky couple of days. The hotel in In Le area was spectacular.
Anyway, thanks to VIF for putting this all together. I told Mansour that I'd certainly enthusiastically recommend him and Vietnam in Focus to any photographer I know with the certainty that even experienced and savvy photographers would get a lot out of such a well-conceived tour.
