You’ll start out early with a dawn exploration of (the lesser-known) train street, and morning tai chi and aerobics at Reunification Park. We then head over to the city's infamous Thieves Market. We’ll take a photographic wander through the tight, atmospheric alleyways here, before dropping by a retirees’ ping pong club, housed in an unforgettable location.

We jump into our private car and head one hour south to Cu Da village. This is one of the best-preserved ancient villages within reach of the city center, specializing in the manufacture of vermicelli noodles. We’ll explore the atmospheric backstreets, then photograph locals drying vermicelli in fields of dazzling gold. We'll grab lunch nearby, and review our photos at a peaceful cafe. Next stop is nearby Quang Phu Cau village. Here we’ll capture incredible images of incense arranged in the sun - a rhapsody in red just made for travel photographers. We'll also explore the village's busy workshops, taking photos at all stages of the fascinating process.