The tightly packed residential apartment blocks infused with the evening market and food stalls create an intense atmosphere. As the sun descends, the dark encroaching shadows flood the balconies of post war industrial architecture encouraging playfulness with light, shadows and compositions. Your photographs will be moody and atmospheric, capturing the essence of these marvelous tightly-knitted houses. At street level your lens will be full of colour and action, and street lights artificially illuminate the evening chaos that unfolds within the walls of the Colony. Portraits and street scenes will tell stories of the real heart of Saigon.
We start out exploring the fascinating apartment blocks that lie at the centre of the area. Venturing up several of the stairwells, we capture unique shots of life in this vintage accommodation. We’ll be looking at how to use leading lines, angles and moments of sudden movement to shoot geometric, urban exploration-type imagery.
The sun is beginning to go down, and it’s time to walk over to the flower market, which is illuminated with fluorescent lights, and a hive of action. As well as many types of flowers, the nearby food stalls sell a variety of Saigon specialities. We’ll have a quick snack (or several) and a milk tea or coffee while reviewing the pictures taken so far Now it’s time to wander the stalls of this area in search of portraits of the vendors and other images of local life. We’ll be looking at how to approach people for photos, different types of composition and optional settings for these types of situations.
We now move to our last stop of the tour, a rooftop high above the city streets. We’ll set up our tripods here to shoot long exposure images of the view, including street night life and a traditional pagoda. We have a last drink in the cafe below and review our shots, before taking you back to the hotel.
Your photographer guide will collect you from your selected hotel lobby.
For a full refund, cancel at least 24 hours before the scheduled departure time.
Sundown in the Colony Photo Tour lasts about 4h 45min. The itinerary has 3 stops.
Prices start at $125 per person for this Ho Chi Minh City experience, booked through Viator with the price shown before checkout. There is 1 booking option, so the final price depends on the option you choose.
Yes. Cancel at least 1 day before the start for a full refund. Later cancellations are non-refundable.
Yes, pickup is offered. Your photographer guide will collect you from your selected hotel lobby. Pickup points include Silverland Min Hotel, Roseland Point Hotel.
The experience is available in EN.
It is a small-group experience with a maximum of 6 participants.
Yes, bookings are confirmed instantly.
Travellers rate it 5.0 out of 5 across 8 verified reviews; it is run by Vietnam in Focus - Day Tours.
When photographing a new place, local knowledge can be very helpful. This certainly was the case working with Paul. For me, due to unfamiliarity, photographing the Colony would have been stressful and adversely affecting my image capture process. Paul not only knows where to go but he also puts people at ease - both photographers and subjects. An enjoyable and productive experience. Recommend.
This tour was a great experience. Eileen was a very experienced photographer with a lot od valuable tips and tricks. Besides photography I’ve learned about the history of The Colony which makes your photography even better. It’s a good day tour if you want great street & documentary photography of different kinds. Would definitely recommend.
I had the best time on the photo tour in Saigon—and a huge part of that was thanks to my incredible guide, Eileen. She didn’t just take us from place to place, she really encouraged us to see what was happening around us. The everyday moments—people hanging out washing, eating their dinner on the street, hustling to make a living—suddenly felt full of stories and character. Eileen also helped me think more intentionally about how I shoot. I learned so much about using movement in a deliberate way and how to tell a story through a single frame. Her enthusiasm was contagious, and I left the tour feeling completely inspired, both as a photographer and a traveller. If you’re interested in street photography, don’t miss this!
I did the Sundown in the Colony tour with Eileen. Eileen was very kind and personable and had great tips, would recommend to anybody wanting to see the real Saigon!
I had an unforgettable experience with the “Sunset in the Colony” tour by Vietnam in Focus, guided by the incredible Billy (William). This tour was a true immersion into the vibrant streets of Saigon (Ho Chi Minh City), offering a rare opportunity to capture the essence of local life through street photography. Billy was an exceptional guide—knowledgeable, patient, and passionate. His photography tips and suggestions elevated my shots, and his insights into the area added depth to the experience. Walking through an old neighborhood, the market, and hidden streets allowed me to observe and photograph the daily lives of locals in a way that felt authentic and enriching. The organization and communication from Vietnam in Focus were excellent, and everything ran smoothly from start to finish. This tour exceeded my expectations in every way and is a must for anyone looking to explore Ho Chi Minh City through a photographer’s lens. Highly recommended!
This tour gave us a fascinating insight into the people and their livelihoods of a Saigon neighbourhood known as 'The Colony'. It's an incredibly atmospheric location with its fading apartment blocks and its lively street scene. We felt very lucky to be able to capture the daily lives of the people who live there. Our guide, Eileen, was very friendly and attentive and her local knowledge was invaluable. We came away from the day with some incredible memories and some images that we are very happy with! Communication with Vietnam in Focus was very easy and they responded to our questions quickly and very helpfully.
My wife and I enjoyed our tour with Adrien to the Cholon district of Saigon. Adrien was an excellent guide - very enthusiastic and knowledgeable about Saigon, and helpful with my street photography. Unfortunately it rained for most of the time, but we enjoyed visiting and photographing the apartment blocks and temples, and have numerous nice images from our tour. Vietnam In Focus were excellent to deal with, and communicated very well.
The guide, Paul, was great and the Colony was full of life and colors. Wonderful for street photography with many alleyways and friendly folks. At the end there are also two markets (flowers and food).
Hi, thanks so much for the brilliant review! We're very glad to hear you enjoyed the tour with Paul and got some great pics. Wishing you all the best with your photography and hope to see you back soon!
| Tour | Duration | Rating | Price | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sundown in the Colony Photo Tour | 4h 45min | 5.0 (8) | $125 | |
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