Which Trip Is For Me?

• All our trips are designed with Slow Ethical Travel in mind.

• We stay in one region and learn about the art, food and culture.

• We always have private rooms with power and wifi.

• We price our trips for a solo traveler.

• There’s no ”single supplement” for your own room with private ensuite

• All trips have an English speaking host and local guide.

• We have a usual group size of 8 pax maximum size is 10.

• Stay in locally owned & run bespoke hotels & villas.

• Cuisine encompasses the full range of the culture (not just restaurants for tourists).

• Art workshops are “urban sketching” style, held predominantly on location.

• Bring a small stool and a small art kit (see your Tutors page on our website).

• Be ready to fully immerse into the local culture.

• Anna Barnes is your host and creative sessions leader alongside our experienced senior local guides.

• Some trips have a guest Artist teacher, contracted by us to teach the sketching component. (please see individual trip details)

• The trip has a good balance of everything. (Art, Food & Culture)

• We eat in places showcasing everything from street food, local eateries, modern elevated cuisine, fusion, and popular well rated places.

• Your English speaking host works closely with your expert teacher and local guide to provide a seamless experience for you.

• We sometimes change areas more than 3 times as we thoroughly explore the region. (check your individual trips itinerary)

• Travel lightly with practical clothes.

• “Carry on” only luggage is all you need.

• Suitable for all creatives, photographers, chefs, content creators, urban sketchers, travel journallers, visual anthropologists and writers.

• We eat with locals and learn about the culture off the beaten paths.

• Early mornings with the locals is often how we learn and immerse.

• Trips are designed to be exciting sensory experiences, yet safe & comfortable at the same time.

• Trips are for those who really want to explore, do exciting things and are a little adventurous.

• We attract clever, funny, brave, happy, sad, quiet, loud and adventurous souls from all over the world.

• Many guests are continuing on their creative journey, living their best lives. Others arrive, knowing that an Anna’s Art, Food & Culture Experience is the very thing they need to help them shift gears and start living joyfully again.

• Many guests come because they have an inkling that creative connection is where it is at.

• We have had many guests return more than once, having "found their people". We delight in making life long friends, and everyone is welcome.

• Anna's trips cater to a diverse range of individuals, from complete beginners in sketching to experienced urban sketchers. This includes studio artists looking to enhance their skills in sketching on location.

• The trips are designed to accommodate various skill levels, offering basic instruction for beginners and enrichment opportunities for seasoned Urban Sketchers and Travel Journallers.

• Additionally, non-sketchers are welcome on our trips, enjoying the care and guidance of our full-time local guides.

• Our experiences are also open to photographers, writers, poets, foodies and content creators who are interested in exploring and capturing the culture and aesthetics of a new country.

• Anna's Art, Food, and Culture Experiences are ideal for anyone seeking to immerse themselves in different cultures in a safe and supportive environment.

• Our Experiences are particularly suitable for creative solo travellers who enjoy the company of like-minded individuals and the camaraderie of exploring new places together.

The primary focus of our trips are to facilitate your immersion into the culture.

We experience the beautiful geography of Vietnam, while learning about the communities of the regions we visit.

By travel sketching on location and connecting to our creativity - visiting villages and sharing food together, we connect with those around us. We give back, spend time interacting and show interest in other peoples way of life.

We explore the traditions of the area.

The rewards are immense.

Sometimes you may feel outside your comfort zone, but rest assured you are in good hands with us. Our senior experienced multi lingual guides, alongside Anna will help you feel safe, excited and inspired.

Did you know…

• We are veg forward (lots of plant based meals).

• Alcohol free (no activities are focussed on or around drinking, however feel free to order a drink with dinner or visit a bar in your free time).

• Explore the coffee culture of the places we visit.

• Take early morning walks through the rice fields to local markets.

• Have an ongoing bookclub throughout the trip. The book of the trip is announced when you sign up.

• We are curious eaters, open to tasting the local food and drinks, and understanding other ways to eat. We will sit on the street and delight in street food, eat in family homes, in markets, on farms and in local eateries.

• We support Social Enterprises, in particular the education of girls.

• We are not backpackers any more, and we do like comfort, however we dont fuss over our lodgings, instead we focus on our daily interactions with community.

• We stay in boutique, locally run villas, bespoke hotels and quaint home stays, always with private rooms with private bathrooms (unless specified otherwise).

• We are creators & entrepreneurs, and always have access to WIFI, electricity and fabulous things of the modern world, even when going off the beaten paths exploring.

• We dont stay in global chain 5 star hotels.

• We choose accomodation close to the places we plan to visit, often in outlying neighbourhoods and off the beaten path.

• We connect with our creativity on a daily basis.

• We have interesting conversations centred around art & human endeavour.

• We learn about other cultures together, and have a deep interest in the living culture of the places we visit, over and above ticking off the major tourist sights for the sake of it.

• We go home with memories and stories, not suitcases full of more things.

• We don’t discriminate between genders. Everyone is welcome.

• Women are not “girls”.

• Trans folk, pan, fluid and non binary folk are welcome.

• Pronouns are honoured.

• We don’t fester in our ethnocentricity, we challenge our inherent biases.

• We are open to sometimes getting outside our comfort zone for the sake of grassroots experiential learning.

• We pack lightly with practical outfits, and bring only 1 special outfit for a night out.

• We dont overpack, and always manage to wheel our own bags about.

• Anna’s Art, Food & Culture Experience’s are LGBTQIA+ safe spaces.

• We are hetero friendly ;-)

• We have guests from all over the world, many with English as a second or third language.

• We have patience with each other, and show care for others on the trip.

• We have loads of fun, with thigh slapping laughter (the occasional snort) and most of us become friends for life with reunion trips always in the plans!