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Art, Food & Culture Experiences with Anna Barnes

artist, chef & anthropologist

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North West Vietnam

Bac Ha, Y’Ty, Muong Hum, Ta Giang Phin & Mu Cang Chai

Villages, Textile Traditions & Markets of North West Vietnam

September 16th -25th, 2027

The journey is timed to coincide with ethnic minority market days, following the natural rhythm of local life.

We make considered visits to remote, rarely visited villages, including the Hà Nhì in Y Tý, Black H’Mong south of Sapa, Red Dao, Mường, and Flower H’Mong communities.

  • 10 days (9 nights) Fully hosted by a multilingual local guide and Anna Barnes

    Day1 HANOI: We meet for a welcome drink, then head to a Hanoi Favourite. Cha Ca Thang Long. Turmeric fish served sizzling with green onions and dill.

    Day 2 BAC HA:

    8:30 am start for a famous Hanoi coffee “Ca Phe Trung” before we travel to Bac Ha for the first night in the West of North Vietnam. Enjoy beautiful scenery along the way. We stay in a locally run hotel and enjoy the hospitality and an early night.

    Day 3 MUONG HUM:

    We visit a vibrant local market that attracts a number of ethnic minority groups from the region. Many are wearing traditional clothes of their group, foods for sale are of the local cuisine and we have plenty of sketching opportunities before heading back to Bac Ha for checkout and travel to Muong Hum.

    Day 4 Y’TE:

    An early morning Sunday market. One of Anna’s favourites. The energy is relaxed and friendly. We may be lucky to see Ha Nhi women vendors, Red Dao and H’mong people going about their daily business. A morning of sketching, eating, laughing with locals and creativity. We have lunch then drive to Bat Xat.

    Day 5 Y’TE:

    We have 2 full days in this area. High up in the clouds, near the Chinese boarder. Remote communities of Ha Nhi Ethnic groups. Each day is spent learning, creating and mixing with the remarkable people of the region. We enjoy the newly built locally run hotel, cool mountain breezes and delicious family style meals.

    Day 6 Y’TE:

    Sketching, photographing and wandering local villages.

    Day 7 TA GIANG PHIN:

    Check out after breakfast and travel the incredible scenic route of terraced rice fields and North Vietnam country side to reach a farmstay overlooking the valley we will explore in the next coming days. 2 nights here, in your own cabin. We meet for sketching sessions, meals and enjoy the incredible views from the main house.

    Day 8 TA GIANG PHIN:

    Explore the village of Ta Giang Phin. A H’mong community, avid stitchers and makers of handicrafts that you will want to purchase. Sit by the giant boulders riverside for relaxing sketch sessions, or visit peoples homes and sip tea with them whilst capturing a memory of a lifetime.

    Day 9 MU CANG CHAI:

    Check out after breakfast and head to Mu Cang Chai. The famous steeped rice fields of North Vietnam. If we are lucky we will catch the last of the rice harvest for the season, capture farmers and buffalo in our sketches, and sketch vistas and views that you have been dreaming about.

    Day 10 HANOI:

    A day of gorgeous views and interesting routes as we head back to Hanoi. We arrive sometime in the early evening and say farewell. Make sure you have booked a nights accomodation, or asked us to help. Take a good nights rest before onward travel.

  • Small group max 8 guests ensures you will receive plenty of personal tuition during the sessions

    9 nights accommodation in a private room with private bathroom

    Fully hosted by Anna Barnes of Art Food Culture

    9 breakfasts

    10 lunches (street food, market vendors and local restaurants)

    9 dinners (street food, market vendors and local restaurants)

    Choose either Untutored or Ongoing creative sessions led by Anna Barnes

    Vietnamese (and English speaking) Licensed International Guide on all outings

    Private air-conditioned Van transport

    Guided Market and Village Tours

    Tips and gratuities when visiting remote village communities

    Drinking Water will be made available. Please bring your own stainless steel refillable bottle. Say NO to straws and plastic bags.

  • International airfares

    Visas

    Travel insurance

    Some meals (breakfast on Day 1 and Dinner of Day 10)

    Beverages- alcohol and imported soft drinks 

    Van snacks, be sure to stock up

    Extra activities and tours organised in your free time (at your own cost)

    Personal expenses, laundry, minibar, tips, extra nights accomodation etc.

    Tips and gratuities (not compulsory)

    Airport Transfers (ask us to help or you can organise that directly with your Hanoi accomodation)

    Anything not mentioned in the Included list

    • All Prices in AUD (Australian Dollars).

    • Solo - Private Room & Ensuite AUD$7300 (approx. USD$4900).

    • Twin - Private Room & Ensuite AUD$7200 (when booking two places at the same time twin/double bed).

    • AUD $1500 non refundable deposit required to reserve your spot. (Fully refunded if Art Food Culture cancels the trip).

    • Final payment of balance via our preferred payment provider WISE, your preferred bank direct transfer (EFT) or Credit Card.

    • We will send payment details and confirmation before due date.

    • Currencies fluctuate constantly. Please see your preferred currency conversion app for more accurate estimates.

    • Balance due 120 days before commencement date.

  • La Siesta Ma May 1 night

    Sao Mai Bac Ha 1 night

    Nghe Nhi Sướng Mường Hùm 1 night

    Dung Van Hotel 3 nights

    P' Nue Ngu Chi Son Sapa Farmstays 2 nights

    Mu Cang Chai Eco Lodge 1 nights

    *may change subject to T&C. Will be of same or better standard.

  • We begin at 4pm on the first day advertised. We have a warm welcome for you. It is imperative you arrive on time for our first meeting and onward travel (we will provide details upon booking).

    If you need help organising your transport from your home town to Hanoi, please get in touch.

    The closest airport is Hanoi. Airport code HAN. .

    Onward travel and additions to your itinerary can be organised for you. Please get in touch should you wish to explore other areas of Vietnam. Anna knows them well and has many good people to connect you with.

    You will be advised when minimum numbers have been reached and the trip will proceed, not less than 120 days before departure (if the trip does not reach minimum numbers you will be notified and receive a refund of your deposit).

    Balance due 120 days before departure. We will send details.

    Conditions: Late September in Sapa, Muong Hum and Y Tý marks the gentle arrival of early autumn in Vietnam’s northern highlands. Days are comfortably mild at around 20–26°C (68–79°F), while nights cool to 14–18°C (57–64°F), and can feel even crisper in higher villages like Y Tý. The heavy summer rains ease, giving way to softer skies, drifting mist and the region’s signature “sea of clouds” rolling through the valleys at dawn. Rice terraces remain lush and green, with the first hints of harvest tones beginning to appear, creating a landscape that feels both vibrant and atmospheric.

    What to Wear: Pack layers including long-sleeved shirts, sweaters, a warm jacket for evenings, and comfortable trekking shoes.

  • Art

    Studio artists, writers, photographers, designers, chefs, textile artisans, and visual storytellers are all welcome.

    Non-creatives are equally supported, guided by the structure of the journey and experienced local hosts.

    There is no hierarchy of skill—only depth of engagement and presence.

    Creative practice is fluid and responsive to place, light, and culture.

    Time and space are intentionally held for individual creative work to unfold naturally.

    Quiet periods for reflection, observation, and making are integrated throughout the journey.

    Market visits include unhurried time to observe, sketch, photograph, and savour.

    Guided visits with Anna into local villages and family homes offer lived cultural insight.

    Encounters with traditional artisans include weaving, indigo dyeing, embroidery, and textile craft.

    Early morning field sessions focus on capturing changing light, atmosphere, and landscape mood.

    Visits to regional galleries and small museums help ground contemporary practice in cultural and historical context.

  • Food

    Local food in North-West Vietnam is rooted in highland farming, forest foraging, and seasonal mountain produce shaped by ethnic minority traditions.

    Street food and local eateries include simple bowls of phở, grilled meats, corn-based dishes, and broths that vary across valleys and ethnic groups.

    “Breaking bread” with locals includes shared meals in wooden stilt houses, often centred around communal hot pots, noodles, and seasonal vegetable dishes.

    In Sapa, traditional hot pot (lẩu) is a signature experience—served bubbling at the table with mountain greens, mushrooms, river fish, and local meats, eaten slowly in the cold misty air.

    Family-style meals are a core part of the experience, with dishes placed at the centre of the table for sharing, reflecting the communal eating culture of Hmong, Dao, Tay, and Giay households.

    Food experiences are designed to be photography, filming, and content-creation friendly, especially in vibrant markets such as Bac Ha and Muong Hum where ingredients are traded, prepared, and cooked in real time.

    Cooking classes and demonstrations are led by Anna and local hosts, focusing on regional dishes such as thắng cố (Hmong stew), bamboo-tube rice, grilled meats, and forest greens gathered from surrounding hills.

    Participants are invited to write recipes, keep a food journal, and document ingredients sourced directly from mountain markets, home gardens, and foraged landscapes.

    Family home meals offer insight into everyday highland life, including rice-based dishes, fermented vegetables, and shared communal eating traditions that vary between Hmong, Dao, Tay, and Giay households.

    The journey is sober-friendly, with no alcohol-based activities included, reflecting the everyday food culture of the region.

    Learning is supported through simple practical skills such as using chopsticks, with the option to bring your own fork if preferred, particularly in remote village settings.

  • Culture

    Ethical Slow Travel is at the heart of the journey, prioritising respect, cultural awareness, and meaningful engagement with local communities in North-West Vietnam.

    Overnight village stays take place in family-run homestays, offering direct immersion into daily highland life in places such as Sapa, Y Ty, and surrounding ethnic minority villages.

    Family home visits provide a deeper understanding of local traditions, hospitality, and everyday rhythms beyond the tourist experience.

    Meetings with Anna’s friends and long-standing local connections create trusted access to communities, artisans, and cultural spaces that are not typically open to visitors.

    Market vendor interactions take place in vibrant regional markets such as Bac Ha and Muong Hum, where trade, food, textiles, and social life come together.

    Groups are kept intentionally small, with a maximum of 8 participants to ensure intimacy, respect, and minimal cultural impact.

    Highly experienced senior local guides, worked with over many years alongside Anna, lead and support the journey, offering deep regional knowledge, trusted relationships, and cultural insight.

    The journey is designed as an LGBTQIA+ safe space, grounded in respect, inclusion, and cultural sensitivity.

    Coffee culture is experienced through local highland cafés and emerging Vietnamese specialty coffee traditions, particularly in larger townships and market hubs.

    A guided book club is included, with the book announced at the time of booking to frame shared reflection during travel.

    The journey is intentionally sensory-rich and at times gently challenging, designed to deepen awareness, provoke reflection, and gently surface and question cultural assumptions and biases.

    A private WhatsApp group is provided for coordination during the journey and reflection after travel.

Market Visits

We rise early and join local life as it begins to unfold in the villages and valleys.

We learn about seasonal produce directly from the land and the people who cultivate it.

This region is especially known for its plum harvest season at this time of year, when the hillsides are rich with fruit and local markets come alive with seasonal abundance.

Connect

We connect more deeply to our shared humanity, stay open to learning, and engage curiosity as a guiding force. We gently encourage stepping beyond your comfort zone in a safe, supported environment.

Enjoy

We embrace a sense of ease and enjoyment, balancing lightness, humour, and humility with attentive presence. We move thoughtfully, with care and consideration for place and people, without excess seriousness. Travelling in small groups of no more than eight allows for depth of engagement, intellectual exchange, and meaningful connection—offering a rare and considered form of collective travel experience.

What others have said

  • Dear Anna, Thank you for showing me the Vietnam you have come to know and love. Thank you for being so generous with your time, your friends, your knowledge and your life. You exceeded my expectations on what a trip like this can be. This trip expanded my knowledge of Vietnam- the people and the food and I certainly came away with some new skills and inspiration creatively. xx Julie

    Julie H

  • I was truly astounded by your knowledge of everything Vietnamese. Any questions we had, you had the answers. Everything we did and everywhere we went was so thoroughly thought out, planned and researched that we never had any doubts that it wouldn’t be incredible. I found you to be a real inspiration - watching the way that you urban sketched, how you chose your subjects, but also how you were interacting with the locals. I really did find all of this very inspiring and it made me really think about what I want from my life.

    Karina D

  • Love Anna! Her knowledge of Hoi An and Vietnamese food was invaluable. She had great recommendations for anything you wanted from restaurants to tailors to massages. I would travel anywhere with you, Anna! I really enjoyed walking around with Anna. My Dad and I agree that this was a trip of a lifetime and it is hard to describe to people. Thank you for helping us create that memory together.

    Sarah H