North West Vietnam

Anna’s Art, Food & Culture Experience

Hanoi, Bac Ha, Y’Ty, Muong Hum & Mu Cang Chai

Travel Sketching the Ethnic villages and Markets of far North West Vietnam

September 27th- October 6th, 2024

A fully hosted and guided 10 day Art, Food and Culture Experience with Anna Barnes

Art

Learn Travel Sketching with Anna Barnes.

Anna Barnes will venture out with you each morning as we participate in carefully curated experiences. On location Anna will guide you through her relaxed Travel Sketching workshops. We will be sketching the local environment, people, street food and markets. Anna’s trusted local guide will be sharing their knowledge of Vietnamese culture & cuisine with you as we visit markets, makers, farms and rice fields, absorbing the signs, sounds and flavours of Vietnam.

We have scheduled workshops on location in which Anna will teach Travel Sketching & Journalling to absolute beginners.

Experienced Sketchers will be given enrichment prompts and challenges.

  • Travel Sketching beginner steps

  • Food and drinks

  • Trees and gardens

  • Water and sky

  • Fun perspective & Buildings

  • People

  • Landscapes & Vistas

  • Animals, birds & insects

  • Storytelling & Page design.

Food

Anna’s first career as a chef led her to work in Sydney’s small specialty restaurants. Her focus was to capture the regional food styles of the cuisines and cultures her menus were based on. Understanding the full breadth of the gastronomy, the traditions and the history provides insight into another culture. Anna’s greatest joy is learning about culture via cuisine, and passing that information onto curious guests who join her on these trips.

You will experience foods and flavours that will open your curiosity, delight your taste buds and be a sensory experience savoured for years to come. .

Anna will discuss with guests a variety of interesting topics such as:

  • The History of Vietnamese Cuisine

  • The influence of Occupation on Cuisine

  • Ethnic groups and Regional Variations

  • The Foodways of modern Vietnamese Cuisine

  • Impacts of Tourism on Food Production

  • Rice Farming and the manufacture of its products

  • Buddhist Veganism in Vietnam

  • Culinary appropriation, privilege & food choices

  • Seafood in Vietnam

  • Seasonal, locally grown and backyard production.

  • Transferring Vietnamese dishes into a Western context with available ingredients.

Culture

The best part of an Art, Food & Culture Experience is connecting with the culture. The people of Vietnam have a fascinating history, a delightful way of life and always a warm friendly smile for visitors. Learn to see what we experience, experience what we see. We participating in hands-on activities and meet new people - learning about their lives is a very satisfying way to enrich your cultural understanding.

We have carefully planned this trip to coincide with local Ethnic Minority market days. We take special excursions to remote villages, barely visited by tourists so we can experience the hospitality of the Ha Nhi people in Y’Ty, the Black H’mong in a small village south of Sapa, the Red Dao people, Muong and Flower H’Mong communities.

Focus

The focus of this trip is immersion into the culture, to experience the beauty of the geography of Northern Vietnam, and also learn about the Ethnic Minority communities of this stunning region. By travel sketching on location - visiting villages and sketching our experiences, we connect with our creativity and with those around us. We give back, spend time interacting and show interest in other peoples way of life. We explore the textile 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 guide, alongside Anna will help you feel safe, excited and inspired.

Teaching Style

Anna’s teaching style is to teach you new skills, and then carefully guide you while you practice it. Travel Sketching is an experiential practice. This is not about the end product or conjuring a hidden talent that may or may not exist. Anna’s travel sketching is about being present in the environment you find yourself in, and connecting with the surroundings. Skills are taught step by step, just as you would learn how to read. We start with the alphabet then move onto simple words before expanding to sentences.

Examples will be given, and locations are chosen to specifically practice the new skills. New skills are taught every session, and you will build a repertoire of skills over the course of the trip. The accumulation of new skills will have you feeling satisfied and confident with your own newly developed unique style.

Anna also teaches you how to travel sketch in a new country full of sensory overload and unique challenges:

  • How to carry a small sketch kit that is practical and portable.

  • How to pull up a chair and sketch what is in front of you.

  • How to meet a new person and within minutes be sitting in front of them sketching the scene.

  • How to order a drink in a locals cafe with the view you want to sketch right there.

  • How to walk through a rice field with your sketch kit to capture that farmer doing that thing.

  • How to feel confident anywhere, to get out your sketchbook and capture the essence of your surroundings.

  • How to sketch in a busy market without getting in the way of business, and so much more.

Who it is for

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 trip is designed to accommodate various skill levels, offering basic instruction for beginners and enrichment opportunities for seasoned urban sketchers.

Additionally, non-sketching partners are welcome on the trip and will be provided with care and guidance by a full-time guide. The experience is also open to photographers, poets, and journalers who are interested in exploring and capturing the culture and aesthetics of a new country.

Overall, Anna's Art, Food, and Culture Experiences are ideal for adventurous souls seeking to immerse themselves in different cultures in a safe and supportive environment. It's particularly suitable for creative solo travelers who enjoy the company of like-minded individuals and the camaraderie of exploring new places together.

Itinerary

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

Day One: we meet at 8:30 am for a famous Hanoi coffee and get to know each other a little 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 Two: 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 Three: 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 Four: We have 3 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 Five: Sketching, photographing and wandering local villages.

Day Six: 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 Seven: 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 Eight: 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 Nine: After breakfast in the eco lodge we have another day exploring the region of Mu Cang Chai.

Day Ten: 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, or consider joining us for the North East Vietnam Sketching Journey starting a few days later. Discount for anyone wanting to sign up for both trips, Please ask.

Included

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)

Ongoing Art Workshops led by Anna Barnes (@annasartfoodculture)

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.

Not included

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 (you can organise that directly with your Hanoi accomodation)

Anything not mentioned in the Included list

Cost

Small group, maximum 8 guests. All inclusive experience.

  • Solo Travellers USD $3,900

  • Twin Travellers USD $3,780 (when booking two places at the same time, twin or double room share)

  • All prices in USD. To see what it will cost approximately in your own currency you can use any online conversion site. Try https://www.xe.com/currencyconverter/ Remember that currencies are in constant fluctuation.

USD $500 non refundable deposit required to reserve your spot. (Fully refunded if ArtFoodCulture cancels the trip).

Accommodation

Anna's Art, Food, and Culture Experiences prioritize the activities and connections made during the day rather than focusing extensively on luxurious accommodations. However, they ensure that participants stay in the best hotels available in the local areas being explored. These accommodations range from 3-star hotels to eco lodges or locally run farm stays, depending on the destination.

Regardless of the type of accommodation, they guarantee safety, cleanliness, and comfort for a good night's sleep. Essential amenities such as power, WiFi, and air conditioning are always provided to ensure a convenient stay.

The trips are organized and priced based on single occupancy, but participants traveling with friends or family members have the option to share accommodations, resulting in cost savings. Anna's Art, Food, and Culture Experiences do not pair strangers together for shared accommodations, and they do not charge single supplements, ensuring fairness and affordability for all participants.

Bookings

Love the sound of this Experience and want to sign up? Please read ArtFoodCulture’s Terms & Conditions first.

Once you have read the Terms & Conditions please email me if you have any questions or would like further information.

Ready to reserve your place? Click the button below and proceed with paying a deposit to secure your spot.


The ADVENTURE Begins at 8:30am on the first day advertised. We have a warm welcome & specialty Hanoi coffee 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 email or call Anna.

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 (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.