Most enchanting seaside villages in Vietnam for photography

Tuyet Diem sits beside Cu Mong Lagoon, where seawater is channelled into broad, shallow pans beneath Cu Mong Pass. The village is now part of Xuan Canh Commune in Dak Lak Province, although older maps and travel guides may still list it under Song Cau, Phu Yen.

A special part of Tuyet Diem is its “hầm muối” tradition (translation: “salt caves”). Despite the name, these are not technically underground salt caves; they are kilns where raw salt is placed in clay pots and heated overnight to produce finer, drier salt. Salt has been made here since at least the 18th century. The flat pans form a grid across the landscape, while still water reflects the surrounding hills, passing clouds and people working between the fields.

An Hai and Hon Yen Fishing Villages sit along the eastern coast of Dak Lak, in the area formerly known as Phu Yen. Hon Yen Village is around 20 kilometres north of Tuy Hoa, while An Hai just lies 10 kilometres farther. The two locations offer very different photography experiences. An Hai is shaped by its fishing harbour, sandy shore and early-morning fish market, while Hon Yen is known for its rocky islets and large fishing nets used during anchovy season.

Photographers can capture documentary images at the fish market, portraits of fishing families and wide coastal scenes. Hon Yen is particularly suited to elevated or aerial photography, although drone use must follow current Vietnamese aviation rules and local restrictions.

Lo Village or Làng Lò stretches for around two kilometres along the coast of Hoa Hiep in Dak Lak Province (formerly Phu Yen). The sea has shaped both the village’s appearance and its history. Rows of low houses sit close together behind the beach, with thick walls, wide verandas and sloping roofs built to handle strong sun, salty air and coastal winds. Many houses were built during the 1960s and still have red clay tiles, faded yellow walls and traditional two-room or three-room layouts. From a higher position, the roofs form a patchwork of red and brown between palm trees, narrow lanes and the blue sea.

This village is the best fit for architecture, street photography and environmental portraits. Sunrise gives the roofs and walls softer light, while late afternoon is better for photoshoots taking the theme of village life and people returning along the shore.

Hon Khoi lies in the coastal Ninh Hoa area of Khanh Hoa, close to Doc Let Beach and around 40 kilometres north of Nha Trang. As one of the largest salt production sites in Central Vietnam, this location offers a mesmerizing, mirror-like landscape that stretches as far as the eye can see.

The fields are most active before the heat becomes too strong. Salt production here is still largely completed by hand, primarily by local women wearing traditional conical hats, face masks, and rubber boots to protect themselves from the intense sun and highly saline environment. They expertly rake heavy salt crystals into small, glowing white pyramids and carry them across the shallow pans in woven bamboo baskets balanced on their shoulders (quang ganh).

For photographers, this intense manual labor creates incredibly strong scenes for both wide landscape photographs and intimate, gritty environmental portraits.

Located just a short distance from Hoi An Ancient Town, Tra Nhieu village feels like a step back in time, surrounded by dense water coconut palm forests and peaceful river channels. The most striking photographs in Tra Nhieu often come from the massive, colorful fishing nets. Local artisans spread huge blue and green nets across spacious courtyards to weave, repair, and prepare them for the next ocean journey.

For photographers, the hanging nets act as natural filters, allowing soft, patterned light to fall on the workers. This environment is absolutely perfect for close-up portraits and “hands-at-work” details. Beyond the intricate net-making, Tra Nhieu provides excellent scenes for documentary and wide landscape photography. Photographers can capture wide, scenic shots of local fishermen casting their nets or paddling silently through the nipa palm forests.

Nam O Fishing Village sits where the Cu De River meets Da Nang Bay, close to the foot of Hai Van Pass, which is around 15 kilometres northwest of the city centre. The village is shaped by three connected landscapes: the river mouth, the sheltered bay and the rocky Nam O Reef. Narrow lanes lead towards the shore, where basket boats, fishing nets and small wooden vessels remain part of everyday life.

Nam O is also one of Da Nang’s best-known traditional fish-sauce villages. The craft was added to Vietnam’s National Intangible Cultural Heritage List in 2019, while Nam O fish sauce received geographical indication protection in 2024. The atmosphere is busiest in the morning, when fishermen return, boats move close to shore and production work begins inside family workshops.

Ngu My Thanh is the most iconic fishing village in Tam Giang Lagoon. Located about 15 kilometers from central Hue, this village offers a deeply authentic look into traditional Vietnamese river life. Tam Giang is actually the largest brackish water lagoon system in Southeast Asia. The village faces a massive stretch of water where small wooden boats, bamboo fish traps, and local aquaculture farms shape the beautiful view.

The flat lagoon usually stays completely calm around dawn. This creates a giant natural mirror, offering perfect reflections of boats and fishing nets on the water surface. The true highlight of Ngu My Thanh is its early morning floating market. Fishermen return from a long night on the lagoon to sell fresh shrimp, crabs, and fish. They trade directly from their small wooden sampans in the middle of the water.