culture Archives - ETB Travel Photography

Mystical Mai Chau

Nestled in Hoa Binh Province, Mai Chau is a serene, verdant valley serving as the cultural heartland of the White Thai people, who settled here from Southern China around the 13th century. Historically, this area served as a remote, rugged corridor connecting northern mountainous tribes, maintaining a deeply traditional, rural lifestyle that has largely resisted modernization. Known as a “Province of Peace,” its history is rooted in traditional subsistence rice farming, unique stilt-house architecture, and a resilient, vibrant culture that has maintained its identity despite colonial influences and modern tourism.

Today, Mai Chau has transitioned from a hidden highland gem into a model for sustainable community-based tourism. While it offers a peaceful alternative to the bustling streets of Hanoi, the valley retains its soul through the stilt-house villages of Lac and Pom Coong. Visitors can immerse themselves in slow-paced, eco-friendly activities in a landscape highlighted by towering karst peaks. Mai Chau is ideal for nature lovers seeking both adventure and peace.

During our nine-day tour of Vietnam with G-Adventures, we spent one night in Mai Chau. In addition to Hoi An, it was one of our favorite stops in Vietnam. I sure wish we spent an entire weekend in Mai Chau as its culture and outdoor activities deserve more time. But when you are trying to get an overview of Vietnam in just a few weeks, we only got a glimpse of Mai Chau.

EXPLORE!

Ubud: Bali’s Cultural Center

If you are picturing relaxing, sandy beaches for your next island vacation, Ubud is not it! Instead, Ubud is the cultural center of Bali with mopeds zipping in every direction. If you are interested in arts, markets, cafes, temples, and a few scattered rice fields and waterfalls, then you have come to the right place while visiting Bali.

EXPLORE!

Culture in the Amazon

For our fifth day cruising the Peruvian Amazon with G Adventures, we continued along the Marañón River and its tributaries which flow into the Amazon near Pacaya Samiria National Reserve. It was a day of culture in the Amazon including meeting a Shaman and a mayor, having lunch in an Amazon community, learning to dye materials with resources from the Amazon, and enjoying music of the Amazon.

WELCOME TO THE JUNGLE!

How to Capture Culture in Photographs

If you ask me what my favorite genre of photography is, I don’t even have to think about the answer. Adventure photography is one of the most exciting and connective ways to capture the world. It broadens both global and personal horizons, brings unlikely people together, and creates the opportunity for extraordinary memories and experiences to emerge.

But I can tell you, there’s so much more to adventure and travel photography than catching a flight and snapping some pictures. It’s a specialty that requires strong intuition, deference, trust, and respect for the people and cultures that you encounter along the way.

It’s extremely important to remain aware of a country’s traditions, practices, and forms of communication to truly capture its essence in an authentic and appropriate way.

Without a sensitive and respectful approach to cultural and travel photography, your cultural appreciation can turn into cultural appropriation – an outcome that won’t serve you or the beautiful people and places you capture throughout your travels.

So, next time you plan a travel photography adventure, keep my tips in your back pocket to ensure you take more memorable, authentic, and culturally appreciative photos.

POINT AND CLICK!

New Blog: Around Town 5280

Hello Faithful Blog Followers –

I started a new blog called Around Town 5280. It will be a blog focusing on things around the Mile High City such as the Mint, the Art Museum, Sporting Events, the Mustang Sanctuary and more.

If you want to know what’s going on in and around click the follow button. I have posted the link to the blog on the left my travel blog.

At some point I may be shifting my hiking in the Rockies to this site as well.

For a little while I’ll include my posts here too. My first post is about the Butterfly Pavilion. https://aroundtown5280.wordpress.com/2014/08/28/the-butterfly-pavilion/

ETB