An under appreciated mountainous province in the northeast. Some of the most pastoral views can be found in the countryside. Many come to Cao Bang, go to the Ban Gioc falls, then leave. A night or two does not do it justice. Some great photographic areas in Cao Bang include:
- Ban Gioc
- Angel Eye mountain
- Trung Khanh
- Quang Uyen craft villages
- Cao Bang City
There are now operators adding a Cao Bang loop to the traditional Ha Giang Loop tours taht are worth considering.
I typically spend a couple of nights in Cao Bang city where you can get a very nice room to recover from your homestays. From Cao Bang city you can explore Angel Eye mountain, Ma Phuc Pass, and the craft villages in: Phuc Sen, Phia Thap, Dia Tren, and Doai Khon. Photographers will find Dia Tren particularly interesting where they make traditional Dó paper. This paper prints well on both inkjet and tradional techniques like Cyanatype and Van Dyke. Whole sheets have lovely deckled edges ideal for hand printing. You can purchase Dó paper in Hanoi at Zó Project, located at 189 Trích Sài Street by West Lake.
