Astrophotography in Vietnam: Where to See and Photograph the Milky Way

Vietnam is a long, narrow country with two very bright cities at either end and mountains, highlands and a long coast in between. From Hà Nội or Hồ Chí Minh City the Milky Way is out of reach, but it does not take long to leave that glow behind.

There is no DarkSky International certified place in Vietnam yet. The national tourism authority now promotes astrotourism, though, and the places it names are a good starting list: high ridges in the northwest, and the driest stretch of coast in the south-central provinces.

Tà Xùa, Sơn La

High in the northwestern highlands of Sơn La province, the Tà Xùa ridge is a camping spot where you can sleep above the low clouds that fill the valleys. Above that layer the sky can be clear and dark, and the galactic core can be close overhead in the right season.

High peaks get cold after dark, so bring warm clothing even in summer.

Suits: Milky Way images above a sea of clouds, if you can handle a night on a mountain.

Mộc Châu plateau, Sơn La

Easier to reach than a mountain ridge, the Mộc Châu plateau has cool nights and wide horizons. The valleys of Nà Ka and Pha Luông are quiet places to camp under the stars.

Suits: a weekend from Hà Nội, and a first night of Milky Way photography.

Phan Rang and Vĩnh Hy Bay

The former Ninh Thuận province, now part of Khánh Hòa, has one of the driest climates in Vietnam and clear skies for long periods of the year. The cliffs of Vĩnh Hy Bay and the landscapes around Phan Rang give you a coastline to put under the stars.

Suits: the best odds of a clear night in Vietnam, and coastal nightscapes.

Phú Yên coast

Further north along the same coast, in the former Phú Yên province, now part of Đắk Lắk, Đại Lãnh Cape is one of the easternmost points of the mainland, and the volcanic basalt columns of Gành Đá Đĩa make a striking foreground for the Milky Way’s arc.

Suits: nightscapes with dramatic rock foregrounds.

Nha Trang Observatory

On Hòn Chồng hill in Nha Trang, the Vietnam National Space Center’s observatory opened in September 2017 with a 0.5-metre optical telescope built by the Italian firm Marcon, a projection theatre and a space gallery. It is a city site rather than a dark one, but it is the place to see a research telescope and learn the sky before heading out of town.

Suits: a first look at astronomy in Vietnam, and families.

When to go

Vietnam’s tourism authority recommends planning around the new moon and notes that the Milky Way’s core is best seen between March and October. The dry season differs from north to south, so check the forecast for the region you are visiting; the coast around Phan Rang, with one of the driest climates in the country, is the safest bet.

Processing what you bring home

Akastroid stacks, calibrates and finishes your frames on your own computer, with nothing uploaded. The free download processes three sessions and allows one export, enough to take one night from Tà Xùa or Phan Rang all the way through. If you buy a licence later, PayPal works for paying from Vietnam, with a PayPal account or a debit or credit card.

For a first Milky Way night with only a camera and a tripod, see the Milky Way without a star tracker, and for nights in the city, what to image from a light-polluted sky.