Best Filming Locations in Vietnam: A Producer's Guide

Discover the 8 best filming locations in Vietnam with practical tips on permits, seasons, crew, and logistics from a local production company.

Vietnam is rapidly becoming one of Southeast Asia's most sought-after filming destinations. With dramatic landscapes ranging from towering limestone karsts to pristine beaches, bustling urban centers, and UNESCO World Heritage sites, the country offers an extraordinary diversity of backdrops for any production. Whether you're scouting for a TVC, a documentary, a feature film, or branded content, this guide breaks down the eight best filming locations in Vietnam — with practical advice on permits, seasons, crew, and logistics that only a local production team can provide.

Hanoi's Old Quarter — a living film set of narrow streets, colonial architecture, and kinetic energy

Why Is Vietnam a Top Filming Location for International Productions?

Vietnam is a country that punches far above its weight as a filming destination. The numbers tell the story: Vietnam attracted over 200 international film and commercial productions between 2019 and 2025, a figure that continues to climb as the government streamlines filming permits and invests in creative infrastructure. Here's why producers are choosing Vietnam:

• Cost efficiency — Production costs in Vietnam are 40-60% lower than in Thailand or Singapore, without sacrificing quality. Local crew day rates, equipment rentals, and location fees are highly competitive.
• Visual diversity — Within a single country, you can shoot tropical beaches, mountain highlands, rice terraces, colonial cities, ultra-modern skylines, and ancient temples — all connected by domestic flights under two hours.
• Growing crew talent — Vietnam's film industry has matured significantly. Experienced local crew — from camera operators and gaffers to production coordinators and fixers — are available in Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City.
• Favorable weather windows — With three distinct climate zones (north, central, south), there is almost always a region in ideal shooting condition regardless of the calendar.
• Authentic culture — Vietnam's living heritage — street food vendors, traditional markets, pagodas, lantern-lit old towns — provides production value that no set can replicate.

What Are the Best Filming Locations in Hanoi?

Hanoi is the creative capital of northern Vietnam and the most common base for production companies operating in the region. The city offers two distinct visual worlds: the chaotic, atmospheric Old Quarter and the modern, planned districts of the west side.

Hanoi Old Quarter

The Old Quarter is one of the most visually rich urban environments in Asia. Its narrow streets — each historically dedicated to a single trade — create a dense tapestry of signage, architecture, street vendors, and motorbike traffic. For commercial and documentary work, it offers an unmatched sense of authentic Vietnamese life. Key streets for filming include Hang Ma (decorations), Hang Bac (silver), and Ta Hien (the famous "beer street").

Best for: TVCs, brand content, documentary, travel content
Permit notes: Street-level filming with small crews (under 10) is generally flexible, but any setup involving lighting rigs, road closures, or large equipment requires a permit from the Hoan Kiem District People's Committee. Early morning shoots (5-7 AM) are recommended for controlled environments.

West Lake & French Quarter

For a more polished, cosmopolitan look, the areas around West Lake (Ho Tay), the French Quarter, and the Opera House provide wide boulevards, colonial facades, lakeside cafes, and luxury hotels. These locations are popular for lifestyle and fashion content.

What Makes Ha Long Bay Ideal for Cinematic Productions?

Ha Long Bay's otherworldly karst formations — a UNESCO World Heritage site and cinematic goldmine

Ha Long Bay is a UNESCO World Heritage site consisting of nearly 2,000 limestone islands and islets rising from emerald waters. It is, without exaggeration, one of the most visually spectacular natural locations on Earth. The bay has appeared in blockbuster films including "Kong: Skull Island" (2017) and countless international commercials.

What makes it special for filming:

• Jaw-dropping aerial/drone footage opportunities — the karst formations look extraordinary from above
• Floating fishing villages provide unique human-interest backdrops
• Cave systems (Sung Sot, Thien Cung) offer dramatic interior locations
• Overnight junk boat charters double as mobile production bases

Practical tips: Filming in Ha Long Bay requires permits from the Ha Long Bay Management Board, which can take 2-3 weeks to process. Drone permits require additional approval from the Vietnam Civil Aviation Authority. The best filming window is October to December — clear skies, calm seas, and excellent visibility. Avoid June-August when fog and rain reduce visual clarity. We recommend chartering a private boat rather than joining tourist cruises — it gives you control over timing and angles.

How Can Hoi An Elevate Your Visual Story?

Hoi An Ancient Town is a UNESCO World Heritage site in central Vietnam, and it is arguably the most photogenic small town in Southeast Asia. Its well-preserved architecture — a fusion of Vietnamese, Chinese, Japanese, and European influences — creates a warm, golden-toned visual palette that looks stunning on camera, especially during golden hour and after dark when thousands of silk lanterns illuminate the streets.

Best for: Fashion films, lifestyle content, music videos, romantic narratives, cultural documentaries
Key locations: Japanese Covered Bridge, Lantern Street (Nguyen Hoang), Thu Bon River, An Bang Beach (10 minutes away)
Permit notes: Filming in the Ancient Town core requires a permit from the Hoi An Center for Cultural Heritage. Commercial drone flights over the old town are restricted. The best strategy is to shoot interiors and street-level during the day, then capture the lantern-lit atmosphere at dusk.

"Hoi An is one of the few places where you can get a completely different look just by waiting two hours — the daytime colonial charm transforms into a magical lantern-lit dreamscape at sunset." — 96Hz Agency Production Team

What Drone and Aerial Opportunities Does Sapa Offer?

Aerial production over Vietnam's terraced landscapes — drone footage that defines epic scale

Sapa, nestled in the Hoang Lien Son mountain range in northwest Vietnam, is the country's premier highland filming location. The terraced rice paddies of Muong Hoa Valley are among the most photographed landscapes in Asia, and they translate magnificently to motion picture — especially during the green season (May-June) and the golden harvest (September-October).

What Sapa offers producers:

• Terraced rice paddies — cascading green and gold steps carved into mountainsides, ideal for drone sweeps
• Ethnic minority villages — authentic cultural settings with Hmong, Dao, and Tay communities
• Cloud forests and mountain passes — moody, atmospheric conditions for dramatic storytelling
• Fansipan summit — the "Roof of Indochina" at 3,143m, accessible by cable car

Logistics: Sapa is a 5-hour drive or overnight train from Hanoi. Equipment transport requires careful planning — roads are winding and some village locations are accessible only on foot. Local Hmong guides are essential for navigating community protocols. Weather is unpredictable; always budget an extra day.

Why Is Da Nang Emerging as a Production Hub?

Da Nang is central Vietnam's largest city and is rapidly evolving into a modern production-friendly hub. It combines urban infrastructure with natural beauty — a rare combination that makes it efficient for multi-location shoots.

Key filming locations in Da Nang:

• Dragon Bridge — An iconic piece of modern architecture that breathes fire on weekend nights
• My Khe Beach — A wide, clean beach previously named one of the most beautiful in the world by Forbes
• Ba Na Hills / Golden Bridge — The viral bridge held by giant stone hands, located in a French-themed hilltop resort
• Marble Mountains — Dramatic cave temples and panoramic viewpoints
• Son Tra Peninsula — Lush jungle coastline with the giant Lady Buddha statue

Da Nang's international airport, modern hotels, and proximity to both Hoi An (30 min) and Hue (2 hrs) make it an ideal base for central Vietnam shoots. The city has good equipment rental availability and a growing pool of local crew.

What Does Ho Chi Minh City Bring to Modern Productions?

Cinema-grade production equipment ready for a commercial shoot in Vietnam

Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon) is Vietnam's economic engine and its most cosmopolitan city. For productions that need a modern, energetic urban look, HCMC delivers. The city's skyline — anchored by Landmark 81 (Southeast Asia's tallest building until 2023) and the Bitexco Financial Tower — provides a striking contemporary backdrop.

Best filming areas:

• District 1 — Central business district with Notre-Dame Cathedral, Central Post Office, and Nguyen Hue Walking Street
• District 2 (Thu Duc City) — Modern villas, international schools, expat lifestyle locations
• Chinatown (District 5) — Vibrant markets, temples, traditional architecture
• Binh Thanh District — Cafes, street art, and the emerging creative quarter

HCMC has the largest talent pool in Vietnam — actors, models, crew, and post-production facilities are all readily available. The city also has the most developed TVC production infrastructure in the country.

How Does Ninh Binh Compare to Ha Long Bay for Filming?

Ninh Binh is often described as "Ha Long Bay on land" — and the comparison is apt. The Trang An Landscape Complex, a UNESCO World Heritage site, features the same dramatic limestone karsts, but surrounded by rice paddies and rivers rather than ocean. For productions, Ninh Binh offers several advantages over Ha Long Bay:

• Accessibility — Just 90 minutes from Hanoi by car (vs. 4 hours to Ha Long)
• Cost — Significantly lower location fees and no boat charter requirements
• Versatility — Combines karst landscapes with ancient temples (Bai Dinh, Hoa Lu), rivers, and rice fields
• Film pedigree — Ninh Binh was a primary filming location for "Kong: Skull Island" (the Skull Island valley scenes)

Best time to film: May-June (lush green rice paddies) or September-October (golden harvest). Boat sequences on the Ngo Dong River offer a uniquely calm, cinematic water experience compared to Ha Long's open sea.

What Makes Phu Quoc a Complete Production Location?

Phu Quoc is Vietnam's largest island, located in the Gulf of Thailand off the southwest coast. It offers a tropical island setting with the infrastructure to support professional productions — an increasingly rare combination in Southeast Asia.

Key assets for filming:

• Long Beach (Bai Truong) — Pristine sunset-facing beach stretching 20km
• Starfish Beach (Bai Rach Vem) — Crystal-clear shallow waters with natural starfish
• Phu Quoc National Park — Dense tropical forest covering 70% of the island
• An Thoi Archipelago — Island-hopping opportunities with turquoise waters
• Fishing villages — Authentic maritime life and colorful boat harbors

Phu Quoc has a direct international airport, luxury resorts that can serve as production bases, and the island's relatively compact size means you can shoot beach, jungle, and village scenes all in a single day.

Vietnam Filming Locations: Comparison Table

What Permits Do You Need to Film in Vietnam?

Filming permits in Vietnam are managed at both the national and local level, and the requirements vary depending on the scale, location, and nature of your production. Here is what every producer needs to know:

• National permit — Required for all foreign productions and large domestic productions. Issued by the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism (MOCST). Processing time: 2-4 weeks.
• Local permits — Required for filming in specific locations (heritage sites, national parks, military-sensitive areas). Issued by the relevant local People's Committee or management board.
• Drone permits — All commercial drone operations require approval from the Vietnam Civil Aviation Authority (CAAV) and the local military command. This is the most time-consuming permit — allow 3-4 weeks minimum.
• Heritage site permits — UNESCO sites (Ha Long Bay, Hoi An, Trang An) have their own management boards with specific filming regulations and fees.

Pro tip: Working with a local production company like 96Hz Agency dramatically simplifies the permit process. We handle all government liaison, paperwork, and approvals as part of our production service — saving you weeks of back-and-forth.

When Is the Best Time to Film in Vietnam?

Vietnam spans over 1,600 km from north to south, creating three distinct climate zones. Understanding these zones is critical for scheduling your shoot:

• Northern Vietnam (Hanoi, Ha Long, Sapa, Ninh Binh) — Best: October to December (cool, dry, clear skies). Avoid: February-March (drizzly and overcast).
• Central Vietnam (Da Nang, Hoi An, Hue) — Best: February to May (warm, dry, calm seas). Avoid: October-November (typhoon season with heavy flooding).
• Southern Vietnam (HCMC, Phu Quoc, Mekong Delta) — Best: December to April (dry season). Rainy season (May-November) brings dramatic afternoon thunderstorms that can be worked around with morning-focused schedules.

The single best month to film anywhere in Vietnam is November — when the north is crisp and clear, the central coast has stabilized after typhoon season, and the south is entering its dry period.

A professional crew on location — local expertise makes all the difference in Vietnam

Frequently Asked Questions About Filming in Vietnam

How much does it cost to film in Vietnam?

Production costs in Vietnam are 40-60% lower than regional alternatives like Thailand, Singapore, or Australia. A full-day shoot with a professional crew, cinema-grade equipment, and location permits can range from $2,000-$8,000 depending on scale and complexity. Contact our production team for a detailed estimate.

Do I need a local fixer or production company?

Yes, strongly recommended. A local production partner handles permits, crew hiring, location scouting, equipment rental, logistics, and translation. Foreign producers attempting to navigate Vietnamese bureaucracy independently face significant delays and miscommunications.

Can I bring my own equipment into Vietnam?

Yes, but it requires a temporary import declaration through customs. Professional camera equipment, drones, and lighting gear must be declared and may require a deposit or ATA Carnet. Working with a local company that provides production equipment often proves more practical and cost-effective.

Is it safe to film in Vietnam?

Vietnam is one of the safest countries in Southeast Asia for foreign production crews. Violent crime is extremely rare, the political environment is stable, and locals are generally welcoming to film productions. Standard travel precautions apply.

How far in advance should I plan a shoot in Vietnam?

For a straightforward commercial shoot: 4-6 weeks. For productions requiring heritage site access, drone permits, or large crew coordination: 8-12 weeks. For feature films or large-scale international productions: 3-6 months.

Ready to Film in Vietnam?

Vietnam offers an extraordinary range of filming locations — from the ancient streets of Hanoi to the turquoise waters of Phu Quoc, from the misty highlands of Sapa to the modern skyline of Ho Chi Minh City. The key to a successful production here is local knowledge: understanding permit requirements, seasonal weather patterns, crew availability, and the cultural nuances that make the difference between a good shoot and a great one.

At 96Hz Agency, we are a Hanoi-based video production company with deep experience across every location in this guide. We provide end-to-end production services — from location scouting and permit acquisition to crew coordination, equipment, and post-production. Whether you're producing a TVC, documentary, branded content, or feature film, our team is ready to help you bring your vision to life in Vietnam.

Get in touch with our production team to start planning your Vietnam shoot today.