Without a doubt, Nam Cang, and the nearby areas are my favorite photography locations in the Sapa area. There is something quite magical about the area. You reach it from the far southern end of the main road in Sapa, DT152. It is around 1.5 hours from downtown SaPa. There are homestays in the first town you get to off of DT-132, Muong Bo. I prefer to stay at The Fieldhouse in Nam Cang as it is right in a beautiful valley and very easy to get up at dawn and capture some images in the immediate area. Though primarily a coffee shop and restaurant they have three very basic rooms for rent.
There is a circular route in the mountains just south of Nam Cang that goes all the way to Muong Bo. This is where the best photo opportunities are. You have rice fields in the foreground, mountains in the background, and you are facing west for sunsets — the perfect setup. Off of the main circular route there are a number of side roads to explore.
Nam Cang plants and harvests a full month before the main areas in Sapa. Though it varies from year-to-year expect planting to start around the first week of May and prime golden rice fields to be the the end of July through the beginning of August. if you come in September, when most of Sapa is peaking, the rice will be gone in Nam Cang.
