Tra Co fishermen star in Priceless Journeys

      A group of fishermen caught working together in the early morning light that casts a shimmering golden glow over the landscape has won the Priceless Journey photography contest.
Titled Dang Bien (The Beauty of the Sea), Vu Anh Tuan of Ha Noi captured what he calls a "truly priceless moment of life" at the Tra Co beach, a popular tourist site in northern province of Quang Ninh.
The photograph won Tuan the top prize of US$1000.
"I wanted to be creative with photographs of the beautiful Tra Co beach, instead I noticed a group of fishermen hard at work. These fishermen are simple and carefree and most importantly, proud to be working together."
The Priceless Journeys competition, organised by MasterCard and partners as part of their campaign to build the country’s international image, awarded two other prizes.
The second prize went to the photo Nu Cuoi Quen Met (A Smile that Helps to Forget Tiredness) by Nguyen Ngoc Sam, a resident in Da Nang City, who received $500.
Nang Som
(Sunlight) by Thai Thanh Nien of HCM City received the $200 third prize for his portrayal of the country and its people.
The two-month contest received more than 1,000 entries from many professional and amateur artists across the country – who, through their work, had a chance to share their love for Viet Nam and its people with the world.
A group of highly skilled photographers including Dao Hoa Nu and Tran Tien Dung chose the winners.
"We were amazed by many photos, particularly the prize-winning works - which highlight Viet Nam in a way that’s very different to the norm," said Dao Hoa Nu, one of the country’s leading photographers who has won several top prizes at local and international photo competitions.
Contest organisers said Viet Nam has consistently showed strong tourism growth, with 2.6 million foreign visitors in the first months of 2008 alone, and has been predicted to be among the top tourist destinations by 2016.
"Despite the slowdown in the global economy, we believe in the long-term potential of Viet Nam as a tourist destination, and is fully supportive of encouraging in-bound tourism," said Ai June Schult, a member of the organizing board.