Best national parks in Vietnam

Vietnam is home to several stunning national parks that offer visitors a chance to experience the country’s natural beauty and biodiversity. Here are some of the best national parks in Vietnam

Phong Nha-Ke Bang National Park

Phong Nha-Ke Bang National Park is a UNESCO World Heritage Site located in the Quang Binh province of central Vietnam. It is known for its stunning karst mountains, underground rivers, and extensive cave systems, making it a popular destination for nature enthusiasts and adventure seekers.
The park is home to the largest cave in the world, Son Doong Cave, which was discovered in 2009 and opened to tourists in 2013. Exploring this cave is a once-in-a-lifetime experience, but it requires advanced planning and booking through authorized tour operators.

Ba Be National Park

Ba Be Lake lends its name to this subtropical national park, a vast forest sprinkled with gushing waterfalls and bat caves. The lake’s calm currents are ideal for boat outings, refreshing dips, and fishing trips. On land, spend time exploring the hiking trails that fan out and envelop the lake, or cycling the excellent roads all along the water. Ba Be National Park is partly inhabited by the Tay, one of northern Vietnam’s largest ethnic minority groups. The Tay welcomes travelers with authentic homestay experiences in their elevated stilt houses by the lake.

Cuc Phuong National Park

Cuc Phuong National Park is a renowned nature reserve located in Ninh Binh province, Vietnam. Established in 1962, it is the country’s first national park and is known for its rich biodiversity and stunning landscapes.

The park covers an area of approximately 222 square kilometers and is home to a diverse range of flora and fauna. It features dense forests, limestone karsts, and picturesque valleys, creating a scenic environment for visitors to explore.

Cuc Phuong National Park is particularly famous for its primate rescue center, which aims to rehabilitate and protect endangered primates, including gibbons and langurs. Visitors to the park can observe these fascinating creatures up close and learn about the conservation efforts being made to protect them.

Cat Ba National Park

A large island in the Gulf of Tonkin, Cat Ba’s compelling landscapes and beaches lure more nature lovers each year. Soak up spellbinding views from the mountaintops, or test your legs on the network of trails that wind through the national park. Some of the more challenging hikes take you over the mountain passes to Viet Hai, an isolated village inaccessible by road. If you’re looking for peace and quiet, Viet Hai has a small selection of basic homestays. Keep an eye out for curious mammals, such as the White-headed Langur, one of the most endangered primates in the world.

Pu Luong Nature Reserve

Pu Luong Nature Reserve is a beautiful and relatively untouched area located in Thanh Hoa province, Vietnam. It is known for its stunning landscapes, terraced rice fields, ethnic minority communities, and diverse flora and fauna.

The nature reserve covers an area of about 17,600 hectares and is characterized by its lush forests, limestone mountains, and picturesque valleys. The landscape is dotted with traditional villages, where visitors can experience the local way of life and interact with ethnic minority groups, such as the Thai and Muong people.

One of the main attractions in Pu Luong Nature Reserve is its terraced rice fields, which create a mesmerizing green carpet over the hillsides. These terraces are not only beautiful to behold but also showcase the agricultural practices of the local communities. Trekking through the rice fields offers stunning views and a chance to witness the traditional farming methods of the region.

Bach Ma National Park

Rarely-visited Bach Ma is perched halfway between the imperial city of Hue and the ancient town of Hoi An. There’s been little development in the park since the early 20th century, and the area is still home to a small collection of French colonial villas — now converted into charming guesthouses. There are enough hiking trails to keep you busy for a few days. Some lead through rock pools and waterfalls. On a clear morning, walk to the peak for a spectacular coastal sunrise.