Established in 1962, Cuc Phuong National Park (848 006; www.cucphuongtourism.com; admission adult/child 40, 000/20, 000d) is one of Vietnam’s most important protected areas. Ho Chi Minh personally took time off from the war in 1963 to declare this Vietnam’s first national park, saying: ‘Forest is gold. If we know how to conserve it well, it will be very precious. Destruction of the forest will lead to serious effects on both life and productivity.’
This national park is 70km from the coast and covers an area about 25km long and 11km wide, spanning the provinces of Ninh Binh, Hoa Binh and Thanh Hoa. Its highest peak is Dinh May Bac (Silver Cloud Peak) at 656m.
The park is home to the excellent Endangered Primate Rescue Center. The centre is located about 500m before the national park reception centre. You can’t wander around the centre alone, so if you’re travelling independently you need first to go to the national park reception area and arrange a guide. Entry is free, but you might consider purchasing some postcards or a poster, or making a donation.
Though wildlife has suffered a precipitous decline in Vietnam in recent decades, the park’s 222 sq km of primary tropical forest remains home to an amazing variety of animal and plant life. There are 320 species of bird, 97 species of mammal including bats, and 36 species of reptile identified so far. Of the 2000 plant species, 433 have medicinal properties and 299 are food sources. The park is home to a species of tree called Cay Kim Gao (Podocarpus fleuryi hickel). In ancient times, kings and mandarins would only eat with chopsticks made from this lumber – it was said that anything poisonous it touches turns the light-coloured wood to black.
Poaching and habitat destruction are a constant headache for the park rangers. Many native species, such as the Asiatic black bear, Siamese crocodile, wild dog and tiger, have vanished from the area as a result of human impact. Episodes of violence have erupted between the Muong and park rangers who have tried to stop logging in the park. The government has responded by relocating the villagers further from the park’s boundary. Some ecotourism ventures such as village homestays provide income to the local people, thereby giving conservation a direct economic benefit to them.
Improved roads have led to increased illegal logging, which in turn is having a huge impact on the growth, movement and conservation of plants and animals.
The best time of year to visit the park is in the dry months from November to February. From April to June it becomes increasingly hot, wet and muddy, and from July to October the rains arrive, bringing lots of leeches. Visitors in April and May should be lucky enough to see some of the literally millions of butterflies that breed here.
There is a low-key, informative visitor centre a few hundred metres before the park entrance.
Hiking
Excellent hiking opportunities abound in the park and you could spend several days trekking through the forest here.
Short walks include a large, enclosed botanic garden near the park headquarters where some native animals – deer, civets, gibbons and langurs – have been released. Another short trail leads to a steep stairway up to the Cave of Prehistoric Man, where in 1966 human graves and tools were found dating back 7500 years, making it one of the oldest sites of human habitation in Vietnam.
Popular day-trails include an 8km-return walk to the massive, 1000-year-old Big Tree (Tetrameles nudiflora); and a longer hike to Silver Cloud Peak. There’s also a strenuous five-hour hike to Kanh, a Muong village. You can overnight here with local families and also raft on the Buoi River.
Park staff can provide you with basic maps to find the well-marked trail heads, but a guide is recommended for day trips and is mandatory for longer treks. A guide will cost a minimum of US$5 per day for up to five people, plus US$1 for each extra person.
This national park is 70km from the coast and covers an area about 25km long and 11km wide, spanning the provinces of Ninh Binh, Hoa Binh and Thanh Hoa. Its highest peak is Dinh May Bac (Silver Cloud Peak) at 656m.
The park is home to the excellent Endangered Primate Rescue Center. The centre is located about 500m before the national park reception centre. You can’t wander around the centre alone, so if you’re travelling independently you need first to go to the national park reception area and arrange a guide. Entry is free, but you might consider purchasing some postcards or a poster, or making a donation.
Though wildlife has suffered a precipitous decline in Vietnam in recent decades, the park’s 222 sq km of primary tropical forest remains home to an amazing variety of animal and plant life. There are 320 species of bird, 97 species of mammal including bats, and 36 species of reptile identified so far. Of the 2000 plant species, 433 have medicinal properties and 299 are food sources. The park is home to a species of tree called Cay Kim Gao (Podocarpus fleuryi hickel). In ancient times, kings and mandarins would only eat with chopsticks made from this lumber – it was said that anything poisonous it touches turns the light-coloured wood to black.
Poaching and habitat destruction are a constant headache for the park rangers. Many native species, such as the Asiatic black bear, Siamese crocodile, wild dog and tiger, have vanished from the area as a result of human impact. Episodes of violence have erupted between the Muong and park rangers who have tried to stop logging in the park. The government has responded by relocating the villagers further from the park’s boundary. Some ecotourism ventures such as village homestays provide income to the local people, thereby giving conservation a direct economic benefit to them.
Improved roads have led to increased illegal logging, which in turn is having a huge impact on the growth, movement and conservation of plants and animals.
The best time of year to visit the park is in the dry months from November to February. From April to June it becomes increasingly hot, wet and muddy, and from July to October the rains arrive, bringing lots of leeches. Visitors in April and May should be lucky enough to see some of the literally millions of butterflies that breed here.
There is a low-key, informative visitor centre a few hundred metres before the park entrance.
Hiking
Excellent hiking opportunities abound in the park and you could spend several days trekking through the forest here.
Short walks include a large, enclosed botanic garden near the park headquarters where some native animals – deer, civets, gibbons and langurs – have been released. Another short trail leads to a steep stairway up to the Cave of Prehistoric Man, where in 1966 human graves and tools were found dating back 7500 years, making it one of the oldest sites of human habitation in Vietnam.
Popular day-trails include an 8km-return walk to the massive, 1000-year-old Big Tree (Tetrameles nudiflora); and a longer hike to Silver Cloud Peak. There’s also a strenuous five-hour hike to Kanh, a Muong village. You can overnight here with local families and also raft on the Buoi River.
Park staff can provide you with basic maps to find the well-marked trail heads, but a guide is recommended for day trips and is mandatory for longer treks. A guide will cost a minimum of US$5 per day for up to five people, plus US$1 for each extra person.
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