The largest and first Vietnam’s national park, Cuc Phuong National Park

Published: 10:42 Tuesday - November 29, 2011

Established in 1962, Cuc Phuong National Park is the first and the largest national park of Vietnam. It lies along the borders of three provinces of North Vietnam including Ninh Binh, Hoa Binh and Thanh Hoa, with 140 kilometers South of Hanoi.

Cuc Phuong National Park is surrounded by several limestone cliffs, the highest being May Bac, meaning "silver cloud,” about 656m high.

Cuc Phuong National Park in Vietnam

Cuc Phuong National Park- Ninh Binh Province- Vietnam

The national park was officially opened in July 1962 as the first national park in Vietnam, becoming one of the most impressive tourist destinations in Vietnam now. If tourists in Vietnam travel want to visit the national park, the dry season, from December to April is considered the best time when the hard forest rain accounting for 90% of the annual rainfall is over. The park is conveniently located on the route to several tourist attractions, including Bich Dong Pagoda, Hoa Lu, and Sam Son Beach.

Ninh Binh people boast Cuc Phuong National Park of being one of the most important biodiverse sites in Vietnam. There are plenty of plants and mammals living in the park. There are an estimated 2,000 different species of flora and the 450 species fauna account for 38% of the national fauna. The vegetation cover is classified into three types. The flora is quite a treasure with a wide variety of 1,944 species, 908 genuses and 229 families. Especially it is enjoyable to touch the thousand-year-old cho xanh (parashrea stellata) and sau (Dracontomelum Duperranum or Dancorra Edulis) trees, 50-70m high. This natural reserve is covered with 2,000 species of plants. Especially orchid flowers are abundant with 50 species, some of which blossom and have aroma all year around. The fauna is diversified represented by 71 animal species, 319 bird species, 33 reptile species, and 16 amphibian species. Rare species include the bear, horse, wild boar, tiger, leopard, fox, squirrel, monkey, etc. A large area, for half-natural breeding, is reserved for raising wild animals such as the spotted deer, deer, golden monkey, langur (vooc quan dui), flying squirrel, draco (than lan bay) and for research. Hundreds of beautiful and strange birds and butterflies are also living here.

Cuc Phuong National Park has a multitude of grottoes, including Thang Khuyet, Con Moong, Pho Ma, and Nguoi Xua, etc, thanks to the limestone terrain. Besides visiting the Park, visitors joining tours in Vietnam also pay a visit to the caves, waterfalls and streams in the forest or stop over at a Muong ethnic's village.

Because of its position between three provinces, combining a trip to Cuc Phuong with a trip to Hoa Binh or Ninh Binh province is very easy to tourists in Vietnam tourism. Also you can depart from Hanoi, spend the whole day exploring the forest and overnight at the Park's guest house.