Vietnam's charming S-shaped strip of land is blessed by nature with a long coastline, embracing countless amazing landscapes and rich ecosystems. From lush tropical forests, where sunlight penetrates the foliage to create magical dances of light, to majestic mountain ranges rising like sleeping giants. In addition, Vietnam also possesses vast wetlands, where life flourishes, and pristine beaches, where smooth white sand stretches under rows of green poplar trees. It is this diversity of terrain and climate that has created a Vietnam with the most diverse ecosystem on the planet, a "wonder of biodiversity", as the impressive comment of travel magazine Wanderlust.
Yok Don National Park (Dak Lak)
The alarming situation of wild elephants in Vietnam is sounding the alarm about the serious decline of an iconic animal species. Deeply aware of the imminent risk of extinction, the Vietnamese Government has shown strong determination by implementing the Elephant Conservation Action Plan in November 2024. This effort is expected to bring practical solutions to protect the last remaining elephants on the S-shaped strip of land. Looking back, in the 1980s, Vietnam was proud of about 2,000 Asian elephants (Elephas maximus indicus) living in vast forests. However, through the vicissitudes of time and negative impacts from human activities, the number of this rare elephant species has decreased alarmingly, to date there are only an estimated 200 individuals left.
"Elephant-free" tourism in Yok Don
In that context, Yok Don National Park, located near the Cambodian border, has emerged as an "oasis" of hope, considered the most ideal place for visitors to have the opportunity to observe elephants in their natural environment. In this typical dry forest, visitors can accompany experienced guides on exciting trekking trips. This journey not only provides the opportunity to learn about the unique living habits of elephants but also listen to touching stories about individual elephants who have experienced a period of captivity and are now immersed in the wild. If lucky, visitors can also witness the moment when elephants leisurely forage in the midst of majestic natural scenery.
Many tourists come here to have the opportunity to see elephants.
Yok Don National Park, located in Krong Na commune, Buon Don district, Dak Lak province, about 40 km north of Buon Ma Thuot city center, is not only an important nature reserve but also an attractive ecotourism and environmental education destination. It offers a variety of unique experiences, from observing and learning about the life of elephants (with responsible tourism activities, ensuring animal welfare), camping in the wild nature, admiring the beauty of diverse bird species, walking or cycling under the cool canopy of dipterocarp forests, to boating on the poetic Serepok River, admiring the beautiful natural scenery.
There are many other activities at the National Park for visitors to experience.
Cat Ba Island (Hai Phong)
Situated gracefully on the western edge of Ha Long Bay, a natural wonder that has been honored by UNESCO as a World Heritage Site, Cat Ba Island (belonging to Hai Phong City) appears like a picturesque landscape painting, where rugged limestone mountains stand proudly, covered by a vast carpet of primeval green forests. The wonderful blend of the majestic beauty of the rocky mountains and the richness of the tropical forest ecosystem has created a fascinating Cat Ba, attracting the footsteps of exploration of tourists from all over the world.
Cat Ba Langur – symbol of Vietnam's nature, proud, spreading strongly
This beautiful island is not only charming with its majestic natural landscape but is also home to one of the rarest and most endangered primates on the planet - the Cat Ba langur, affectionately known as the golden-headed langur. This special name comes from the shiny golden fur surrounding its jet-black face, creating a unique and easily recognizable beauty. Cat Ba's characteristic terrain, with towering limestone blocks and forests covering most of the area, has created a special habitat for this endemic langur. Located in the Gulf of Tonkin, Cat Ba not only possesses outstanding natural beauty but also has an important geographical position in the conservation of the region's biodiversity.
Cat Ba National Park is not only a strictly protected area but also welcomes tourists who love nature and want to explore the wild world. Trekking tours organized here provide a great opportunity for visitors to directly observe the playful golden-headed langurs in their natural habitat. The journey through the winding trails under the cool green forest canopy, listening to the chirping birds and admiring the majestic limestone cliffs will certainly be an unforgettable experience.
Con Dao (Ba Ria - Vung Tau)
Proudly rising in the vast ocean of the Southern coastal region, Con Dao appears as a magnificent complex of 16 large and small islands, each island has its own unique beauty, embraced by smooth white sand beaches that still retain their wild features and majestic mountains, covered in a lush green color of tropical forests. This place is not only a heroic historical relic but also the most important sea turtle conservation sanctuary in Vietnam, at the same time possessing an extremely rich and diverse marine ecosystem, captivating people with its colorful coral reefs, home to the gentle dugong (also known as sea cow), schools of intelligent dolphins swimming freely and countless other fascinating marine creatures.
Con Dao turtle egg laying season
Every year, when the breeding season comes, thousands of green turtles (Chelonia mydas) and hawksbill turtles (Eretmochelys imbricata), rare and protected animals, travel thousands of nautical miles to find the pristine, quiet sandbanks of Con Dao, carrying out the sacred journey of laying eggs and maintaining the species. Tourists lucky enough to set foot on this island during the breeding season will have the opportunity to participate in meaningful tours to see turtles lay eggs, which are professionally and methodically organized under the dedicated guidance of the staff of Con Dao National Park.
Although not really prominent on the international wildlife tourism map like some other countries, Vietnam still has hidden gems - carefully preserved natural areas. Here, the tireless efforts of environmental activists are quietly taking place, with the noble goal of restoring the fragile balance of the ecosystem and protecting biodiversity "hotspots", where rare and endangered species of flora and fauna are concentrated. These areas are the great potential for Vietnam to affirm its position on the world ecotourism map, bringing unique and meaningful experiences of exploring wild nature to visitors.
