Nam Cat Tien during butterfly season

Among the more than 450 species of butterflies that inhabit Nam Cat Tien Forest, some are native to the area, while others have migrated from elsewhere. Here, you will have the opportunity to admire unique species such as the Bien Hoa silver butterfly and the rare swallowtail butterfly. Preliminary estimates suggest that the number of butterfly species in Nam Cat Tien Forest is more than 50% greater than the number of butterfly species recorded in Vietnam.

Along the nearly 10km long forest trail, you can encounter countless swarms of butterflies. Especially in humid areas with puddles of water, butterflies congregate in large numbers. Nam Cat Tien National Park, mostly located in Dong Nai province, about 150km from Ho Chi Minh City, is an ideal destination for short weekend getaways for families, groups of young people, and foreign tourists. With diverse accommodation options ranging from pristine to luxury, a visit to Nam Cat Tien allows you to enjoy the fresh air, far from the city's smog, in a completely isolated area separated by the Dong Nai River.

Here, you will see shimmering blue butterflies, vibrant yellow butterflies like the color of sunshine, and countless other colors. Particularly noteworthy are the rare swallowtail butterfly, listed in the "Red Book," and the Biên Hòa silver butterfly, an endemic species of Đồng Nai province.

To fully appreciate the beauty of the butterfly season in Cat Tien forest, you should start your journey at 8 a.m., when the butterflies begin to emerge to enjoy the warm rays of sunlight filtering through the forest canopy.

Choosing one of the following modes of transportation: bicycle, walking, or registering for a guided tour provided by the National Park, visitors are free to explore many destinations such as: the 300-year-old tung tree, Heaven Waterfall, Dung Waterfall, Bau Sau Lake, the village of the S'tieng ethnic group…

1. Move

CAR

From the Eastern Bus Station, you can buy bus tickets for the Ho Chi Minh City – Nam Cat Tien National Park route. Alternatively, you can take the Ho Chi Minh City – Da Lat bus route and get off at the intersection leading to Nam Cat Tien National Park, then travel another 20km or so by motorbike taxi or regular taxi.

MOTORBIKE

From Saigon, follow National Highway 1A to the Dau Giay intersection, approximately 67km. Then, turn left onto National Highway 20 for about 58km to the Ta Lai intersection, also known as kilometer marker 125. From this intersection, turn left again and continue for another 24km to reach Cat Tien National Park.

Note:When asking for directions, you should clearly state the name as Cat Tien National Park because there is also a place named Cat Tien in Lam Dong province, so it's easy to get confused.

2. Accommodation

For those who enjoy backpacking and have a limited budget, bringing a tent to camp in the forest is a great option, and it will definitely be a lot of fun.

In addition, Nam Cat Tien National Park offers a variety of accommodation options, from tent rentals and dorm rooms to private luxury accommodations, with prices ranging from 100,000 to 500,000 VND per person per night. Rooms are equipped with beds, mattresses, fans, air conditioning, and shared or private bathrooms. For accommodation, it's recommended to book in advance through the website.http://namcattien.vn/

3. Eating and drinking

Visitors can bring their own food or eat at the National Park's two restaurants, which offer a diverse menu of rice dishes, catfish hotpot, free-range chicken, and more. However, during peak season or on weekends, it's recommended to make reservations 4-6 hours in advance for the best service.

You should try the specialties of Nam Cat Tien National Park such as: Water hyacinth soup; River fish hotpot with wild vegetables; Wild perch, snakehead fish.

4. Main activities at Nam Cat Tien National Park

The ideal time to visit here is usually 2 days and 1 night. Activities you should participate in include:

+ Exploring Bau Sau: Bau Sau is the most famous tourist destination in Nam Cat Tien forest, and anyone who visits feels a sense of longing. To get there, you need to rent a vehicle for about 10km and then walk another 5km. Because of the long walk, you need to prepare yourself physically and bring drinks for rest breaks.

+ Visiting Tien Island: Many people think that Tien Island is an island located in the middle of the river. But in reality, it's just a forest surrounded by a protective fence. With an area of ​​57 hectares, Tien Island is a place to preserve rare animal species. In addition, there's a lush primary forest waiting for you to explore.

+ Join a night wildlife viewing tour guided by forest rangers and guides. On this tour, you'll have the opportunity to see animals foraging at night.

+ Cycle through the forest to explore waterfalls and streams following the map, discover the diverse flora and fauna of the National Park, admire many flowers blooming along the way, and see many creatures such as birds and butterflies… Bicycle rental price: 30k/hour, 150k/day.

+ Visit the S'tieng and Ma ethnic villages in Ta Lai.

Nga Nguyen