Vietnam
We’ve compiled the best of the best in Vietnam - browse our top choices for the top things to see or do during your stay.
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1. Can Gio UNESCO Biosphere Reserve
This mangrove forest, officially part of Ho Chi Minh City, covers an area the size of Singapore. The old forest was destroyed by aerial bombing and defoliants—primarily Agent Orange—during the Vietnam War because it had been a regular hiding place for the Vietcong, who would fire mortars at the supply ships on the Saigon River. Residents of the area were forced to leave, and it wasn't until 1978 that surviving Can Gio families returned, replanted the forest, and gradually resettled. Surprisingly, the area's wild animals also returned, and today there are monkeys, wild boar, deer, leopards, long-tailed macaques, crocodiles, birds, and giant fruitbats, although not all are easy to spot. In 2000, the area was declared a UNESCO Biosphere Reserve and the local economy is now supported by various eco-tourism ventures. Under the Can Gio Biosphere Reserve model, families live inside the reserve conducting small-scale aquaculture ventures to help preserve what's known as the "lungs of Ho Chi Minh City." The government-owned Saigon Tourist has an "eco forest park" on Monkey Island that includes a bizarre animal circus with monkeys and crocodiles which we do not recommend.
Rung Sac, Can Gio, Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam -
2. Tam Dao Hill Station
Tam Dao's main attraction lies in its elevation and subsequent cool temperatures: it's a nice way to beat the heat of Hanoi, and the hiking is fair. Don't expect much in the way of information on trails, however, unless you have organized a tour with one of the better Hanoi tour operators. Few people, even locals, realize that Tam Dao and the surrounding peaks are in a national park, which may be one reason why logging and poaching remain a problem for the area (some of the restaurants here list supposedly protected animals on their menus). But for the most part, a hike up to the radio transmitter above the town is a walk into dense jungle. Small Buddhist temples line the concrete steps up to the tower, and a spring bubbles up from beneath the underbrush and splays out into a small waterfall. If you're spending the night up in these mountains, bring a sweater and some rain gear. People have been known to ride mountain bikes up to Tam Dao and spend the night, but the climb is extreme (a 10% gradient over long stretches). Less-active riders put their bikes in minivans on the way up and then careen down the extremely winding and dangerous—but ultimately exhilarating—route to the base of the mountain.
Vietnam -
3. Tram Chim National Park
The 7,612-hectare (18,810-acre) park, famous for its rare wild birds, including the Sarus and red-headed crane, lies within the Plain of Reeds, which floods each year from July to December. Migratory birds, including the cranes, return to the area every year from late December to early May. The reserve lies 80 km (50 miles) from Long Xuyen and 110 km (68 miles) from Chau Doc and is accessible by taxi, private car, or xe om (motorbike taxi). Once inside the park, small boats, operated by guides, are available to take you to bird-viewing areas for 300,000d per person. There are a range of "eco" activites within the park, including fishing, harvesting rice, and hunting field mice. There's also a very basic hotel, with three-bed air-conditioned rooms starting from 200,000d/night.
TL843, Long Xuyen, An Giang, Vietnam0277-382–7436Sight Details
Rate Includes: Free, Daily 7:30–4:30 -
4. U Minh Ha National Park
The vast U Minh Ha National Park, 35 km (22 miles) from Ca Mau, contains swaths of swampland and pearl-white cajeput trees, also known as melaleuca or paperbark trees, as well as 32 mammal species, including deer and wild boar, and 74 bird species, including the endangered painted stork. A boat trip through the forest is breathtaking and eerily quiet. There are several "ecotourism" ventures in the forest, primarily in the Vo Voi area, which cater to domestic tourists rather than international visitors. Nevertheless, a visit can be interesting, but it's best organized well before arriving in Ca Mau.
U Minh District, Ca Mau, Ca Mau, Vietnam0290-391–0029Sight Details
Rate Includes: 10,000d -
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