This pristine natural area is about 55 miles south of Hanoi, Vietnam and is the largest nature reserve in the region. It’s a worthwhile attraction for anyone visiting Ninh Binh Province.
This wetland area is home to diverse plant and animal species. It was developed as an ecotourism destination through a joint project between Vietnam and the Netherlands. The hallmarks of this project are community involvement and sustainability.
There are hundreds of plant species, but most visitors are on the lookout for rare animals. Colorful birds are everywhere, including a few endangered species. The rarest onsite mammal is the langur, and this park holds some of the few left in the world.
Caving adventures are another major draw for tourists. Dozens of caverns dot the landscape, some expansive and others unnervingly narrow. They have imaginative names like ‘Shadow’, ‘Bat’ and ‘Tortoise’. Locals prize Ca Cave for its 820 foot-long cavern and the blind fish that swim in its river.
A visit to Van Long Nature Reserve can take in a few cultural relics as well. Tourists can visit secluded pagodas, temples, a 600-year-old fig tree and cave paintings at Meo Cao Mountain.
Getting There & Away
The park can be reached in a few minutes’ drive from Hoa Lu, and most tourists arrive via a rented bicycle or motorbike. Hoa Lu is nine miles from Vinh Binh, the regional transportation hub. From here it is 2 hours by bus or 2 hours, 30 minutes by train to Hanoi, where an international airport offers flights to major regional cities.