10 Beautiful National Parks in Vietnam

Vietnam is a stunning country with many things to do, see, and eat. Did you know that some of the most beautiful places in Vietnam are federally protected? In fact, there are over 34 national parks in Vietnam! The first national park wasn’t established until 1966. Subsequently, though, more and more parks have been added. Only one national park is listed as a World Heritage Site by UNESCO, but some of these stunning parks are on the tentative list.

Are you ready to explore the natural beauty of Vietnam without leaving the comfort of your home? Follow along to discover ten beautiful national parks in Vietnam and what they have to offer.

1. Hoàng Liên National Park

The first national park on our list is the Hoàng Liên National Park, located in northern Vietnam. This national park was established in 2006 and covers 264.75 square miles, including a strictly protected area. Hoàng Liên National Park features stunning animals and plants. Some animals you can find in this national park include different types of frogs and toads. Within the park, there are also about 3,000 plant species. Sadly, some of the animals in Hoàng Liên National Park are endangered, including four species of birds. The elevation of this national park is high, about 7,200 feet.

2. Ba Bể National Park

Another breathtaking national park in Vietnam is the Ba Bể National Park, which was established in 1992. The park covers about 38.8 square miles. While it’s not the largest national park in Vietnam, it still has its charm. Ba Bể National Park is located in the Bắc Kạn Province. It’s close to the town of Cho Ra. Within the park is an impressively large freshwater natural lake, Ba Bể Lake. This lake is pretty deep, with a maximum recorded depth of about 114 feet. Ba Bể National Park also has gorgeous vegetation, including a dense evergreen forest and limestone. Some mammals found within this park are the European otter, Owston’s palm civet, Chinese pangolin, and flying squirrel. You can learn a lot while visiting this national park and its information center and ecological research station.

3. Ba Vì National Park

Next on our list of the most beautiful national parks in Vietnam is the Ba Vì National Park. This national park is stunning and looks like it belongs in a movie. Ba Vì National Park covers about 26,720 acres and was established in 1991. It’s located in North Vietnam, and its closest city is Sơn Tây, Hanoi. The national park features many tropical and subtropical animals and plants. This beautiful park also features waterfalls and Ho Chi Minh Temple. Since the national park is in the Ba Vì mountain range, the forest is frequently foggy and cloudy. This national park is a famous spot for locals and tourists visiting the area.

4. Cát Bà National Park

Cát Bà National Park is a unique national park and World Heritage Site in northern Vietnam. While this national park only covers 102 square miles, it’s still impressive and beautiful. The government established Cát Bà National Park on March 31, 1986. It’s a very popular tourist destination for Chinese and Vietnamese tourists. Sadly because of rapid development, the white-headed langur nearly went extinct. The park has over 1,500 plant species, including over 160 important medicinal plants. Since the national park is on the coast, marine animals are common. About 196 species of marine fish call the Cát Bà National Park region home.

5. Vũ Quang National Park

Vũ Quang National Park is an important national park and protected area in the north-central coast of Vietnam, specifically the Vũ Quang District, Hà Tĩnh Province. The park is extensive and covers about 212 square miles. The park was established in 2002, but the region was declared a forest reserve in 1986. Currently, the People’s Committee of Hà Tĩnh Province governs the national park. This national park is unique because of how many new animal species were discovered there. For example, scientists have found new species like the Vu Quang ox, holy goat, black deer, and slow deer since the 1990s.

6. Phong Nha – Kẻ Bàng National Park

Phong Nha – Kẻ Bàng National Park is one of the most popular national parks in Vietnam. It’s home to unique sights, things to do, and animals. This large and impressive national park covers about 331.10 square miles of land. This national park is also a UNESCO World Heritage Site, and it borders another famous national park, the Hin Namno National Park in Laos. This beautiful national park is primarily known for its 300 caves and grottoes. Within the national park is the world’s largest cave, the Sơn Đoòng Cave. While visiting this beautiful national park, you can enjoy the unique flora and fauna in the Kẻ Bàng Forest and mountain climb. There are also tours available on the water and foot.

7. Bến En National Park

If you are looking for a stunning lake and water activities in Vietnam, a great place to visit is the Bến En National Park. In this national park, there are also several rare species of animals and plants. Scientists have explored and recorded about 1,004 species of animals. Of the 1,004 animals, 66 are mammal species, and 201 are birds. The endangered tree species Erythrophleum fordii can also be found in Bến En National Park. Within the park are two forest trails, many caves, and Lake Song Muc. This national park was established in 1992. The park covers about 56 square miles.

8. Yok Đôn National Park

Yok Đôn National Park is located in the Đắk Lắk Province of Vietnam. The Mondulkiri Protected Forest in Cambodia is on the the west border. The park covers 446.12 square miles of land and water and was established in 1991. It’s best known for its many protected endangered species. Although you should never mess with these animals, while visiting Yok Đôn National Park, you can spot Indochinese tigers, gaurs, Indian and Asian elephants, and Indochinese leopards. Within this beautiful national park is Vietnam’s most biodiverse forest. It’s also the second-largest national park in Vietnam.

9. Núi Chúa National Park

Another beautiful national park in Vietnam is the Núi Chúa National Park. You can find this national park in the province of Ninh Thuận Province. It borders Khánh Hòa Province, South Central Coast, Vietnam. The Prime Minister of Vietnam declared the Núi Chúa Nature Reserve a national park in 2003. The environment of the national park is unique, rocky, and mountainous. While it’s not the largest national park in Vietnam, it covers about 94 square miles. Apart from a strictly protected forest area, there is also a large protected marine area. So far, over 118 bird species have been recorded within Núi Chúa National Park. There are also 12 species of bats, including the intermediate round leaf bat, least horseshoe bat, greater short-nosed fruit bat, and lesser short-nosed fruit bat.

10. U Minh Thượng National Park

The last Vietnamese national park on our list is the U Minh Thượng National Park. This national park features lush green plants and many animals. It’s sometimes also referred to as the National Park of Upper U Minh. The park was established in 2002 and covers about 30 square miles. It’s a beautiful park, rich in biodiversity. For example, there are about 243 plant species in the area. In the park, you can admire animals like the oriental darter, fishing cat, hairy-nosed otter, and greater spotted eagle. According to a 2002 study, although saltwater crocodiles and the Siamese crocodiles were abundant in the area, it’s likely they are extinct from the park.

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