Over the past decade bird watchers have begun to explore Viet Nam. They have found a country with a wide range of habitats sheltering a tempting suite of beautiful, rare and endemic species. What’s more, many best sites for bird watching are easily accessible such as national parks of Tam Dao, Cuc Phuong, Phong Nha-Ke Bang… At the reserves like Cat Tien and Cuc Phuong, bird watchers can stay overnight in the heart of the forest.
Tam Dao National Park is located in Tam Dao District, Vinh Phuc Province. Visiting Tam Dao National Park, bird watchers can observe species of birds such as Grey Laughingthrush, Black-throated Laughingthrush, Short-tailed Parrotbill, Blue-naped Pitta, Fork-tailed Sunbird, Green and Purple Cochoas… Lying at the altitude of 900m, Tam Dao Town has many hotels, guesthouses and restaurants which are ready to serve visitors. All visitors (Vietnamese and foreigner) can visit the park without any permission.
Located in Nho Quan District, Ninh Binh Province, Cuc Phuong National Park has over 300 species of birds including a good selection of woodpeckers, mynas, starlings, corvids, flycatchers… and a number of South-East Asian endemics species such as Red-vented Barbet, Bar-bellied Pitta and Limestone Wren Babbler. About 18km from the park’s headquarters, there is a second center in the Bong Valley surrounded by mountains and primary forests. Visitor accommodation is available at the park’s headquarters and inside the national park, near Bong Center. The forest is accessible on foot from both locations but some birding trails (such as the cave of the early man for limestone wren babbler) are only accessible by car.
To date, more than 200 bird species have been recorded in Xuan Thuy National Parkin Giao Thuy District, Nam Dinh Province. The park is the most important staging and wintering area for migratory waterbirds in the coastal zone of the Red River Delta. In addition, Xuan Thuy is also an important migratory stop-over for non-waterbirds, with large numbers of passerines and cuckoos passing through the park during the spring and autumn migrations. From the park's headquarters, visitors can take boat or hike to the different bird watching sites. Visitors should contact the park authorities in prior to arrange permission through a border army station. All visitors (Vietnamese and Foreigner) can visit the park following the guidance from park staff.
Phong Nha-Ke Bang National Park lying in districts of Bo Trach and Minh Hoa, Quang Binh Province has over 356 bird species including rarities such as Crested Argus, Chestnut-necklaced Partridge, Red-collared Woodpecker and Short-tailed Scimitar Babbler. All visitors must enter the park with an official guide.
Bach Ma National Park is in Phu Loc District, Thua Thien Hue Province, about 50km from Hue City. Around 330 bird species have been recorded in Bach Ma National Park. Bach Ma is most famous for its population of Crested Argus, although this species is more often heard than seen. In addition, the abundant and diverse forest avifauna of Bach Ma provides visiting birders opportunities to observe many other birds, such as Blyth’s Kingfisher, Brown Hornbill, Ratchet-tailed Treepie and Short-tailed Scimitar Babbler. Bach Ma National Park has six guesthouses. In addition, there is a small campsite near the summit of Bach Ma, which is particularly popular with groups of students.
Located in Lam Dong Province, Da Lat Plateau Endemic Bird Area is one of the five endemic bird areas (EBAs) in Viet Nam identified by BirdLife International. Three bird species including Collared Laughingthrush, Grey-crowned Crocias and Vietnamese Greenfinch are only to be found within this EBA. In addition, Da Lat Plateau Endemic Bird Area also has many rare bird species such as Yellow-billed Nuthatch, White-cheeked Laughingthrush, Black-hooded Laughingthrush, Spot-breasted Laughingthrush, Cutia, Indochinese Fulvetta, Grey-headed Parrotbill, Red Crossbill…
Supporting a diverse bird community, including a particularly rich dry dipterocarp forest avifauna, globally significant population of Green Peafowl... Yok Don National Park located in Buon Don District, Dak Lak Province is also one of a handful of sites in Viet Nam with recent records of White-rumped and Red-headed Vultures. However, most of these records have been from the western part of the park, close to the Cambodian border, which is closed to visitors. There is a guesthouse at the park’s headquarters. Visitors can also stay at the Banmeco Tourism Area, just 2km from the headquarters. From the park’s headquarters, visitors can hire elephants or enter the park on foot. Visitors are allowed to visit the eastern part of the park zoned for tourism.
Situated in 3 provinces of Dong Nai, Binh Phuoc and Lam Dong, Cat Tien National Park supports one of the most intact lowland forest avifaunas in Viet Nam. Most notably, there are confirmed records of 16 globally threatened and near-threatened bird species from the park, the highest total for any protected area in Viet Nam. Cat Tien supports all three restricted-range species that define the South Viet Nam Lowlands Endemic Bird Area: Orange-necked Partridge, Germain's Peacock Pheasant and Grey-faced Tit Babbler. Cat Tien is also one of the best sites in Viet Nam to see Green Peafowl. A range of visitor accommodation is available at the park’s headquarters, and it is also possible to stay at Bau Sau. No special permission is required to visit the Nam Cat Tien sector of the park. Visitors must register at the park reception before crossing the Dong Nai River and entering the park.
Tram Chim National Park is in Dong Thap Province and has diverse water and wetland-dependent bird species, especially Sarus Crane, Oriental Darter, Painted Stork and Asian Golden Weaver. In the park, visitors can hire the boat to go to the good bird watching sites. All visitors can be accessible to the park. However, a guide is required to visit most parts of the site of interest to birdwatchers.
Mui Ca Mau National Park is a tourism site in Ca Mau Province, accessible for all Vietnamese and foreign visitors. The park is one and a half hours by speed boat from Ca Mau City. This is an important staging area for migratory shorebirds, egrets, gulls and terns. Rare species regularly recorded at the park including Chinese Egret, Spot-billed Pelican, Asian Dowitcher, Far Eastern Curlew, Black-headed Ibis and Painted Stork. The park also supports large concentrations of Whiskered Tern, Caspian Tern and Eurasian Curlew.
Thuy Hang (TITC)
