Picturesque Pu Mat
Update: 19/01/2009
With a rich ecosystem of diverse flora and fauna, beautiful scenery and intriguing historical sites, Pu Mat National Park is an ideal tourist destination year-round.
In the ethnic Thai language, “Pu Mat” means “high steep slopes.” It is considered the largest area in the country in terms of the biodiversity of tropical and subtropical forests in the northern Truong Son Range. Like other national parks in Vietnam, Pu Mat National Park offers great opportunities for ecotourism.
Pu Mat is situated on the eastern side of the Truong Son Range along the Vietnam-Laos border. It lies in the southwest of central Nghe An Province, 120 kilometers from Vinh Town and covers more than 91,100 hectares.
The park sits at an altitude ranging from 200-1,814 meters. It has nearly 2,500 plant species and is home to 727 animal species. In particular, the park is home to rare animals such as a species of deer known as sao la (Pseudoryx nghetinhensis), a species of rabbit known as tho van (Nesolagus timminsi), and a species of bird known as niec co hung (Aceros nipalensis).
After Pu Mat National Park was certified by UNESCO as a world heritage site in November 2007, the People’s Committee of Nghe An Province turned part of it into a tourist site called Khe Kem Waterfall Tourist Resort. Currently, the resort at Pu Mat National Park has around 40 rooms and offers an array of services to serve tourists.
Scenic spots that visitors should not omit include Khe Kem Waterfall, Oc Cave, Mo Vit Yard, and Giang River. In addition, several historical sites are also places of great interest. Included is Ma Nhai Stele – a site commemorating the Tran Dynasty army’s triumph over Mongol invaders of the China’s Yuan Dynasty nearly 700 years ago; and Tra Lan Citadel where the resistance against Ming invaders took place in the 15th century.