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Cat Tien National Park (Nam Cat Tien Tourist Area) is a lush green land with an extremely diverse flora and fauna system. UNESCO recognizes this place as a "World Biosphere Reserve" with hundreds of rare animal species in the Vietnam Red List. Here, we have a complete guide for those planning to visit this marvelous destination.
In the 70s, Nam Cat Tien Forest was divided into the South area and the West area. Then the Prime Minister decided to merge those two areas into one. Currently, Nam Cat Tien is a sub-equatorial tropical forest located in three provinces Lam Dong, Dong Nai, and Binh Phuoc. This national park is considered an extremely important biosphere reserve forest with an area of more than 70,000 hectares.
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1. Interesting Things to Do in Nam Cat Tien National Park
Discover Bau Sau
Bau Sau is one of the famous destinations that many tourists love to visit in Nam Cat Tien National Park. It is home to many large and wild crocodiles and alligators. If you have time, you can walk from the Forest Headquarters to Bau Sau. Or you can cycle, then continue walking 5km from the trails into the jungle (this method is mostly chosen by foreign tourists).
Bicycle rental fee: About 100,000 - 150,000 VND/bike.
Visit Dao Tien & Bear Rescue Station
Dao Tien is a forest surrounded by protective fences. This is a place to preserve rare animals along with an entire system of primeval forests and the bear rescue station is where injured bears are brought for care and treatment. Therefore, this is also a hotspot for animal lovers.
Explore the Night Life of Wild Animals
One of the very interesting activities when coming to Nam Cat Tien National Park is to explore the nightlife of animals. You will be able to observe firsthand the living habits of the animals here.
You have to buy a ticket, rent a car, and a guide to participate in this activity for about 170,000 VND/person.
Visit Ta Lai Tourist Village
Visitors to the Ta Lai tourist area will be able to participate in many interesting activities of ethnic minorities such as: enjoying traditional dishes, participating in some of their daily activities, etc. To get to this location, you have two options: by bike or by car. Cycling is highly regarded as a way to enjoy the beauty of Nam Cat Tien National Park fully and freely.
Explore the Oc Eo Cultural Relic Area
Oc Eo is a cultural relic site belonging to the area of Nam Cat Tien National Park. Here, you will have the opportunity to explore the unique cultural and historical features of once the ancient capital of the Funan kingdom with ancient architectural works and many extremely rare artifacts such as Gold metal pieces engraved with images of Gods, Goddess, k’lon boxes used in cremation, etc.
Visit Nam Cat Tien National Park Waterfalls
Nam Cat Tien National Park has several beautiful waterfalls that have become tourists’ favorite spots for photography and sightseeing, they include:
Troi (Sky) Waterfall – Dung Waterfall
Troi Waterfall and Dung Waterfall have the unique beauty of white water streams flowing through cliffs, surrounded by vast green trees, creating an extremely cool and wonderful feeling.
Mo Vet (Parrot Beak) waterfall – Nam Cat Tien National Park
You will have to take a canoe from the park’s headquarters along the riverbank to explore the beauty of the Mo Vet waterfall. Its water flow is more powerful than that of the Troi and Dung waterfalls and the Mo Vet waterfall has the shape of a Parrot Beak when viewed from above.
2. Best Time to Visit Nam Cat Tien National Park?
The most suitable time to travel to Nam Cat Tien National Park is around December - May because during this time, there is little rain and the forest is dry, which makes it easier to move around the forest. You should avoid going from June to November because this period is prone to rain and storms.
3. How to Get to Nam Cat Tien National Park?
Going to Nam Cat Tien National Park from Ho Chi Minh City
By bus/coach: You can depart from the Mien Dong (Eastern) bus station and choose the Kim Hoan bus company with a ticket price of about 80,000 VND/trip and the bus goes straight to Nam Cat Tien National Park.
In addition, you can choose a high-quality bus at Mien Dong bus station, however, you must continue to catch a 2nd bus from the tourist information point of Nam Cat Tien National Park to reach the park gate. Some high-quality car brands such as Phuong Trang bus company (Phone number is 08920657) or Thanh Buoi bus company (Phone number is 0838306306)...
By motorbike or self-driving car: You can travel by private vehicles along a route about 150km - 160km long with Google Maps.
Means of transportation at Cat Tien National Park
Because the area of Nam Cat Tien National Park is quite large and has many types of terrain, if you want to explore all the outstanding places, you need to travel by several means of transportation:
- Entrance ticket to Nam Cat Tien National Park: About 20,000 - 40,000 VND/person, ticket to Bau Sau about 140,000 VND/person.
- You can walk from the Forest Headquarters to Bau Sau.
- You can cycle (quite easily in the dry season), and then continue walking from the trails into the jungle. Bicycle rental fee: About 100,000 - 150,000 VND/bike.
- Rent a car for about 500,000 VND/round trip/5 - 7 people.
4. Where to Stay in Nam Cat Tien National Park?
If you want to enjoy the realest backpacking journey in Nam Cat Tien National Park, you should bring a tent and sleeping bag to spend the night outdoors. Tent rental price for 2 - 15 people ranges from 80,000 - 200,000 VND. Or you can choose a hotel, motel, or homestay from the following list: River Lodge, Green Bamboo Lodge Resort, Green Hope Lodge, Cat Tien Forest Call Lodge, and Cat Tien Jungle Lodge.
In addition, you can book a room through sources such as Booking.com, Agoda,...
5. Things to Note When Traveling to Nam Cat Tien National Park?
For the safest travel to Nam Cat Tien National Park, you need to pay attention to the following notes:
You should prepare food and water before visiting any tourist destination in Nam Cat Tien forest in case you are hungry but have no place to buy.
Nam Cat Tien National Park is mainly forest, so prepare extra anti-insect bite cream, and urgo patch to prevent bleeding as well as wear long-sleeved clothes and shoes to avoid leeches.
Don't forget to equip yourself with a compass or learn how to determine direction when going to the forest.
Prepare an extra hat, shirt, sunscreen, and some flat-soled shoes for ease of movement.
If you are interested in taking a private tour of Nam Cat Tien National Park, feel free to drop us a message at [email protected] or contact us here.
See more about Vietnam:
>> The 10 Most Beautiful National Parks in Vietnam
>> 15 Best Things to Do in Vietnam Every Traveler Need to Know
>> 10 Days in Vietnam - Interesting Itinerary Ideas
>> The Best South Vietnam Trip Itinerary Ideas For First-Time Visitors
