https://theculturetrip.com/asia/vietnam/articles/7-epic-places-in-vietnam-every-local-is-proud-of/
7 Epic Places in Vietnam Every Local Is Proud of

Rice terraces in Vietnam | © Nguyen Anh Tuan/Flickr

Dung Phan

26 May 2017

Add to Plan

Sometimes you get those “wow” travel moments when you see something so captivating that you think that moment alone has made an entire trip worthwhile. These are often the places that locals are most proud of. Read on to discover those places that make Vietnamese people proud.

Ban Gioc Waterfall

The road to Ban Gioc Waterfall might be tricky, but that’s part of the fun! At the end of an epic motorbike road trip you’ll find Vietnam’s largest, most majestic cascade. At 30 metres high and 300 metres wide, it’s certainly impressive. Seeing Ban Gioc is simultaneously exhilarating — especially seeing the river reaches the ledge and pour over sharply — and restful, with the surrounding rice fields, wooden bridges, and limestone mountains.

Book stays and experiences,
hand-picked by our travel experts.

Ban Gioc Waterfall | © AnhTuan Le/Flickr

Son Doong Cave

Son Doong Cave is the world’s largest cave, big enough to fit an entire New York City block — skyscrapers and all! An expedition into the caves is definitely not a relaxing walk. You’re required to be physically and mentally fit, as you need to be lowered by rope into pitch-black chasms. The number of spots on expeditions are limited every year, and cost around $3000, but you’re guaranteed one of the most thrilling and enchanting adventures in Southeast Asia.

Son Doong Cave | Courtesy of Oxalis Adventure Tours

Mu Cang Chai Rice Terraces

Nothing beats the peace you encounter Mu Cang Chai Rice Terrace, about 280km from Hanoi. The steep slopes and seemingly endless curves of the golden green rice terraces create a fascinating pattern across the hills and valleys. The best time to visit is during the harvest season, in September and October.

Mu Cang Chai | © Hoang Giang Hai/Flickr

Sand Dunes in Mui Ne

Just three to four hours drive from Ho Chi Minh City, Mui Ne’s red and white sand dunes are unmissable. A stroll onto the dunes at dusk will often be rewarded with a dazzling blaze of colour: amber, crimson and blue.

Mui Ne White Sand Dunes | © Hey Explorer/Flickr

Ta Xua Mountain

It’s easy to imagine yourself in a fairytale while standing at Ta Xua Mountain. Far less known than Fansipan Mountain, Ta Xua is the 10th highest mountain in Vietnam. It is an extremely challenging place to visit for its cliffs, tricky routes, and heavy wind, and has acquired a notoriety that means not many people visit. Yet the sea of clouds that float all around make this a truly amazing sight.

Sun Rise at Ta Xua | © Hailey Bluez/Pixabay

Con Dao Islands

The Con Dao Islands were a prison colony during French rule and the American-backed period of Vietnam’s history. This knowledge casts a forbidding shadow over the quiet town, but the place that once, nobody wanted to go is now one of the most spectacular unspoiled destinations in Vietnam. There are numerous beautiful beaches and wild, untamed forests.

Sunset at Con Dao Island | © Ly Thien Hoang (Lee)/Flickr

Tra Su Cajuput Forest

Tra Su is a beautiful place, a blend of the empty wilderness of the flooded cajuput forests and laid-back Mekong Delta communities. The area is quite rugged, with many wild birds, lotus, duckweed and water lilies.

Tra Su Forest | © ePi.Longo/Flickr

Exploring the Wonders of Sundarbans National Park

Sundarbans National Park is one of the last tiger reserves in Bengal. It covers about 10,000 kilometers in the Ganges delta. The park became a tiger reserve in 1973, a wildlife sanctuary in 1977, and a national park in 1984. UNESCO included it as a world heritage in 1987.

The name Sundarbans means a beautiful jungle in the Bengali language. It is also derived from Sundari trees found inside the park.

Geography of Sundarbans National Park

Sundarbans is located at South 24 in the Argand District of Bengal. It lies at 30 Degree 24'' - 30 Degree 28' north longitude and 77 Degree 40' - 77 Degree 44' east latitude. The park has an altitude of 7.5 meters above sea level. It has 54 small islands on the boundaries of Ganga.

The park is also known as the largest mangrove forest in the world. Vegetation includes mangrove scrub, forests, wet and rich grassland. The region has fresh and saltwater rivers from the Ganges and saline water at Bengal Bay. Coastal evolution includes estuaries, beaches, swamps, tidal creeks, back dunes, levees, and coastal dunes.

The park has also seven rivers that head towards the sea. The tidal deposits form creeks and new islands. There are mudflats at the estuary where tidal current occurs. The mudflat's interior part is the home for mangroves.

Plant Species at Sundarbans National Park

The 64 plant species can withstand different conditions of tidal effects. You can see Genwa's flaming red leaves, Kanakara's crab-like flowers, and Khalsi's yellow flowers. Common trees are Kankra, Goran, Genwa, Passur, and Dhundal.

Fauna of Sundarbans National Park

The wildlife sanctuary is the home for tigers and wild animals. There are birds, aquatic animals and reptiles living in the park. About 30,000 deer and 400 royal Bengal tigers are spotted here. Bengal tigers are great swimmers in the saline waters. They are a fierce breed that would not hesitate to attack a human. Other mammals include the wild boar, fox, pangolin, chital, grey mangoes, and fishing cats. There are bull sharks and saltwater crocodiles living at the estuaries (area of the river mouth affecting sea tides).

The park is very suitable for bird-watching. Get the chance to see a Blue-eared kingfisher, white ibis, water hens, open-billed storks, and spotted doves. Asian terns, common snipes, jungle crows, cotton teals, night herons, wood sandpipers, paradise flycatchers, and seagulls are sighted in the Sundarbans.

The park also houses some of the fishes like butterfish, silver carp, sawfish, starfish, electric rays, Gangetic dolphins and common carp. Amphibians inside the sanctuary are skipping frogs, tree frogs, and common toads. You will be able to spot some reptiles like sea snakes, green turtles, chameleons, estuarine crocodiles, king cobras, Brussels vipers and monitor lizards. Others include common kraits, rat snakes, pythons, mouse geckos, hawksbill turtles and chequered kill backs.

Activities to Do in Sundarbans National Park

Village walks is a nice thing to do apart from exploring around the park. Visitors can visit the local school and have a cycle trip to the market. You could go crab-catching or on fishing expeditions around the village. You can take a bird walk, a cooking class, and watch cultural programs at the rural theater.

There are boat safaris to the Bhagatpur Crocodile Project, a crocodile breeding farm. Other places to see are the Sagar Island, Sudhanyakali watchtower, Jambudweep, Holiday Island (Barking Deer), Sajankhali Bird Sanctuary, and at Kanak (Olive Ridley Turtle's nesting place).

Means of Transportation at Sundarbans National Park

A boat is the only means of transportation to get through the park. There are local boats and luxury launches that the tourism department manages. This includes the M.V. Madhukar and M.V. Chitrarekha. Check out the most beautiful place in the world.