Cuc Phuong forest is a natural reserve located about 120km from the center of Hanoi, the capital of Vietnam. It’s not just a place to discover the diversity of flora and fauna but also a unique natural check-in point.

Where to go for travel in Thanh Hoa? If you’re a nature lover, then Cuc Phuong forest will be an experience worth trying. Besides eco-tourism activities, exploring the environment, and landscapes, this place also has many prehistoric caves that bring interesting experiences for visitors. Save the latest experiences exploring Cuc Phuong forest with Vietnampeace.com!

1. Where is Cuc Phuong forest located?

Which province is Cuc Phuong forest in? This is a question that many tourists ask when they hear about this national park. Specifically, Cuc Phuong is a special-use forest, or also known as a natural reserve, located in the territories of 3 provinces: Thanh Hoa, Hoa Binh, and Ninh Binh. Therefore, when referring to the Thanh Hoa travel map, tourists will also see this as a prominent destination in the region.

Cuc Phuong forest covers an area of ​​22,408 hectares. This is one of the national parks with a very rich ecosystem of flora and fauna. Additionally, there are many rare and precious animal species here, allowing tourists to explore and experience to the fullest.

Referring to the map of Cuc Phuong forest, tourists can easily move into the forest. This is essential to help you experience many different forms of tourism such as eco-tourism, environmental tourism, or exploration activities,…

2. What is interesting about visiting Cuc Phuong forest?

Reviews of Cuc Phuong forest from many tourists show that this is a very worthwhile tourist destination, especially for nature lovers. Below are certain activities you must try when visiting Cuc Phuong National Park.

2.1. Visit and check-in at the “top-notch” Cuc Phuong forest

Cuc Phuong National Park is one of the hottest check-in spots in Thanh Hoa, attracting many domestic and foreign tourists. Here, you can explore many interesting things such as:

Cuc Phuong Botanical Garden: The ecosystem of Cuc Phuong forest is extremely rich and diverse. This is a point with tropical rainforests so the weather is quite cool, becoming the habitat of many rare animal species, typical of the white-cheeked gibbons.

Rescue, conservation, and development center for organisms: This is where many endangered species are nurtured and conserved. Therefore, if you have the opportunity to visit Cuc Phuong forest, tourists can visit this place to witness many endangered species firsthand and gain more knowledge about these animals.

Cuc Phuong Museum: This is a building constructed to preserve and conserve specimens. At the museum, you can learn about specimens such as insects, flora, and other animal species.

Silver Cloud Peak: This is a mountain peak with a height of 648m. Experiencing conquering Silver Cloud Peak, you will admire the vast and beautiful scenery of the forest. From the mountaintop, you can also see the ancient capital of Hoa Lu, Bai Dinh Pagoda. However, the steep climb can be challenging so tourists need to be cautious.

Yen Quang Lake: To get to Yen Quang Lake most conveniently, tourists can follow the Nho Quan road, then go to Tri Phuong Bridge and turn west towards the lake. The serene and beautiful scenery of the lake will make you feel excited and relaxed.

Muong ethnic village: Cuc Phuong also has a Muong ethnic village with unique cultural characteristics. Here, you can check-in at traditional stilt houses, looms for weaving brocade, or terraced fields. Experiencing the culture will make you excited on your trip.

Exploring prehistoric caves: Ancient Human Cave, Con Moong Cave, Mang Chieng Cave, Crescent Moon Cave,… are famous caves inside the forest. Many adventurous tourists often choose these caves to explore.

2.2. Capture the sparkling beauty of the butterfly season

The butterfly season in Cuc Phuong forest falls around May. At this time, the number of butterfly individuals reaches thousands, creating a unique and eye-catching scene. This is an excellent background for tourists to capture their most “stylish” virtual living photos. Not only that, this is also one of the typical tourist attractions that captivate tourists to Cuc Phuong forest in Ninh Binh during the butterfly season.

3. Experience traveling to Cuc Phuong National Park

The experience of exploring Cuc Phuong forest to hunt butterflies, explore nature, and ecosystems reviewed by many tourists is extremely interesting. To have the most attractive experiences, you need to pay attention to some information about Cuc Phuong forest tourism below:

3.1. Ticket prices for visiting Cuc Phuong forest

Ticket price (Unit: VND/ticket)

Children under 5 years old: Free

Children: 10,000 VND

Students: 20,000 VND

Adults: 60,000 VND

Note: The ticket prices above are only for entry into Cuc Phuong National Park, excluding some other services such as renting cars, boats, dining, or hiring tour guides,… Students who want to receive preferential prices need to present their student cards.

3.2. When is the best time to visit Cuc Phuong forest?

Cuc Phuong forest is located on the border of 3 provinces in the North Central region, the Red River delta, and the Northwest. Therefore, each season has different weather characteristics, so tourists can refer to information about the seasons to plan the most ideal trip.

From November to January next year: This is the winter season, with difficult roads and complex weather conditions in the pristine forest, so it’s not suitable for visiting.

From February to April: At this time, the weather transitions to summer, the trees are lush green, and the sunlight is gentle, making it suitable for sightseeing and exploration. During this time, you may encounter some animal species such as porcupines, pheasants,…

Late April to May: This is considered the most suitable time to visit Cuc Phuong forest. The weather here is quite favorable, with cool air, and it’s also the season when butterflies flourish, allowing you to comfortably explore the diversity of flora and fauna here.

June to August: This is the summer season, so if you’re looking for a place to avoid the sun, Cuc Phuong National Park will be an interesting experience.

August to October: In the autumn season, experiential trips and camping will be highly favored. During this time, tourism in Cuc Phuong forest is not too crowded, so you can comfortably explore without worrying about crowding.

3.3. Directions to Cuc Phuong National Park

There are many different means of transportation to get to Cuc Phuong National Park. Typically, tourists will choose to use private vehicles for convenience in traveling deep into the forest. Depending on the means of transportation, you can consider different routes:

Motorbike, self-driving car: From Hanoi, you can travel along National Highway 1A, when you reach the intersection of Gian Khau (Ninh Binh), turn onto National Highway 12A, go through Nho Quan town about 2km to reach the forest.

Bus: Tourists can depart from Giap Bat bus station to Nho Quan route, then take a bus from Nho Quan to Cuc Phuong forest.

3.4. What to eat when visiting Cuc Phuong National Park

Inside Cuc Phuong forest, tourists can enjoy many delicious dishes such as mountain snails, mountain goats. However, the food in the tourist area is quite expensive, so you can choose to explore outside restaurants with a diverse menu, many attractive specialties of Thanh Hoa:

Thanh Hoa sour sausage: This is the most famous specialty in Thanh Hoa. Sour sausage is made from pork skin, meat, and characteristic spices. It’s a simple dish, cheap but it has captivated many visitors when visiting.

Thanh Hoa shrimp cake: If you haven’t tasted shrimp cake in Thanh Hoa yet, it’s a pity. This dish uses fresh shrimp as the main ingredient from Sam Son beach.

Bánh ít (sticky rice cake): This type of cake is very suitable to buy as a gift after your trip to Thanh Hoa.

3.5. Some items to bring when exploring Cuc Phuong National Park

To have a safe and convenient tour in Cuc Phuong National Park, tourists need to prepare some necessary items:

It is advisable to bring a hat, food and drink, bandages, insect repellent because this is an eco-tourism forest area with many insects and mosquitoes.

Tourists can bring cameras, binoculars to have interesting travel experiences.

It is recommended to use mosquito repellent cream on the head, wrists, ankles… before moving into the forest.

4. Hotel suggestions near Cuc Phuong forest

In addition to Cuc Phuong National Park, Thanh Hoa is also famous for many other attractive destinations such as: Sam Son tourist area, Hai Tien beach, Fairy Fish stream, Pu Luong, Ben En,… If you like camping, you can rent tents in Cuc Phuong forest or stay at Cuc Phuong homestay.

However, with the one-day travel experience of many tourists, you should stay at hotels located in the city center for convenience in traveling and connecting to other tourist attractions.

Cuc Phuong forest is one of the most worthwhile tourist destinations in Thanh Hoa. This is not only a beautiful, peaceful natural space but also a place for you to freely explore the unique flora and fauna and cultural activities of the local people. If you are planning your upcoming trip, don’t forget to save the experience of exploring Cuc Phuong National Park!