Travel guide to Cuc Phuong National Park

Cuc Phuong National Park is located 120 km southwest of Hanoi, adjacent to Ninh Binh, Hoa Binh and Thanh Hoa. This is a large nature reserve, hosting a variety of Vietnam’s rich and diverse animal and plant species. Cuc Phuong has many old trees for many years, beautiful birds … is a great place for outdoor picnics. Now let’s explore this forest with VietNampeace through Cuc Phuong National Park travel guide .

1. Introduction to Cuc Phuong National Park

Cuc Phuong National Park covers an area of 25,000 ha and is also the first national forest of Vietnam. Cuc Phuong is characterized by tropical, green rain forests all year round and extremely rich and diverse flora and fauna. Many endangered species of flora and fauna have been discovered and preserved here, including the black and white douc langur that is considered a symbol of Cuc Phuong forest.

2. At Cúc Phương at a suitable time?

The most suitable time to visit Cuc Phuong National Park is in the dry season (from December to May), at this time the weather in the forest is very cool. Avoid going in the rainy season because the road is slippery as well as there are many mosquitoes and squeezed, which will affect the travel experience.

Especially coming to Cuc Phuong National Park in May is the time when butterflies in Cuc Phuong forest are in full bloom. With the number of individuals can reach millions of children racing to show off about the sky, making it like a beautiful “butterfly forest” like in a fairyland.

3. How to move to Cuc Phuong forest?

Coming to Cuc Phuong, you can go by motorbike, self-driving car or coach. If you go by private car you will feel more comfortable, the car runs deep into the forest.

• Traveling by motorbike or self-driving car: From Hanoi, travel along Highway 1A, to Gian Khau junction (Gia Vien district, 10km from Ninh Binh city) and then continue to turn onto Highway 12A passing through town. Nho Quan 2km then turn left to Cuc Phuong.
• By bus: You can go to Giap Bat bus station to take the Nho Quan bus – from here, get on the bus and continue taking the bus to Cuc Phuong forest.

4. Places to visit when visiting Cuc Phuong National Park

1. Ancient cave : Or also known as Đàng cave. This is a place to store vestiges of residence and burial of prehistoric people, a precious heritage of Cuc Phuong garden.

   

   Ancient ancients (collectibles)

2. Con Moong Cave : Because outside the cave’s door is a large rock protruding that looks like an animal, so it is named Con Moong cave (beast cave in Muong language). This is also the residence of ancient people, and is also an important archaeological site classified as national monument.

   

   Inside Con Moong cave (photo collection)

3. Crescent Moon Cave : From afar, the cave gate is shaped like a crescent moon, the cave is located deep in the forest.

   

   Crescent Moon Cave (photo collection)

4. Silver Cloud Peak : Silver cloud peak has an elevation of 648m, from the top we can enjoy a panoramic view of the national park along with Hoa Lu ancient capital and Bai Dinh pagoda. However, the way to the top of Cloud Silver has many rocky slopes which are quite difficult to go, so this place is only suitable for people with good health.

   

   Silver Cloud Peak (photo collection)

5. Yen Quang Lake – Phò Ma Cave : go back to Nho Quan Street about 7km, turn to Tri Phuong Bridge to the West and go to Yen Quang Lake. Continue past Thung Thung to the foot of the limestone mountain range which is Phò Ma Cave. Pho Ma is a wonderful architectural work of nature created with countless interesting stalactites.

   

   Yen Quang Lake (photo collection)

6. The thousand-year-old trees : Cuc Phuong has many ancient trees such as: Dang tree is 45m high with a diameter of 5m, and a thousand-year-old Green Cha tree has a circumference of more than 20 people hugging, an old crocodile …

   

   Thousand years of stump tree (photo collection)

7. Muong village : Cuc Phuong is also the home of the Muong community with many unique cultural features such as stilt houses, terraced fields, brocade weaving …

   

   Muong village in Cuc Phuong National Park

8. Primate Rescue Center : A place to preserve and nurture many rare primate species. Here visitors will not only observe the beauty of primates but also learn more about this animal.

   

   Primate Rescue Center (collectibles)

5. A place to rest in Cuc Phuong forest

In Cuc Phuong National Park, there are 3 areas for accommodation, dining, and entertainment for tourists to choose from:

• Garden gate area: full rooms from 200,000 VND. In addition, there is a rental service of forest equipment, mountain bikes.
• Mac Lake area: here for rent stilted houses, rooms. This is an area suitable for groups of people traveling, you can light a bonfire, eat and drink, sing and sing here.
• Central area: consists of stilt houses and separate apartments.

6. Things to note when traveling to Cuc Phuong National Park

• Need to prepare all the necessary items such as hats, jungle shoes, medicine, bandages, food and drink …. before visiting Cuc Phuong.
• Can bring binoculars for sightseeing
• There are a lot of mosquitoes in the forest, so a tip for you to avoid these obnoxious animals is to buy DEP (cream for scabies) formulations applied to sensitive areas like the head, nape, wrists, ankles … The scent of this drug is the essence of the animals.

7. What to eat in Cuc Phuong?

After visiting and exploring 1 round in Cuc Phuong, you can enjoy special mountain goats and special mountain snails only here. In addition, there are still many other attractive dishes such as grilled garden chicken, fried perch and anchovy together with cup of Muong rice wine …

Wish you have a great experience, discovery, a memorable vacation to Cuc Phuong National Park .