Experience on both banks of Dong Nai river

Gold pieces carved with images of Hindu gods were discovered by archaeologists at Cat Tien Archaeological Site.

• TOURISM POTENTIAL FROM DIFFERENCE

Cat Tien Archaeological Site was accidentally discovered in 1985. Through 9 large and small excavations at different times, archaeologists found that this is a complex of temple and tomb ruins influenced by Hinduism. Based on field research and analysis of artifacts found here, archaeologists have determined the age of Cat Tien Archaeological Site to be between the 7th and 10th centuries AD. The discovery of Cat Tien Archaeological Site has opened the door to explore the glorious past of Cat Tien - a religious center in the Southeast, South Central and Central Highlands regions.

Located on the southern bank of the Dong Nai River, Cat Tien National Park is famous for its tropical flora and fauna, the most diverse in Vietnam. This is the habitat of over 1,655 plant species and about 1,730 animal species. Many precious animal and plant species such as gaur, black-shanked douc langur, red-necked partridge, red-wood tree... have also chosen Cat Tien National Park as their habitat. For those who love nature, Cat Tien National Park is an ideal choice to explore 5 types of forests: evergreen broadleaf forest, semi-deciduous forest, mixed bamboo forest, pure bamboo forest and flooded forest, besides experiencing trekking tours, animal rescue station tours, camping tours, boating tours on the Dong Nai River...

• CONNECTING BOARD TOURS

Many tourism experts share that, in fact, connecting the Cat Tien Archaeological Site with Cat Tien National Park, some travel companies are interested in organizing tours - routes for tourists to experience, such as Cao Cao Adventures Travel Company Limited - Ho Chi Minh City, organizing a cycling tour through the forest, starting point Cat Tien National Park, stopping point Cat Tien Archaeological Site. This tour, one route - 2 destinations, helps tourists to immerse themselves in the fresh air in the morning to see the primeval forest, and in the afternoon to admire the once majestic temples. However, having to travel a detour also affects the experience of tourists to some extent. Some tourism experts suggest that the Dong Nai River should not be considered a natural boundary dividing the North - South banks. On the contrary, the separation of the Dong Nai River should be considered an opportunity to open a river tourism tour. What needs to be done now is to invest in building infrastructure along the two banks of the Dong Nai River, suitable rest stops to help tourists explore and experience the ecosystem on both banks of the Dong Nai River, increasing connectivity between the North and South banks of the Dong Nai River: Cat Tien Archaeological Site and Cat Tien National Park. Connecting Cat Tien Archaeological Site with Cat Tien National Park not only increases the experience for tourists, but also contributes to creating job opportunities for people living in the area: providing homestay services, trading in handicrafts, working as tour guides...

According to tourism experts, an ideal journey would start from Cat Tien National Park, then cross the Dong Nai River by wooden boat or suspension bridge to reach Cat Tien Archaeological Site. Tourists can choose a tour to experience cycling through the forest combined with visiting the relics, a tour of rivers and temples, an exploration tour or a tour of forests - rivers - relics... Thus, tourists can both listen to the solemn echoes of history - religion at Cat Tien Archaeological Site and admire the diverse ecosystem of Cat Tien National Park.

Source: https://baolamdong.vn/du-lich/202505/trai-nghiem-o-doi-bo-song-dong-nai-e6a0f3c/