Silent and mysterious

Recently, Cuc Phuong National Park has been dominating the internet, not only because the forest is currently in full bloom with butterflies resembling flying flowers, but mainly because of the emergence of "Nighttime electric vehicle tours of Cuc Phuong National Park". And of course, it's a fascinating experience, taking us away from the bustling capital to the green forest.

Nestled amidst majestic limestone mountains, Cuc Phuong National Park is a national nature reserve and special-use forest located across three provinces: Ninh Binh, Hoa Binh , and Thanh Hoa. The park covers an area of ​​over 22,000 hectares, with its center situated in Nho Quan district, Ninh Binh province.

This is the first national park in Vietnam and has also been selected and honored by the World Travel Awards as the leading national park in Asia for five consecutive years (from 2019-2023).

Over time, the forest has not only preserved its grandeur but has also become a shared home for endangered plant and animal species.

Besides its conservation role, Cuc Phuong National Park has long been famous as an ecotourism destination for nature lovers.

Compared to historical sites, organizing night tours in the old-growth forest seems like a challenging tourism strategy. Few people are brave enough to venture into the sacred forest when darkness has enveloped every nook and cranny. But in Cuc Phuong, it's different; this night tour is truly something to look forward to.

At exactly 7 PM, we arrived at the main gate, and the electric vehicle slowly carried the entire group into the edge of the forest. Darkness gradually enveloped us, and the path into the forest began to wind through the towering ancient trees. Guiding us through the darkness wasn't a spotlight, but the heartfelt introduction from our guide, who was also a member of the Cuc Phuong National Park's forest rangers. They were like "living books" about this forest, home to over 2000 plant species and hundreds of rare animal species requiring strict conservation. From the magnificent trees we passed to the exotic flowers and plants swaying in the wind, these "forest guardians" explained everything with passion and pride.

Admittedly, walking through the forest in such low light conditions gives you the feeling of being in a magical, mysterious space.

Knowing that the guests were still somewhat confused, Pham Cuong, the tour guide, explained: " Young people call this a night tour, but we use a more poetic name: 'Forest Bathing.' It can be understood as allowing everyone's body and soul to relax in the forest atmosphere using all their senses ."

As the car drove deeper into the forest, the phone signal began to drop. From that point on, all worries, anxieties, urgent emails, and deadlines were left behind.

But what's even more special is that the "flying stars" that so many people have been waiting for have finally appeared. Gliding among the bushes are fireflies – a unique nocturnal spectacle of Cuc Phuong National Park.

Every year in April and May, fireflies begin to bloom, sparkling amidst the vast forest, making them a sight that everyone visiting Cuc Phuong National Park eagerly anticipates.

We had hoped to witness the spectacle of thousands of fireflies illuminating the entire forest, but perhaps our trip wasn't that lucky.

Being insects very sensitive to weather conditions, fireflies are fewer in number on humid days with a slight chill in the air. Although not numerous, they are enough to create a magical atmosphere in the tranquil forest.

And so, the car slowly moved forward and stopped at the spot with the most fireflies. Looking at the "flying stars" appearing and disappearing in the bushes and grass, Mr. Trung – the oldest passenger in the group – called this a journey back to childhood, to the past: " The most fun thing back then was catching fireflies and putting them in the ground ivy to make lanterns. That was the light party of our childhood during the evacuation years !" And now, the silhouettes of the fireflies in the night are like "a captivating enchantment, forgotten somewhere, now surging forth."

Indeed, young people in big cities these days rarely get to see fireflies anymore, so whether few or many, this is still a rare and hard-to-find experience in everyday life. Besides, you won't find any videos reviewing everything about this night tour, because it's pitch black. People might use specialized photography equipment and various exposure techniques to capture even a little bit, but to truly appreciate the most beautiful scenery, you have to see it with your own eyes.

At around 7:45 PM, leaving the stars behind, we began our wildlife spotting expedition.

Sitting in the car, Mr. Cuong talked about many characteristics of the animals and also mentioned that they are much bolder now. Here, we can film and take pictures freely, however, we are not allowed to use flash and need to remain silent so as not to disturb the animals' night hunt.

In the dark, silent space, the only light here was probably the flashlight with a beam of up to 100 meters, which the guide swung left and right to illuminate the animals.

People say that going nocturnal wildlife viewing like this is similar to the cloud-hunting trend among young people, meaning that if you're lucky, you can spot many different animal species, even extremely rare ones.

While everyone was still looking around, a rustling sound suddenly made everyone fall silent.

Following the guide's flashlight beam, we spotted deer and stags grazing peacefully. Even as cars slowly sped past in the distance, they calmly foraged and enjoyed their home.

While not as dramatic as Nat Geo (National Geographic), the famous American nature exploration television channel, the Cuc Phuong night tour is truly innovative. In the midst of modern life, few can imagine that the experience of trekking through the forest at night could be so enchanting. It made us realize that the forest is home to wild animals, and humans are merely small visitors seeking refuge in this place.

Following the main road, we were led to the final leg of the program. This is the Wildlife Rescue, Conservation and Development Center of Cuc Phuong National Park.

Further down the small tunnel, visitors continue their journey to explore the home of rare animals, where they can see pangolins, wild cats, civets, otters, and more.

Here, we heard stories about the individual animals that came to this reserve, each with its own unique tale, and almost all of their names originated from that encounter, such as Dai Lai (wild cat), Hoi An (civet), Meo (macadamia cat)... The "treasures" at Cuc Phuong truly took us from one surprise to another.

After a 1 hour and 30 minute journey, our group sped back along the main road to our starting point.

To those who haven't experienced it, it might seem like just a journey groping in the dark. In reality, the journey was filled with the rustling of the wind, and sometimes the roar of an animal, silencing the entire group. At times, because we couldn't see clearly, I myself was startled to encounter patrol officers walking along the forest path on duty.

We always have "forest guardians" by our side.

Forest guides have distinct characteristics compared to guides who provide long-distance tours. In addition to needing experience and thorough knowledge of the terrain's intricate details, they must also be able to forecast weather and anticipate any unusual changes in order to cope with potential risks.

Furthermore, if I hadn't experienced it myself, I wouldn't have known that it was the wondrous beauty of nature that connected us, allowing us to meet such wonderful friends.

These people, though strangers and separated by decades in age, are connected by kindred spirits.

Deep within the ancient forest, the older generation shares stories of life with the younger generation, recounting difficult times and the unwavering dedication of the forest rangers to nature and the mountains. And it seems that those 5km of forest trail have shortened the generational gap, making it a magical journey for us. The more we explore, the more we feel a responsibility to preserve and protect nature, and the more we cherish the people silently protecting the forest, carrying out the mission of connecting the forest with life.

And so, the trek through the forest became even more exciting for amateurs like us. The deeper we went into the forest, the more mysterious this wild nature seemed.

Although this night tour lacks dazzling 3D mapping lights and state-of-the-art sound systems, it features sparkling "flying stars," and all the different sounds combine to create a unique "symphony" that belongs only to the vast forest.

Source: https://nhandan.vn/tour-dem-cuc-phuong-tram-mac-va-bi-an-post811534.html