Going to the forest for a spring outing.

Instead of going to crowded places during Tet, tourists can choose to avoid the crowds and hustle and bustle by visiting the 70,000-hectare Cat Tien National Park... to stroll through the forest and observe nocturnal animals.

Visitors to Cat Tien National Park check in at the ancient tung tree - Photo: THIEN GUIDE CAT TIEN

After traveling over 100km to Tan Phu district ( Dong Nai province), visitors will have to patiently travel another 40km to reach the "forest gate" in Nam Cat Tien commune. After purchasing tickets at the highest price of only 60,000 VND, visitors need to take a short ferry ride to enter the forest on the other side.

At the park's information center, visitors can simply register for guided day tours of the forest by car. The attractions are not too far apart, and visitors can choose to walk or rent bicycles to leisurely enjoy the forest scenery.

The first and most frequently visited "check-in" spot in Cat Tien National Park is the ancient tung tree. About 500 meters after the tung tree is the Ben Cu rapids. Many people choose to sit and rest, admire the stream, and soak their feet...

Cat Tien National Park also includes the Bau Sau Ramsar site – one of the world 's important wetlands – home to over 500 crocodiles. Bau Sau is located deep within the forest, about 9km by car/bicycle from the entrance, followed by a mandatory 5km walk.

A tree trunk that fell due to natural causes - Photo: NGHI VU

After enjoying a peaceful daytime visit to the forest, visitors can choose to experience the forest at night with a wildlife viewing tour. In the darkness, experienced guides with keen eyesight can spot signs of wildlife, sweeping their flashlights across the forest for visitors to observe. Most commonly seen are herds of deer from the "Dong Nai" region; if lucky, participants might even spot a bird sleeping peacefully on a branch.

Foreign tourists, having experience visiting safaris, seem to be better prepared than Vietnamese tourists for these experiences. They bring binoculars and even specialized camera lenses for photographing nocturnal animals.

Tourists relax at Ghenh Ben Cu - Photo: THIEN GUIDE CAT TIEN

According to an employee at Cat Tien National Park, the number of visitors started to increase from the second day of Tet (Lunar New Year). Trong Thien, an independent tour guide, said that a family had already booked a tour to visit the forest on the second day, including both adults and children.

With limited accommodation and staff at the park, visitors during peak season may choose to stay overnight and book additional guided tours outside. According to Mr. Thien, besides young people, families with children also don't need to worry when visiting Cat Tien Forest.

"Children under 10 years old can have fun freely, and having a guide will help them learn more about the forest. Many independent travelers only visit short distances, not seeing all the sights because they are afraid of getting lost or don't want to travel far," Mr. Thien added.

Compared to other tourist destinations, the costs of sightseeing and food in the Cat Tien Park area are not too high. Guided tours by car range from 150,000 VND per person, accommodation costs are around 400,000 VND per person per night, and Bau Sau Lake has a separate entrance fee.

The road to Cat Tien National Park is being paved with trees so that visitors no longer have to cross by ferry - Photo: NGHI VU

Visiting Ta Lai commune, home to the Ma and S'tieng ethnic groups.

Ta Lai commune is a buffer zone of Cat Tien National Park, located far from National Highway 20. The population here is quite diverse, comprising various ethnic minorities, including the S'tieng and Ma people who have lived there for generations.

If traveling independently, preferably by motorbike, visitors from afar can visit the Ta Lai Longhouse community tourism site, the Ta Lai rice fields, and the Ta Lai cocoa plantation before returning to Ho Chi Minh City.

On the way back, tourists can visit additional attractions such as Thanh Son rice fields or the Three-Stacked Rocks in Dinh Quan.

NGHI VU

Source: https://tuoitre.vn/vao-rung-du-xuan-20260212081531226.htm