National parks · Voykit

6 national parks

VietnamCát Bà National ParkUNESCO Biosphere ReserveUNESCO World HeritagePermits for some areas
263
km²
1986
since
5
sites
Spend one morning of a Cát Bà stay in the park: take the short climb to Ngự Lâm peak before 9:00, or the full-day trek to Frog Lake and Việt Hải with a park guide in October–April; leave the langurs alone (they are seen only from boats on permitted routes), and use the Lan Hạ excursion page for the bay itself.Viewpoints · Trails · Caves · Culture · Boat trips · Best: Apr–May, Oct–Nov
VietnamCát Tiên National ParkUNESCO Biosphere ReservePermits for some areas
720
km²
1992
since
6
sites
Go in the dry months (December–April), sleep two nights at park headquarters or just across the river, book the night drive and the Crocodile Lake walk at the visitor centre on arrival, and be on a trail by 6:00 — the forest goes quiet by mid-morning.Wildlife · Trails · Best: Dec–Mar
VietnamCúc Phương National ParkPermits for some areas
222
km²
1962
since
6
sites
Add Cúc Phương to a Ninh Bình stay as one full day (or a night at the park centre): visit the primate, turtle and pangolin rescue centres at the gate in the morning, then drive 20 km in to walk to the thousand-year-old tree and the prehistoric cave; come in April–May for the butterflies, and skip the long village trek in the wet months.Wildlife · Trails · Caves · Best: Apr–May, Oct–Nov
VietnamHoàng Liên National ParkPermits for some areas
298
km²
2002
since
5
sites
Base in Sa Pa and use the park for one of three things: the two-day Fansipan climb from Trạm Tôn (licensed guide and park permit required), the Mường Hoa valley walks on its eastern edge, or a half-day at the Silver and Love waterfalls on the Ô Quy Hồ road; go October–November or March–April, and never walk the high ridge alone.Trails · Viewpoints · Best: Mar–Apr, Oct–Nov
VietnamPhong Nha – Kẻ Bàng National ParkUNESCO World HeritagePermits for some areas
1,233
km²
2001
since
7
sites
Treat the park as two trips: the show caves (Phong Nha, Paradise, Dark Cave) need only a ticket at the gate and two nights in Phong Nha town, while the wild caves (Hang Én, Sơn Đoòng, Tú Làn) are permit-only expeditions run by licensed operators, booked months ahead, and only in the dry season.Caves · Trails · Best: Mar–May
IndonesiaKomodo National ParkUNESCO World HeritageUNESCO Biosphere ReservePermits for some areas
1,733
km²
1980
since
6
sites
Fly to Labuan Bajo, spend two or three days on the water between April and November (a one-day speedboat trip is the minimum), see the dragons on Rinca or Komodo with the park ranger who meets every group, climb Padar at sunrise, and dive or snorkel only with an operator that briefs you on the currents; carry cash for the fees, which change often.Wildlife · Viewpoints · Snorkelling · Beaches · Diving · Best: Apr–May, Sep–Oct