National park · Vietnam
Cúc Phương National ParkVườn quốc gia Cúc Phương
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.
Map to the park
Add your hotel to get directions from it. · stays in this browser; shared with the pocket card.
Area
222 km²
approximate
Established
1962
Best months
Apr–May, Oct–Nov
UNESCO
None
Rules in force · 7Drug trafficking can carry the death penalty in Singapore…
- Southeast Asia ↗Drug trafficking can carry the death penalty in Singapore, Malaysia, Indonesia, Vietnam, Laos, Thailand, Brunei and Myanmar; never carry a bag or parcel for anyone.
- Southeast Asia ↗Carry a passport valid for at least six months from entry with two blank pages; airlines refuse boarding on less.
- Vietnam ↗Apply for the e-visa only on the official government portal; lookalike sites charge extra.
- Vietnam ↗Crossing streets: walk slowly and steadily; motorbikes flow around you — do not stop or run.
- Vietnam ↗Carry Vietnamese đồng in small notes; many stalls and taxis are cash-only.
- North Vietnam ↗Dec–Feb in the north is cool and damp (10–18°C): pack a warm layer.
- North Vietnam ↗Sa Pa and Hà Giang can drop near freezing in December–January and fog in for days; keep a spare night and do not plan a single-day summit.
At a glance
- Country
- Vietnam
- Area
- 222 km²
- About 22,000 ha across Ninh Bình, Hòa Bình and Thanh Hóa (provincial boundaries redrawn in 2025; check).
- Established
- 1962
- Best months
- Apr–May, Oct–Nov
- Permits
- For some areas
- Base
- Ninh Binh City
Cúc Phương was Vietnam's first national park, opened in 1962 on limestone hills where Ninh Bình, Hòa Bình and Thanh Hóa meet, about 120 km south-west of Hanoi. Its forest is old and tall, its caves held some of the earliest human traces found in the country, and the rescue centres at the gate are the best place in Vietnam to see langurs, turtles and pangolins close up, with the story of why they need rescuing.
Decide
Why go, which months, and what lives here when
At a glance
Status
- ASEAN Heritage ParkListed as an ASEAN Heritage Park (check year).
- Special national siteVietnam's first national park (1962).
Size and age
222 km² · national park since 1962
About 22,000 ha across Ninh Bình, Hòa Bình and Thanh Hóa (provincial boundaries redrawn in 2025; check).
This page covers the park itself. Nearest base: Ninh Binh City.
Why go
- Close encounters with some of the rarest primates on earth at the rescue centre, including Delacour's langur, without disturbing wild groups.
- Tall primary forest with a signed trail to a 45 m tree more than a thousand years old.
- The butterfly season in April and May, when clouds of them fill the park road.
- An easy add-on to Ninh Bình, 45 minutes away.
When to go
- JanGo
- FebGo
- MarGo
- AprBest
- MayBest
- JunCaution
- JulCaution
- AugCaution
- SepCaution
- OctBest
- NovBest
- DecGo
- JanCool and grey; dry trails
- FebDrizzle; Tết crowds at weekends
- MarMild; forest flowering
- AprButterfly season starts; warm
- MayButterfly peak; first storms
- JunHot and wet; leeches
- JulRain; long treks muddy
- AugWettest; streams rise
- SepRain easing late
- OctDry, clear and mild
- NovDry and cool; best walking
- DecCold nights; quiet
Wildlife and nature calendar
| What | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Butterfly seasonApr–May · Peak usually late April to mid-May. | no | no | no | yes | yes | no | no | no | no | no | no | no |
| Rescue centre primates (captive)All year | yes | yes | yes | yes | yes | yes | yes | yes | yes | yes | yes | yes |
| Resident forest birds most activeOct–Mar | yes | yes | yes | no | no | no | no | no | no | yes | yes | yes |
| LeechesMay–Sep | no | no | no | no | yes | yes | yes | yes | yes | no | no | no |
Arrive & move
Getting in, how the park is divided, and where things are
How to get there
Zones and sectors
| Zone | What is there | Access |
|---|---|---|
| Gate area (Nho Quan) | Endangered Primate Rescue Center, Turtle Conservation Center, pangolin and carnivore rescue, museum. | Open; guided visits at set times. |
| Park centre (Bống) | 20 km inside: thousand-year-old tree, palace cave, bird trails, simple lodging. | Open; road and signed trails. |
| Deep forest and Mường villages | Khanh village, Mây Bạc peak and the western ridges. | Guided only. |
Sketch map
See & do
Caves, trails and wildlife, with how hard each is and whether it needs booking
Top experiences
Practical
Fees, permits, rules, where to sleep and what can go wrong
Entry fees and permits
| Item | Range | Per | Note |
|---|---|---|---|
| Park entry | ₫60,000 (≈ US$3) | person | Children and students pay less (check). |
| Rescue centres visit | ₫0–50,000 (≈ US$0–2) | person | Guided tour times are fixed; donations welcome (check). |
| Guide for the long forest or village trek | ₫500,000–1,000,000 (≈ US$20–40) | group | — |
| Bicycle or electric cart in the park | ₫50,000–300,000 (≈ US$2–12) | day | — |
Ranges, not quotes: fees change without notice. Check with the park or your operator · checked Sep 2026.
Park entry permit or guide
Long treks (Khanh village, Mây Bạc peak) permit or guide
Short signed trails in the centre no permit
Park rules
- Drones
- Not allowed without park permission (check).check
- Guides
- Required for long treks and village walks; short trails in the centre are self-guided.
- Camping
- Only at designated sites near the park centre; book at the gate.
- Rescue centres
- No flash photography and no feeding; follow the keeper's route.
- Plants and animals
- No collecting, and no buying of forest products at the roadside.
Where to stay
In the park
Park centre bungalows (Bống)
Simple rooms deep in the forest; quiet evenings and dawn birdsong.
In the park
Gate-area guesthouses
Rooms by the park headquarters near the rescue centres.
Near the park
Ninh Bình (Tam Cốc, city)
Most visitors sleep here and drive in for the day.
Safety
Slippery limestone and steps medium
Leeches in the wet months low
Getting lost on unmarked paths medium
Accessibility
- The rescue centres are on level paths and suit wheelchairs with help.
- The thousand-year-old tree trail has uneven stone steps; the cave has a steep stair.
Visiting lightly
- Visiting the rescue centres with a paid ticket or donation directly supports animal care.
- Hire park guides for treks; it keeps money in the villages around the park.
- Take rubbish back out; bins inside the park are few.
Questions people ask
Can I see the primates in the wild?
Very rarely. Wild langurs keep to the limestone cliffs. The rescue centre is the realistic way to see them, and the only way to see several species together.
Is one day enough?
For the rescue centres, the old tree and the cave, yes. Stay a night at the park centre if you want a dawn bird walk or the long village trek.
When exactly is the butterfly season?
Usually late April to mid-May, depending on the rains. It varies by a few weeks each year.
Deep dive
Every source; fees and rules change, so check before you go
Sources
- officialCúc Phương National Park
- officialEndangered Primate Rescue Center
- secondaryWikivoyage — Cuc Phuong National Park
- secondaryWikipedia — Cúc Phương National Park