Cat Tien National Park

Cat Tien protects one of the largest surviving areas of lowland rainforest in southern Vietnam, on a bend of the Dong Nai river. A ferry crosses to the headquarters, and from there tracks and trails lead to huge buttressed trees, a wetland called Crocodile Lake reached by a long walk or jeep, and a network of forest roads used for night drives that pick up deer, civets and porcupines. Golden-cheeked gibbons live nearby and the usual way to experience them is a pre-dawn trip with a guide, in place before their morning calls. Birding is strong, with several species hard to find elsewhere. Almost everything is inside the park, so most visitors stay at least one night.

What you actually see

• Gibbon dawn trek - the pre-dawn walk out to hear golden-cheeked gibbons calling.
• Crocodile Lake - the wetland reached by a long forest walk, with Siamese crocodiles.
• Night drives - open vehicle runs along the forest roads spotting deer and civets.
• The giant trees - vast buttressed trees on the main loop trails near headquarters.

When to go

December to May is the dry season, with better trails and easier access to the lake; the rains from June to November bring mud, leeches and flooding on the lower paths. Gibbon treks and night drives run on fixed schedules and both need booking a day or more ahead. Weekends fill with groups up from Ho Chi Minh City.

Honest expectations

Wildlife sightings are limited: the rhinoceros is long gone, large mammals are effectively absent, and night drives often produce little beyond deer eyes in a spotlight. Trails are hot, humid and leech-ridden in the wet season. Park accommodation is basic and the canteen keeps fixed hours. Bike hire and jeep charges add up, and the four hour drive from the city is dull.

Nearby

The Dong Nai river and the Bau Sau wetland lie within the park, with Da Lat further northeast.