U Minh Thuong National Park

U Minh Thuong protects around eight thousand hectares of peat swamp forest - melaleuca growing on a layer of peat several metres deep, a habitat that once covered a large part of the western delta and is now down to two fragments, this and U Minh Ha in Ca Mau. It was added to the Ramsar list in 2015. The management problem is fire: dried peat burns underground and is very hard to put out, and a major fire in 2002 destroyed a substantial share of the park, so water levels are now held deliberately high. Boats run through channels cut in the forest, and the birdlife includes several threatened waterbirds.

What you'll find

• Peat swamp forest - melaleuca on peat several metres deep.
• One of two fragments left - with U Minh Ha in Ca Mau.
• Water held high on purpose - to stop the peat burning.
• Boat channels through the trees - the way into the forest.

When to go

December to May, the dry season, though fire risk is highest then. A full day.

Things to know

Sectors close in high fire risk conditions. Boat trips follow fixed channels. Mosquitoes are severe. Bird sightings need patience and binoculars. Facilities are basic.

Nearby

Rach Gia is north-west; U Minh Ha is south in Ca Mau.

Key facts