Possessing a diverse ecosystem with many rare flora and fauna species, Cat Tien has been recognized by UNESCO as the "World Biosphere Reserve". The attraction of this place lies not only in the title, but also in a series of rich exploration activities, harmoniously combining physical exercise and in-depth experiences.
In the early days of the year, Cat Tien puts on its quiet beauty, an ideal time to enjoy the fresh air of the old forest. Visitors can choose to stay right at the facilities of the national park (NP) or buffer zone homestays. For those who want to touch the "heart" of the forest, a night at Bau Sau - a reserve for rare freshwater crocodiles - will surely bring different emotions. To get here, visitors need to travel 9km by bicycle or specialized car, then walk through the forest for another 5km.
To facilitate travel as well as have time for more activities, I chose to stay outside the National Park, to save the Bau Sau experience for a visit. The entrance ticket to Cat Tien National Park is 60,000 VND, including the cost of ferry for tourists crossing the Dong Nai River. I see a bridge taking shape, more convenient for tourists to Cat Tien in the future.
The center of Cat Tien NP is the information area, service area for tourists and auxiliary facilities for NP activities. I spent some time reading information about Cat Tien NP before renting a bicycle to start the journey. The price of renting a bicycle for a whole day of 8 hours is 150,000 VND (100,000 VND for 4 hours). You can choose to use a specialized car to transport tourists if the time is tight. Most tourists will spend a leisurely day to travel the entire main route of Cat Tien NP.
The beginning of the year is the dry season, tourists will not see many streams flowing through the forest or experience cycling through spillways. In return, visiting Cat Tien National Park this season will enjoy a clear blue sky, cool and chilly air in the early morning, and do not have to worry much about insects, mosquitoes, leeches...
Cat Tien National Park branch center to both sides, suitable for arranging morning and afternoon time. We chose to take the right-hand road, going straight towards Ta Lai. The difference in habitat of the two roads is an interesting thing. Going towards Ta Lai field, we passed through many sparse forest sections, grasslands and bushes. Visitors can stop to visit the bear conservation area at Cat Tien National Park. I went on the day the bear conservation area closed, so I did not have the opportunity to visit.
The road on the right is sparsely populated with tourists because there are not many key attractions of Cat Tien. But also because of this, this route is suitable for tourists who like to cycle in a quiet setting with good road quality. We reached the edge of the forest and accidentally discovered a very beautiful sign with the name Cat Tien National Park. The forest ranger opened the door for us to pass through the famous Ta Lai field. Normally, you will have to go around outside the National Park to get here.
At noon, we returned to the NQG center and had lunch. There are not many dining establishments in the NQG, so you need to prepare food yourself, or order food in advance with the management board. From the NQG center, we went to the left - the road leading straight to Bau Sau. The road on the left is characterized by a tropical forest ecosystem with famous destinations including: 400-year-old Tung tree - Ben Cu rapids - Bac Dong knocking tree - Loc giao banyan tree - Skyfall - Bang Lang Da Co forest - Hundred-trunk banyan tree lake.
To go to all the above locations, you also need at least 4 hours of cycling. We skipped Hundred-Trunk Siamese Oak Lake because time does not allow it. If you have plenty of time, spending a few hours wandering around Ben Cu rapids or extra time walking in the forest is also a reasonable choice. Spending 8 hours in Cat Tien National Park, my stopwatch has reached the threshold of 20 kilometers by bicycle and a few kilometers by foot.
When returning my bicycle to the National Park center, I discovered a tour to Tien Island - the primate rescue center in Cat Tien. Information at the National Park said that this Tien Island tour starts at 8:30 am and lasts 2 hours with a ticket price of 100,000 VND/adult for Vietnamese tourists. There are only 2 weekend days, so I missed the above tour.
If you want to fully experience Cat Tien National Park, the 3-day - 2-night period will be reasonable for tourists. You can spend the afternoon and first night at Bau Sau, enjoying a day of temporary rest.
leave the city life deep in the old forest, then return to the National Park at noon the next day. Monday afternoon is suitable for cycling activities, then participate in a nightlife tour - one of the unique Safari experiences in Vietnam. Tuesday morning, visitors can take advantage of visiting Tien Island, Bear Rescue Area, exploring Ta Lai fields... before getting on the bus back to the city.
For me, Cat Tien experience is not just a check-in activity from place to place. I like cycling leisurely in the forest, not rushing to be on time. Cat Tien is both a national park suitable for exploring and learning about nature, and a place to "hide" on weekends for us to temporarily put aside the hustle and bustle of urban life.
Some unfinished locations, areas that have not had the opportunity to visit, are like a "promise" for me to return to Cat Tien in the future. And I believe, Cat Tien deserves to be a place for tourists to return many times, immerse themselves in nature, and feel the beauty of Vietnamese forests.
