The Nui Chua National Park in Ninh Thuan Province, recently recognized as a world biosphere reserve, retains a lot of its untouched, unspoiled nature.
The park in Ninh Hai District has over 20,000 hectares of thick forests and is considered Ninh Thuan Province’s green lung and a priority area for nature conservation in Vietnam.
Last year, UNESCO recognized the park as a global biosphere reserve.
Regular tourism services have not yet developed inside the park, so trekking through the ancient forests is a more authentic experience in the wild.
Situated at the height of 1,000 meters above sea level, the biosphere reserve is home to 765 animal species, with 46 on the Red List of the International Union for Conservation of Nature, including the red-shanked douc langurs.
A rock park in Thai An village covers an area of two hectares. First noticed by travelers in 2014, it remains a pleasant discovery for visitors who get here.
Given the park’s proximity to the coast, visitors must register their entry with the ranger station there.
A family of the Cham ethnic minority herds sheep near the park.
Ninh Thuan Province is known to have the driest weather in the country, with a short monsoon season between September and November. This weather makes it a good place for sheep farming.
Brought to Vietnam by the French over 100 years ago, sheep farming has thrived in the province with a head count estimated at 100,000, primarily in Ninh Phuoc, Bac Ai, and Thuan Bac districts.
Nui Chua also boasts the most famous coastal coral reef in Vietnam, with over 350 species and hundreds of marine creatures.
Another spectacular landscape on offer adjacent to the park is that of Rai Cave, a combination of ancient rock formations stacked atop each other to create countless small caves. The place gets its name because it is home to several species of otters (rai).
This is an excellent place to camp overnight and watches the sun rise over a stunning landscape.
The park overlooks Vinh Hy Bay, home to old fishing villages where residents make a living off seafood, with a new vocation that has emerged in recent years – homestay services.
Photos by Huynh Van Truyen, Nguyen Van Quang, Nguyen Van Hop
