Travel to Cuc Phuong
By motorbike:
If you travel by motorbike to Cuc Phuong, you could drive along 1A Highway to Gian Khau crossroad ( Gia Vien District, about 10 km from Ninh Binh city). Continue on Highway no.12 for about 35 km, you will reach the gate of the forest. From the gate, if you want to explore the park further, take another 20km drive to the center of the park where you can venture into the lush area with a breathtaking trekking.
By coach:
From Giap Bat Station, get on the coach “Nho Quan- Me” which will take you to Nho Quan Station. (the ticket fare is from 80.000 – 100.000 VND per one). From here, you could take a bus to Cuc Phuong (around 10 km)
What to Do in Cuc Phuong?
The ticket for sightseeing in Cuc Phuong National Park is 40.000 VND. The entire forest is a different world with some main attractions you should not miss.
Prehistoric Cave
This is one of the most famous spots in Cuc Phuong National Park, about 10km from the gate of the park. The way to the cave is truly beautiful surrounded by lush trees and large rocks. The cave features a vault at 45 meter high which looks like the mouth of a giant dragon. The area of the space inside the cave is about 30 square meters with a quite flat surface. Upon reaching the cave, you will be amazed by the wild beauty of the cave. Especially, when you travel to the park in summer, this will be an ideal stopover by the coolness and tranquility spreading over the cave. In the cave, there are many stalactites that when you tap on, there will be a sound like the sound of gongs of Muong people. It is really fantasting.
Thousand - Year - Old Tree and Son Cung Cave
From the gate of the park, continue driving for 20 km to reach the center of Cuc Phuong National Park. From here, you will start your 6 km trekking to explore the wildlife of the forest. After around 2 hour trekking, you will bump into a thousand-year-old tree. Its trunk is over 60 meter high with three branches and winding roots which look like giant pythons.
Along the way, you also have the chance to explore Son Cung Cave located on your right side. There are a lot of sparkling stalactites inside the cave.
Cuc Phuong Endangered Primate Rescue Center
Cuc Phuong National Park is not only famous for its diverse flora but also home to wild and endangered animals. The Primate Rescue Center in Cuc Phuong is a typical one where nature lovers can observe the habit, characteristics of each primate and collect useful knowledge.
Best Time to Visit
The period from December to April (dry season) is considered the best time to visit the park because at this time the weather is pleasant and cool, dramatic forest rainfalls have passed.
You should not visit during the rainy season because of the wet weather at this time, mosquitoes, and road conditions.
What to Bring
• Bring hiking shoes for slippery trails, mosquitoes spray, bottle of water
• Applying plenty of bug-repellent
Some Notes:
If you want to stay overnight in the park, you should contact in advance because there are not many guesthouses. If there is anything you would like to eat, you should also book early so that chefs could serve better because the market is quite far from here. The average cost for a meal is about 150.000 VND for one per meal.
