Cuc Phuong is the oldest national park in Vietnam. It covers a wide area of 222 square kilometers near Ninh Binh and is the true jungle with wild animals, deep caves, routes for hiking and bike rides.

The territory of Cuc Phuong was turned into a forest reserve in 1960. A couple of years later, the president of Vietnam, Ho Chi Minh, gave it the honorary title of the first national park of the country. Today, Cuc Phuong is a bright example of how much effort the state invested in nature conservation and preservation of its attractions. Moreover, since the day of its foundation, it has been one of the most accessible parks.

The basis of the great tropical landscape and the rich ecosystem of Cuc Phuong are two big mountain ranges. Thanks to that, travelers who walk across the park can see lots of fabulous valleys, karst caves which they can explore on their own. Thus, in the cave of Nguoi Xua, archeologists and lovers of speleology will find ancient tombs and remains of stone tools attributed to the New Stone Age.

Cuc Phuong is home to a wide variety of flora and fauna. In this place, there are the whole sites of a primordial forest with the oldest trees and vines, as well as plants that were transported from India, Malaysia and Myanmar. These plants are unique for Vietnam.

As for fauna, the park is home to lots of species of mammals, birds, reptiles, amphibians, fish and insects. Most of them pose no danger to people. Unfortunately, part of the local fauna is on the verge of extinction and is included in the Red List of Threatened Species of Vietnam.

The most pleasant impressions that tourists get in the national park of Cuc Phuong come from meeting local animals. Most probably, you will see curious monkeys and funny gibbons. Get ready to meet an endangered species of Francois' leaf monkey – that will be a true gift!

Apart from a significant natural value, Cuc Phuong National Park keeps a great cultural and historical heritage. Previously, its territory was home to the Muong people – one of the most ancient peoples of Vietnam. Today, among high cliffs and thick forests you can still see their traditional houses, which stand on piles. Besides, valuable archeological discoveries were made in the park grottoes. For example, fossils of marine reptiles, which age is 200-230 million years. A more impressive discovery is the remains of prehistoric men whose age is approx 7-12 thousand years.