Basic ecotouristic information on Ben En National Park (Vietnam) - localization, access, characteristic, fauna and flora, possible activities.
Localization
North Vietnam, about 46 kilometers southwest of Thanh Hoa City and about 210 km south of Hanoi
Access
Easy. Ben En is very close to the main road from Hanoi to Thanh Hoa, so it is quite convenient to travel.
Characteristic
147km2; Lowland to low hills national park with a 3,000 hectares lake Son Muc with 21 islets. Altitude ranges from 20 to 497m, with most areas being below 200m. Park has a sub-tropical climate. Winters are warm and dry, summers are hot and wet, and the heaviest rainfall occurs between the months of July and October. Impressive karst formations can be found close to northeast boundary of the national park. The forest has been damaged by human activity, principally logging, and is subject to extensive invasion by bamboo in some areas. Typical ecosystems: tropical semi-evergreen forest, karst biotopes including caves, freshwater ecosystems (streams, lake).,
Fauna + Flora
Species List - See the Attachment Below
(Species list may not be complete)
Possible activities
There are two easy forest trails available: one begins near the national park's guesthouse, while the other is located on one of the islands within the park.
Motor boat tours, kayaking, swimming, diving in a clear water of te lake, fishing.
Possibility of bathe in the stream flowing along Ngoc Cave.
Note
Best time to visit spring and autumn - anyway, no problem to visit any time.