Nui Chua National Park was designated the Nui Chua Nature Reserve by UNESCO in 2021. Notably, the Nui Chua Nature Reserve attracts special attention not only from tourists but also from researchers because it is the only reserve in Vietnam that combines forest, marine, and semi-desert elements, creating a unique, rich, and diverse ecosystem with many rare and endemic animal and plant species both on land and in the sea. Furthermore, Nui Chua is an area with outstanding tangible and intangible cultural values of indigenous ethnic communities, attracting many tourists to visit and study it.
Overview of Nui Chua National Park
Nui Chua (Vietnamese: Núi Chúa) National Park is situated on a wide, mountainous promontory that projects into the South China Sea between Cam Ranh and Phan Rang bays, with a total area of over 106,646 hectares. It encompasses forests, semi-deserts, and seas, with unique and rare arid characteristics typical of Vietnam and Southeast Asia.
This area is considered to have one of the harshest climates in Vietnam, with low rainfall and hot weather year-round. This particular climate has created a unique ecosystem of flora and fauna, including many drought- and heat-tolerant plant species. Therefore, the Nui Chua National Park is considered a one-of-a-kind “thorny meadow” in Vietnam.
Beyond the forests, the marine flora and fauna here are also very rich thanks to its 40 km of coastline. It is home to a large population of sea turtles that regularly come ashore to lay eggs each year, as well as to the country’s largest coral reef, with 350 species. Furthermore, the Nui Chua National Park is famous for having many of the most beautiful and pristine beaches in Central Vietnam, such as Binh Tien, Nuoc Ngọt, Chuoi Beach, Thung Beach, and Kenh Beach, with their winding sand dunes clinging to the foothills, creating a stunning natural landscape of blue sea, white sand, and golden sunshine.
According to research results, the Nui Chua National Park currently has 1,514 plant species, of which 54 are listed in the Vietnam Red Book and the IUCN Red List. The fauna is also diverse, with 766 species, including 48 rare species listed in the Vietnam Red Book and the IUCN Red List. In particular, the area is home to many rare animal species of international importance that are strictly conserved, such as the black-shanked douc, pygmy loris, Asian black bear, sun bear, large-antlered muntjac, and siamese fireback. It is reported to have the highest known population of black-shanked douc in Vietnam.
black-shanked douc in Nui Chua
The area surrounding the buffer zone of the reserve is also home to indigenous ethnic groups such as the Raglay, Cham, and Chinese. They have long resided there, possessing rich and diverse cultural identities and earning their living through various occupations such as salt production, onion and garlic cultivation, animal husbandry, and the making of traditional musical instruments, thus forming a unique community within the region.
Nui Chua National Park – Impressive Destination
Immediately after being recognized by UNESCO, Khanh Hoa province quickly strengthened and promoted information dissemination about the biosphere reserve and established a Management Board to create the best conditions for managing and developing the Nui Chua National Park into an attractive local destination, in line with sustainable conservation of biodiversity values.
photo source: collected
Accordingly, Khanh Hoa is promoting the comprehensive implementation of measures to protect and restore forest and marine ecosystems, and is conducting numerous research projects and surveys to supplement the list of newly identified plant and animal species. Alongside the conservation and development of natural resources, the province also focuses on promoting tourism in the Nui Chua National Park area by diversifying tourism offerings to create an attractive environment for visitors. These include key tourism types such as community-based ecotourism, nature conservation tourism, and other similar tourism activities.
For community-based ecotourism, visitors to the Nui Chua National Park will have memorable experiences by engaging with the cultural activities, customs, and ways of life of indigenous ethnic communities such as the Raglay, Cham, and Chinese. Here, visitors will immerse themselves in a simple life close to nature, try their hand at handicrafts, and enjoy products made from local forest fruits…
diving in Nui Chua National Park
Nature conservation tours primarily target students and nature lovers, offering educational and experiential content. Visitors will learn about marine conservation work in the National Park and marine rescue operations. In addition, visitors can participate in activities such as salt-making, onion and garlic cultivation, and other daily tasks to experience local residents’ lives. Another type of tourism attracting many visitors is experiential tourism, through exciting activities such as hiking to the summit of Mount Chua, over 1,000m high, camping overnight in the National Park, or immersing oneself in the life of local people. Visitors participating in these experiential tours will be guided and supported by local guides throughout their journey exploring this pristine area, making it very enjoyable.
Trekking in the park
Especially, in the reserve, visitors will have the opportunity to discover beautiful, pristine beaches, immerse themselves in the clear blue sea, and go snorkeling to admire the shimmering, colorful coral reefs.
The Nui Chua National Park is also blessed by nature with a stunning location: Hang Rai, with its majestic and unique landscape. Hang Rai is considered a natural wonder, a “waterfall on the sea”. Over thousands of years of geological formation, Hang Rai was formed from ancient coral reefs that have calcified, creating a magnificent two-tiered rock formation with many unique and unusual shapes. The waves crashing onto the rocks and then receding create the image of a cascading waterfall on the sea’s surface, leaving visitors mesmerized by nature’s beauty.
Hang Rai
The UNESCO recognition of the Nui Chua Nature Reserve is a driving force for Khanh Hoa to invest in the conservation and development of this natural treasure, giving the world another unique and potentially rich biosphere reserve and providing tourists with another impressive destination.
Source: collected by An
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