The Ultimate Guide to Forest Tourism from A to Z

For forest tourism enthusiasts, summer is the perfect time to embark on an exciting journey. Not only can you experience adventure and adrenaline, but forest tourism also allows you to immerse yourself in nature, admire the beautiful, pristine, peaceful landscapes, and uncover mysteries. 

Let's explore Vietnam's famous forests with Mytour and learn some valuable insights from this type of tourism!

1. Explore Your Destination

To truly experience forest tourism, choose a pristine forest area to ensure the beauty of untouched nature and diverse flora and fauna. Prioritize researching the location, safety, and weather conditions of your chosen destination to mitigate risks during your trip. Inform your family and friends about the location, itinerary, and duration of your stay.

Once you've found a suitable forest area, select a camping site near rivers, streams, and at least 15km away from the nearest residential area. Additionally, hire a local guide familiar with the terrain to accompany your journey. They will help you avoid getting lost, find shortcuts, and communicate with local ethnic minorities.

2. Health Preparation

Good health is crucial for a successful trip. Therefore, ensure you are in good health and engage in regular exercise before embarking on your journey. Mountain climbing requires flexibility and endurance in your legs, so take extra care of your feet to prevent muscle tension and cramps while moving.

3. Travel in a Large Group

Traveling in a group helps prevent getting lost and enables mutual support when needed. When moving through dense forests, mark your path with simple signs to avoid retracing your steps. If there are obstacles on the trail, the person in front should notify those behind.

4. Forest Attire and Essential Gear

Wear loose, comfortable clothing when going to the forest. In summer, opt for a T-shirt underneath and a long-sleeved jacket on top to avoid scratches from forest thorns and prevent catching cold from sweat evaporation or forest winds. Additionally, equip yourself with a waterproof backpack with a waist strap for easy movement. A pair of soft fabric or rubber shoes with slip-resistant soles, along with a brimmed hat, are also essential.

In addition, essential items for a forest trip include: knife, axe, tent, sleeping bag, flashlight, spare batteries, camera, lighter, raincoat, mat, cooking pot. Important medical supplies and food: first aid kit and medication, insect repellent, mosquito repellent cream, bandages, drinking water, water purification tablets, canned food, instant noodles.

5. Dealing with Dangerous Situations

Accidents

Forest tourism always carries unforeseeable risks, requiring you and your team to stay calm and handle situations effectively. Falling into animal traps, encountering explosives, or encountering poachers are often the top threats. Keep a safe distance from poachers' camps and engage in minimal conversation before leaving if encountered.

On the other hand, when camping near rivers or streams, be cautious about bathing, washing, and avoid approaching the tops of waterfalls. In case of rain, move quickly to higher ground to avoid sudden floods.

Insect Bites and Stings

Insect bites are common in the forest, so be sure to bring insect repellent, mosquito repellent cream, ... Before entering the forest, spray mosquito repellent around your pants from the knees down to avoid insect bites. Apply hot wax around your socks to avoid being bitten. These are blood-sucking insects similar to ticks. If bitten, tear a piece of absorbent paper and cover the wound to stop bleeding.

In particular, there are many snakes in the forest, so crush garlic mixed with water and sprinkle it evenly around the resting area. If bitten by a snake, apply a tourniquet following medical instructions and descend the mountain quickly. In an emergency, you can make a small incision at the bite site and suck out the venom.

Getting Lost

If you get lost, staying calm is crucial to avoid losing direction due to panic. Then look for trails or follow the flow of water to return downstream. Additionally, you can light a fire to create smoke or make sounds to help others find you,...

If you get lost without food or water, you can eat wild fruits (types you are sure are not poisonous), drink dew collected from leaves, and absolutely avoid eating poisonous mushrooms with bright colors.

Experience in Eating, Drinking, and Sleeping in the Forest

Ensure food is cooked and water is boiled to protect health. Have a hearty breakfast to maintain the necessary energy for the day. For lunch, you can eat dry rations, snacks for convenient movement.

Bring bottled mineral water or some energy drinks, and avoid drinking water from rivers or streams (due to bacteria contamination). Along the way, drink ginseng tea (or mix with mineral water) for refreshment and health benefits.

When sleeping in the forest, place your sleeping area between rows of trees to prevent trees from falling on you during storms. Choose a flat, ventilated spot to lie down instead of rocky areas (especially at the foot of the mountain) to avoid accidental slips. It's best to build a fire while sleeping to keep warm and ward off wild animals. If using a hammock, avoid sharp objects or rocks underneath to prevent the hammock from tearing, which can be dangerous.

Famous Forest Tourism Destinations in Vietnam

1. Cuc Phuong Forest, Ninh Binh

Cuc Phuong Forest is located in Ninh Binh Province, over 120km from Hanoi, and is Vietnam's first national park. Visiting Cuc Phuong, you'll marvel at ancient trees that have stood for hundreds of years; rare species of animals, plants listed in the Red Book; and explore archaeological sites linked to prehistoric human life discovered around the forest.

Cuc Phuong is a renowned tourist destination and has been established quite early in Ninh Binh province, hence, it has plenty of restaurants, hotels for overnight stays. You can explore this famous national park through various forest trekking routes designed for tourists.

2. Nam Cat Tien Forest - Lam Dong, Dong Nai, Binh Phuoc

Nam Cat Tien Forest is a famous nature reserve in the Southeast region, also an ideal ecotourism destination for tourists. This area is known for its diverse ecosystem, home to 40 species listed in the World Red Book, most notably the one-horned rhinoceros.

About 50% of Cat Tien's area is green tree forest, 40% is bamboo forest, 10% is farms. A notable feature of its rich vegetation is the discovery of 62 orchid species here.

Visitors to Nam Cat Tien Forest should not miss the tour of Bau Sau Wetland System, the 2nd largest wetland area in Vietnam.

3. Tra Su Melaleuca Forest, An Giang

This is a typical flooded forest for the Western region of the Hau River, home to many species of animals and plants belonging to Vietnam's specialized forest system. With the magnificent beauty of nature and waterways, it has become a highly attractive tourist destination in An Giang province.

Tra Su Melaleuca Forest covers an area of ​​about 850 hectares, home to 140 plant species, 11 mammal species, and 23 fish species, including many rare species such as Indian herons, purple herons, crocodiles, snakehead fish, white catfish,... Especially, it offers breathtaking scenery with its water surface covered in a lush green color of floating water hyacinths. Boating on the vast water fields, listening to the birdsong, and experiencing the pristine nature up close will surely be an unforgettable travel experience.

4. U Minh Forest - Ca Mau, Kien Giang

U Minh Forest is divided by the Trem River into two regions: Upper U Minh (in Kien Giang province) and Lower U Minh (in Ca Mau province). Both forest areas are considered biosphere reserves, the green lungs of the Mekong Delta. The forest is home to 252 plant species, 24 mammal species, 185 bird species, many of which are listed in the Red Book.

Visiting U Minh Forest, you will navigate through the forest on long canals, marveling at the fascinating scenery amidst the towering melaleuca trees, admiring the endless mangrove forests, and occasionally encountering some romantic purple sim flowers. Additionally, you will experience the simple life of the Southern people and enjoy simple yet unforgettable dishes.

5. Yok Don Forest - Dak Nong, Dak Lak

Yok Don is considered the largest national park in Vietnam with a total area of 115,545 hectares, located in Dak Nong and Dak Lak provinces. It is also the only national park in Vietnam that preserves the dry deciduous forest ecosystem (sparse forest type, mainly consisting of the dipterocarp family, characterized by leaf shedding in the dry season).

Primary forests cover over 90% of the park's total area, providing an ideal habitat for numerous species of fauna and flora. Yok Don is home to 67 mammal species, 196 bird species, and approximately 100 insect species.

Tourists visiting Yok Don forest can ride elephants through the vast forests or cross the Serepok River with elephants.

Compilation
Image: Collection

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Reference: Mytour Travel Handbook