Established in 1962, this national park is one of Vietnam’s most important protected areas. Though wildlife has suffered a precipitous decline in Vietnam in recent decades, the park’s 222 sq km of primary tropical forest remains home to an amazing variety of animal and plant life: 336 species of bird, 135 species of mammal, 122 species of reptile, 2000 plant species and counting. The Endangered Primate Rescue Center is one of the main draws for visitors.
Getty Images/Lonely Planet Images
Cuc Phuong National Park
Ninh Binh Province
Lonely Planet's must-see attractions
13.3 MILES
Set amid glorious limestone pinnacles, this tranquil reserve comprises a reedy wetland that’s popular with birdwatchers. Among the bird species that have…
13.17 MILES
Rowboats bob along the Sao Khe River through limestone caves. It's a relaxing trip, but many caves have also been enlarged to accommodate boats. Boat…
25.45 MILES
This striking complex of pagodas and Buddhist shrines is built into the karst cliffs of Huong Tich Mountain (Mountain of the Fragrant Traces). Among the…
26.04 MILES
Built in 1892, the cathedral’s wooden interior has a vaulted ceiling supported by massive columns. Vietnamese-looking cherubs swarm above the granite…
14.26 MILES
Down a sleepy road between rice paddies, this cave (the name means 'Cave of Dance') is not terribly impressive, but there are panoramic views from the…
10.03 MILES
Chua Bai Dinh is a bombastic Buddhist complex, built on a vast scale, that rises up a hillside near Ninh Binh. Construction was completed in 2014, and it…
Endangered Primate Rescue Center
0.34 MILES
The Endangered Primate Rescue Center is supervised by the Frankfurt Zoological Society, and is home to around 180 primates (15 species in total),…
12.6 MILES
Yen Ngua Mountain provides a scenic backdrop for Hoa Lu’s two surviving temples, both spaces dominated by dark-red lacquered pillars. The first, Dinh Tien…
Nearby Ninh Binh Province attractions
1. Turtle Conservation Center (TCC)
0.31 MILES
The Turtle Conservation Center houses more than 600 terrestrial, semiaquatic and aquatic turtles representing 19 of Vietnam’s 25 native species. Many have…
2. Endangered Primate Rescue Center
0.34 MILES
The Endangered Primate Rescue Center is supervised by the Frankfurt Zoological Society, and is home to around 180 primates (15 species in total),…
10.03 MILES
Chua Bai Dinh is a bombastic Buddhist complex, built on a vast scale, that rises up a hillside near Ninh Binh. Construction was completed in 2014, and it…
12.6 MILES
Yen Ngua Mountain provides a scenic backdrop for Hoa Lu’s two surviving temples, both spaces dominated by dark-red lacquered pillars. The first, Dinh Tien…
13.17 MILES
Rowboats bob along the Sao Khe River through limestone caves. It's a relaxing trip, but many caves have also been enlarged to accommodate boats. Boat…
13.25 MILES
This charming sequence of cave temples is a couple of kilometres west of Ninh Hai village. The Lower Pagoda is located at the base, from which 100 steps…
13.3 MILES
Set amid glorious limestone pinnacles, this tranquil reserve comprises a reedy wetland that’s popular with birdwatchers. Among the bird species that have…
14.26 MILES
Down a sleepy road between rice paddies, this cave (the name means 'Cave of Dance') is not terribly impressive, but there are panoramic views from the…