Coming to Ca Mau, visitors can not miss exploring U Minh Ha National Park with many interesting activities. U Minh Ha Forest is an ideal eco-tourism destination that is very suitable for those who love to explore nature, take risks and want to learn about the wetland ecosystem. U Minh Ha National Park with an area of 8,527.8 ha was established on January 20, 2006. Located in the west of Ca Mau province, about 25km from Ca Mau city, it takes more than 30 minutes by car, visitors will come to U Minh Ha National Park.
By Thomas Vietnam at vemekong.com | Official Ca Mau Visitor Guide
1. Better to Know as a Tourist
Ticket: Service price: visit 10k / time, rent a boat to travel 150k / person / hour
Spend-time: One hour (approx)
Hours: Dawn – dusk
Food: Yes
Shop: Yes
Parking lot: Yes
Blog: https://vemekong.com/u-minh-ha-forest-national-park-ca-mau-vietnam/
Address: Within the administrative boundaries of 4 communes in 2 districts of Tran Van Thoi and U Minh, Ca Mau province.
Added values: The outstanding feature is the Melaleuca forest ecosystem formed in flooded, alkaline conditions, on peat soil, which is a typical tree of the Mekong Delta. On May 26, 2009, U Minh Ha National Park was recognized by UNESCO as one of the three core zones of the Cape Ca Mau World Biosphere Reserve.
Nearby attractions and hidden gems: Looking for places to stop on your way to and from U Minh Ha National Park? Or maybe you found it too crowded here? We’ve got some ideas! Check out our list: Ca Mau Cape – The South Pole of Vietnam (137 km), Ca Mau City Bird Garden (28km), Mui Ca Mau National Park (137 km), Thi Tuong Lagoon (82 km), Nam Can Mangrove Forest (67 km), Thien Lam Pagoda (35 km), Hon Da Bac Island (62 km)…
2. Travel Guide to U Minh Ha National Park.
The flora and fauna system here is extremely rich and diverse: there are nearly 250 plant species, 250 plant species, 182 bird species, 20 reptile and amphibian species, 40 mammal species and many other insect species. There are many species recorded in the Red Book of the International Union for Conservation of Nature.
Thanks to a stable and suitable ecological environment, birds and storks gather here to breed, live and develop in large numbers. These are species such as storks, mallard (chim le le), Oriental darter (chim điên điển phương Đông), black-crowned night heron (Vạc), watercock (gà nước), great egret, black cranes, cormorant… and many species of storks such as white storks, blue storks, red storks, incense storks and bats… including dozens of rare species of birds and animals recorded in the Red Book of the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN).
U Minh Ha forest also has abundant aquatic resources, in which there are many species of fish typical for the Mekong Delta region such as snakehead fish, strabismus (cá thác lác), yellow catfish… not only having biological value but also have high economic value. Recently, many rare wildlife species have appeared in U Minh Ha Melaleuca forest, the most notable of which is wild boar – a rare animal that has been “missing” for decades. The reappearance of many wild animals such as wild boars, small indian civet, cobras, iguanas, crocodiles… along with hundreds of existing animal species, enrich the flora and fauna system. animals of this forest.
During the two resistance wars against the French colonialists and the American empire, U Minh Ha Melaleuca forest was the revolutionary base of the whole South, having great significance in the history of the nation’s heroic struggle. U Minh Forest used to be the living and working place of many high-ranking Party leaders. In 1954, right after boarding the train to the North, Comrade Le Duan, (at that time a member of the Politburo, Secretary of the Southern Party Committee) secretly returned to U Minh forest to lead the southern revolution. Comrade Vo Van Kiet, when he was Secretary of the Bac Lieu Provincial Party Committee, was also a person who was closely related to U Minh Ha.
From the forest gate (Vo Doi hamlet, Tran Hoi commune, Tran Van Thoi district), the road is smooth and clean, leading visitors to run through the observation deck up to 24 meters high. Standing on the observatory to have a panoramic view, visitors can’t help but be surprised by the vast green color of the leaves, the forest seems to stretch endlessly and feel small in front of the vast nature.
3. What to Do –See – Eat at U Minh Ha National Park
Traveling to Ca Mau, coming to U Minh Ha Forest, you will have extremely interesting experiences because of the wild but extremely unique features that are not found anywhere else.
There is nothing more interesting than being on boats, following the canals, going deep into the forest through reeds, along with the immense fragrant melaleuca forests. However, this service is only open seasonally, if in the right season the water is up or it is too dry, this form of tourism will not work. To be sure, everyone should contact the management before traveling.
The deeper you go inside, the more you can feel the wild beauty of the forest, which is hundreds of years old. Floating on the river and water of Ca Mau, you will be able to see the extremely diverse flora and fauna, and hear the legends from the prehistoric times that colonized the southern land such as the story of Uncle Ba Phi. Along the rivers and creeks, visitors will encounter farmers letting go of fishing boats under the canopy of Melaleuca forest, watching the fresh aquatic species they have just caught.
Visitors can rent a canoe and find a vantage point in the woods to fish or cast their own nets. There are a lot of fish here, so it’s not difficult for visitors to have a basket full of fish after the fishing trip. If you’re lucky, you can also catch snakehead fish weighing around 1kg, or sometimes up to 2 or 3kg, because there are many natural fish here and are protected quite strictly. Or depending on the time, you can join the people in the forest to order shelter to catch eels, order to catch fish…, go to pick buds, tubs, lotuses, guns.
In particular, under the forest canopy, bees diligently suck honey from the pistils of Melaleuca flowers and bring it back to the hive, annually for large production. In the bee-eating season from December to June, visiting U Minh Ha forest will give you the opportunity to follow the woodworkers to the forest to collect honey, both an interesting experience and enjoying the young bees that have just been cut, dotted with a little bit of golden molasses, it is sweet to the tip of the tongue.
The bee guard profession of people in U Minh Ha forest (U Minh district and Tran Van Thoi district, Ca Mau province) has been recognized as a national intangible cultural heritage by the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism by the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism. in early 2020.
After the trip through the U Minh Ha forest, visitors will enjoy the specialties of the U Minh Ha forest, which are freshwater fish, brackish water fish, shrimp, eel, crab, etc. Coming here, everyone will have the opportunity to enjoy the real U Minh fish sauce hot pot, the eel cooked with the wild vegetables or the wild flavor of the cobra, onion and green bean porridge cooked in Ca Mau style. There are also many other delicious dishes such as grilled snakehead fish, water lilies dipped in salt and green chili peppers, anabas testudineus (Cá rô đồng) cooked in fish sauce hot pot, fried rice hamsters… Sipping with the rich flavor of the fruit wine – named the “forest wine” of U Minh Ha – will bring visitors to fully feel the wild but idyllic flavor of the real Mekong region.
4. Free Itineraries from VeMekong
As a local travel expert, we have some ideas for you to think about.
From Ca Mau city center:
Route 1:
Route 2:
Route 3:
If you do not have much time left, it is easy to check out spots in one full day by boat or with bike or with motorbike and car. But there are much more than tourist sites like these in Ca Mau. Make sure you have more time to feel and explore more about the hidden gems and the culture, food, night life, wildlife and forest as well. Top tip: Stay in a homestay nearby, so you have more chances to visit it and surroundings. If you are looking for the package Ca Mau daily tours with local, you can contact www.vemekong.com or Hotline/WhatsApp/WeChat/Zalo +84939888559; email: hello@vemekong.com
5. Google Maps of U Minh Ha National Park
Google Maps made a name for itself helping people travel from one place to another, avoid traffic (You probably know the route from your hotel to the gas station by heart, but what you can’t be sure about is gridlock), measure a distance, get back to the hotel on time, share the location…
6. Visit U Minh Ha National Park by yourself
Solo traveller? Travelling on your own means you will get out of any difficult situations by yourself. This, in turn, leads to more satisfying travel experiences and helps you improve your problem-solving skills. These days we rarely get the chance to sit with ourselves and simply be. That’s why you should consider the time you spend alone on your trip as a gift.
It is possible for solo travellers to use google maps and do it alone. But sometimes they need to update local maintained roads and bridges which close and lead you a longer road than the road from Google maps. It is just about the time. It takes more time to find the correct garden to come. Adventure is always fun. Wifi is strong in Ca Mau village! The locals find it hard to speak English as well. Top tip: Sticking to one canal and keeping going along it which gives you more things to see and avoids getting lost. Contact vemekong.com to hire a car, scooter with English-speaking-guide or cycling tours in Ca Mau.
7. Responsible Travel and Advice U Minh Ha National Park
Don’t get us wrong. But we assure you that you totally agree with us. “Do not give candy and things to the children when you plan to visit any local villages”, the kids will leave the school and follow the sweets and later they find some things to give you or sell to you. The garden is a little forest, don’t pick and touch the flowers or fruits without the local’s smiles. We deal with traveling green and leaving green behind, not plastic. Top tip: Vemekong.com is one of the companies that care a lot about responsible travel and local respectation.
8. Amazing Video flycam/drone of U Minh Ha National Park (4k)
If a picture says a thousand words, it stands to reason that the video says many times more.
9. Incredible Tips for Photography, Specialists, KOLs, Media and Influencers
To get the best of the best for your unique writing, featuring, photo, video and insider’s stories. We do recommend you to have a local travel expert, the one who always gets more ground information and makes sure every single element is solved perfectly. The Vemekong (very exclusive Mekong) team is your priority choice. Email and have a private talk with them to customize your journey smoothly, personal and the most ultimately amazing. You can contact www.vemekong.com or Hotline/WhatsApp/WeChat/Zalo +84939888559; email: hello@vemekong.com
10. Pro Tips
You can stay in a homestay which is near the riverside, this will help you out the best option. Then you can hire a scooter, car or bike and explore it by yourself. There are many local homestays in the mangrove forest near Ca Mau cape and near U Minh Ha forest. Both of these places are super green for staying and forget the world.
If you plan to extend your travel to Ca Mau homestay, do not forget to bring mosquito repellent cream.
Visit Ca Mau or do any customized tours, please choose reputable providers with boat trips equipped with lifebuoys, jackets, motorcycle and cycling tours with the helmets and. Safety is a priority! Choose Ca Mau responsible tours which help you give back while traveling. It’s a cliché, but it’s true.
Ca Mau food & drink guide ranges from street food, authentic, fancy to fusion foods. As a tropical land of many fresh vegetables and homegrown gardens, which always make Ca Mau cuisines fresh, close to nature and very traditional. If you are a food lover, don’t hesitate to put other bites onto your food lists such as Banh tam ga cay (Silkworm rice cake with curried chicken), grilled Vop clams with salt and pepper, grilled snakehead fish, grilled mudskipper fish, stone crab roast with salt, young bee salad, Ba Khia – A traditional food in Ca Mau, Ca Mau crab is a must-eat…
Bring your hat, sunglasses, and sunblock, scarf to wear when visiting temples, pagodas, and the cathedral.
Bring the raincoat if you’re planning a trip to Ca Mau in the rainy season, as Ca Mau always looks fantastic in the full rain and full sun.
Ca Mau tourist attractions are magnificent itself, but if you have enough time, don’t forget to put other places onto your bucket lists such as Ca Mau City Bird Garden, Ca Mau Cape – The South Pole of Vietnam, U Minh Ha National Park, Mui Ca Mau National Park, Monivongsa Bopharam Pagoda, Thien Lam Pagoda, Ca Mau Floating Market (totally no more), Cao Dai Temple In Ca Mau, Nam Can Mangrove Forest, Quan Am Ancient Temple, Memorial of President Ho Chi Minh, Watch the Sunrise and Sunset at Ca Mau Cape, U Minh Forest, Thi Tuong Lagoon, Khai Long Tourist Area, Hon Khoai Island, Hon Da Bac Island,
Hopefully, the above tips will help you to come up with a great plan for your adventure in Ca Mau province, Mekong Delta, Vietnam. Have a safe trip!
“Sleep less, travel more, respect more” – Thomas Vietnam – Local travel expert.
Thank you
