Discover unique forest ecotourism in Dong Nai

Tourists take photos next to a heritage tree at Bu Gia Map National Park. Photo: Ngoc Lien

Coming to Dong Nai , visitors can experience forest ecosystems such as: tropical rainforest ecosystems, evergreen closed forests, semi-deciduous evergreen forests, bamboo forests... spread throughout the province including: Bu Gia Map National Park; Cat Tien National Park; Dong Nai Nature and Culture Reserve; Protective forests: Tan Phu, Long Thanh; Ba Ra Mountain, Chua Chan Mountain... Each destination is a memorable experience that holds visitors' feet.

Rich forest ecotourism products

Cat Tien National Park (Nam Cat Tien commune, Dong Nai province) is one of the famous national parks not only in the country but also in the world . Cat Tien National Park is known as the "home of wild animals" with more than 1,100 species of animals, reptiles and insects. This is a resting place for dozens of elephants and other wild animals. Among them are endangered, precious and rare animals listed in the World Red Book such as: yellow-cheeked gibbon, black bear, sun bear, gaur, elephant, black-shanked douc, muntjac...

Director of Cat Tien National Park Pham Xuan Thinh said: Cat Tien National Park is a destination for exploring forest ecology, with an area of over 82 thousand hectares. In recent times, Cat Tien National Park has been a favorite destination for tourists who want to experience the natural space as well as explore the biodiversity of the province, at the same time, aiming for responsible tourism to preserve natural and environmental values.

Dong Nai currently has thousands of industrial production enterprises. In the future, the field of attracting foreign direct investment (FDI) will continue to receive attention and development. The problem for Dong Nai today is to preserve the ecosystem to the maximum extent to "digest" all emissions from manufacturing companies. In addition to raising awareness of conservation, many scientists as well as provincial leaders are interested in balancing the province's carbon, which is one of the tools when the province attracts FDI in the coming time. Therefore, Cat Tien National Park will strive to develop tourism associated with strictly protecting biodiversity, promoting the values of the forest, ensuring the strong development of the local "smokeless industry".
Mr. PHAM XUAN THINH, Director of Cat Tien National Park

With the goal of developing sustainable tourism and responsible tourism, Cat Tien National Park always sends a message to tourists right from the moment they step into the park: do not litter, limit plastic waste, preserve the surrounding environment... Particularly, the staff of the park always uphold the spirit of preserving environmental hygiene, each person must always voluntarily pick up trash when they see it. With the above actions, Cat Tien National Park is highly appreciated by tourists for its environment as well as creating its own unique features.

Come to Bu Gia Map National Park, a place located in the North of Dong Nai province, in the area of 2 communes Bu Gia Map (over 88% of forest area) and Dak O commune. Bu Gia Map National Park has a total area of over 25 thousand hectares. This is also the main living area of the M'nong and Stieng ethnic groups (over 70%).

Director of Bu Gia Map National Park Vuong Duc Hoa said: In recent times, Bu Gia Map National Park has opened more tourist routes to explore forest resources, waterfalls, and natural landscapes typical of the transitional region from the Central Highlands to the Southern Delta. Coordinated with local authorities at all levels to restore the end point of the VK96 petroleum pipeline; restored and preserved traditional occupations, cuisine, and traditional costumes of the Stieng, M'nong and other ethnic groups in the area. At the same time, built typical tourism products, OCOP products for the locality...

According to Mr. Vuong Duc Hoa, in the coming time, Bu Gia Map National Park will coordinate with local authorities to organize tourism skills training courses for people (guiding, cooking, homestay, etc.). Community ecotourism activities developed in an environmentally friendly direction, green tourism, volunteer tourism with the active participation of people have opened up new livelihood opportunities, contributing to promoting the local image, preserving and promoting traditional cultural identity.

Developing international-class forest ecotourism products

With rich values of forest ecotourism resources, along with the potential of being a top province in the country in attracting foreign investment projects, having an abundant domestic and international tourist market; especially when Long Thanh International Airport comes into operation, it is expected to be a "launch pad" for Dong Nai tourism industry to "take off".

The Eco-tourism and Recreation Project of Tan Phu Protective Forest Management Board (Dinh Quan Commune) was approved by the Provincial People's Committee in early 2023, aiming to exploit tourism advantages, especially the Mai waterfall area with diverse natural landscapes and ecosystems, Bau Nuoc Soi has a year-round hot temperature of 500C-600C, which has the advantage of exploiting the resort tourism model and health care. This is the first forest eco-tourism development project of Dong Nai approved after many years of adjustment and amendment according to regulations. According to the above project, there are 13 points with 8 tourist routes formed in the Mai waterfall - Bau Nuoc Soi area. Of which, most of the tourist spots are located in Dinh Quan Commune and a small part in Tan Phu Commune. Currently, the project has an investor and is being implemented.

After the Tourism Development Project of Mai Waterfall - Bau Nuoc Soi area, at the end of 2023, the Provincial People's Committee continued to approve the Ecotourism, Resort and Entertainment Project of Dong Nai Nature - Culture Reserve, period 2021-2030 with a total estimated investment capital of nearly 1 trillion VND. This is the second tourism development project of the province, aiming to exploit the ecological values of forests combined with lakes, within the strategy of planning high-end tourist destinations.

In April 2025, Dong Nai province held the launching ceremony of the Chua Chan Mountain Ecotourism, Resort and Entertainment Project. The project has a scale of 107 hectares, with a total estimated investment of nearly 18 trillion VND. Chua Chan Mountain is 837m above sea level, considered the "roof" of Dong Nai province, the "second highest mountain" - the second highest mountain in the Southeast (after Ba Den Mountain, Tay Ninh province).

The Chua Chan Mountain Ecotourism Project is proposed with the goal of investing in the construction of works including: resort villas, adjacent commercial; entertainment, accommodation, and hotel service works; works serving tourist transportation in the form of cable cars and mountain railways; combined with parks, trees, and a synchronous technical infrastructure system to exploit the potential of climate and ecological landscape typical of Chua Chan Mountain.

Along with eco-tourism projects combining recreation, entertainment and relaxation, the destinations and tourist areas that have been formed in the province also follow green and sustainable development, contributing to the socio-economic development of the province.

Accordingly, a number of tourist routes are planned for development in the coming time, such as: the forest ecotourism experience route at Bu Gia Map National Park; the sightseeing, picnic and camping route at Bu Lach grassland; the entertainment, picnic and culinary area at Yen Son Ha Island Tourist Area, the Ba Ra Mountain discovery tour, along with the international tour being surveyed and built through the localities of Ho Chi Minh City - Dong Nai - Cambodia - Laos - Thailand... These will be ecotourism and discovery routes, making Dong Nai an attractive tourist destination in the near future.

Ngoc Lien

Source: https://baodongnai.com.vn/dong-nai-cuoi-tuan/202509/kham-pha-du-lich-sinh-thai-rung-doc-dao-o-dong-nai-aa82dd0/