The Prime Minister in January, 2002, decided to convert the Upper U Minh nature reserve and historical relic site into the Upper U Minh National Park. This is to preserve the only mangrove ecology on peat soil in Vietnam.
The national park has a function of preserving the mangrove ecology on the peat soil and its biodiversity, and the historical relic sites during the anti-French and anti-US resistance wars. It serves as a place for research and sightseeing, as well as entertainment for people, thus making a contribution to maintaining ecological balance, increasing forest coverage, and protecting the environment for a sustainable development of the Mekong delta.
Within the mangrove forest ecology in the Mekong delta, only the flora system in the Upper U Minh National Park has primitive forest features on a total of 4,000 hectares. At present, the national park is home to 250 plant species, many of which, such as rhapis, have been named in the Red Book. The park is the habitat of 24 animal species, ten of which have been listed in the Red Book, hair-nosed otter (Lutra sumatrana) and the water-cat (Prionailurus viverinus) and Java manis. Scientists have found 185 bird species within 39 families and 12 sets at the park, accounting for 16.6 per cent of 828 bird species found in Vietnam.
By late October, 2004, the Upper U Minh National Park, had 1,850 hectares of secondary forest developing on peat soil, equal to 74 per cent of forest destroyed by the 2002 forest fire. Also, the national park has planted 650 more hectares of protective forest and 640 more hectares with capital funded by CARE. In 2004, the national park received most visitors, around 780 people.
At present, the national park has developed five tours to the primitive forest on peat soil, the secondary cajeput forest, bird and bat sanctuary, lagoons, habitats of monkey and otters.
The park provides a great place to relax, and visitors should come to the Upper U Minh National Park to enjoy priceless moments with nature in a beautiful, peaceful reserve.
Some major tours in Kien Giang:
Rach Gia-Phu Quoc-Rach Gia (three days and two nights ): Visiting Hung Long Pagoda, Tranh spring, Ham Ninh fishing village in southeast of the island, which is famous for the specialities of snails, crabs and cuttlefish; visiting the bordered sea between Vietnam and Cambodia in Ganh Dau commune, the temple of patriotic Nguyen Trung Truc, the Tuong pepper garden, Bai Sao beach in the south of island; visiting the Cay Dua prison, fish sauce producing establishments and the An Thoi port market.
Visiting Hung Long Pagoda, Tranh spring, Ham Ninh fishing village in southeast of the island, which is famous for the specialities of snails, crabs and cuttlefish; visiting the bordered sea between Vietnam and Cambodia in Ganh Dau commune, the temple of patriotic Nguyen Trung Truc, the Tuong pepper garden, Bai Sao beach in the south of island; visiting the Cay Dua prison, fish sauce producing establishments and the An Thoi port market.
Phuong Thao
Vietnamese
