THE BEST OF SOUTHERN AND CENTRAL VIETNAM BIRDING
THE BEST OF SOUTHERN AND CENTRAL VIETNAM BIRDING
THE BEST OF SOUTHERN AND CENTRAL VIETNAM BIRDING
A total birding tour has been arranged for you to explore all special kinds of bird species from the Southern to the Central Coast of Vietnam. For the duration of 17 days, you will have chance to see the excellent variety of birds that you can hardly see elsewhere in other Asian countries.
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JOURNEY HIGHLIGHTS Completely spend time birding at most of the well-known birding sites in Southern and Central Vietnam Taking in the wonderful landscape offered by the World Heritage Sites Engaging deeper to the local culture and lifestyle |
TOUR INCLUSION
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Please contact us directly for the best price. Price is fully included: Accommodation (base on sharing 2 person/room), all transportation, all meals, bottled water, all entrance fees, domestic airfares, guide fees, all tips for local drivers/guides.
Itinerary
From the heart of Saigon, you will be transferred to the dense riverside jungle Can Gio. Here you will see how the Mekong Delta has such enchanting to visitors and its excellent ecosystem. This will give you a day off the grid to discover the peace and simplicities of life.
The mangrove forest is located nearby Ho Chi Minh City, which attracts several passerine species such as Yellow-vented Bulbul, Pied Fantail, Asian Paradise Flycatcher, Golden-bellied Gerygone. Kingfishers, Herons, Cormorants also common here.
You can easily catch sight of Spoon-billed Sandpiper has been seen here several times, and other species highlights are White-faced Plover, Nordmann's Greenshank, Red Knot, Red-necked Stint, Broad-billed Sandpiper here.
Overnight at Can Gio district.
Enter the Nam Cat Tien National Park in the early morning and there we shall begin to explore the fabulous reserve during the afternoon.
Check in and have lunch at Cat Tien Jungle Lodge with the stunning river view.
Take a 8-km-walking into the beauty of tropical forest to find out more about the diversity ecosystem and unspoiled wildlife.
You can freely ride a bike on small trails through the jungle or simply chill down in the glorious view.
Electric car will transfer you back to the center of the National Park for dinner. Then you will have a memorable night on the night jeep riding to Ta Lai buffer zone for animal spotting like Loris, Pangolins, Civets, …
Stay and relax at Cat Tien Jungle Lodge. (3 nights)
Enjoy breakfast in the forest with the lively sounds of bird singing and gibbon calling.
Our jeep driver will transfer you to the Crocodile Swap, which is the home to not only Siamese crocodiles but also a lot of rare birds in the World Red Book.
We will bird using jeep tracks and forest trails to seek out the endemic Germain’s Peackock-Pheasanr, other spectacular birds such as Siamese Fireback, Green Peafowl and Scaly-breasted Partridge, endemic Pittas, the endemic Grey-faced Tit-Babbler and a host of other species also known from Malaysia and Thailand.
*Birding highlight: Orange-necked Partridge, Germain's Peacock Pheasant, Siamese Fireback, Green Peafowl, Wreathed Hornbill, Blue-rumped and Bar-bellied Pittas, Pale-headed and Black-and-buff Woodpeckers, Black-and-red, Banded, Dusky Broadbills, Blyth’s Frogmouth, Grey-faced Tit Babbler.
We still have time left for some last morning birding at Cat Tien National Park before heading to Di Linh.
Nearby Di Linh Town is a forested mountain pass known as Suoi Lanh Pass, where you could catch sight of several Dalat specialities including Black hooded, White-cheeked, Orange-breasted laughingthrushes and the near-endemic Black-crowned Parrotbill.
Return to Di Linh and stay overnight at Bao Loc Homestay.
Visit Suoi Lanh Pass in the early morning to look for other interesting species that could include Blue Pitta, Indochinese Green Magpie, Spotted Forktail and handsome Green Cochoa.
It is also a perfect spot for Spotted Forktail, Blue Pitta, Black-hooded and Orange-breasted Laughingthrush, Black-crowned Parrotbill, Red-billed Scimitar Babbler, Indochinese Cuckooshrike, Annam Barbet.
Dalat - with its cool climate and mountainous terrain – is home to several of Vietnam’s endemic bird species as well as many distinctive local subspecies. We will start exploring some of the exciting birding sites around Dalat in the afternoon.
A full two days of birding includes visiting to Langbiang Plateau and Tuyen Lam Lake, a man-made lake outside the town.
With a progressively-steeper footpath, we will easily access the Langbiang peak with 2169m in height – surrounded with evergreen forest and variety of species.
Our goals in Dalat are Dalat Shrike-babbler, Vietnamese Greenfinch, Black-crowned Fulvetta, Orange-breasted & Collared laughingthrushes and Grey-crowned Crocias. Near endemics here include Grey-crowned Tit, Black-crowned Parrotbill, White-cheeked and Black-hooded laughingthrushes, and Vietnamese Cutia. Other target birds in this bird-rich area are the elusive Blue & Rusty-naped pittas, Indochinese Cuckooshrike, Slender-billed Oriole, Hume’s Treecreeper, Yellowbilled Nuthatch and a very distinctive race of Red Crossbill.
On the way heading from Dalat to Ban Me Thuot, we will stop over Lak Lake for some water birds and wintering warblers.
We will arrive in Yok Don in time for lunch before exploring the bank of the Srepok River and the dry deciduous forests.
The bird species here are hardly seen elsewhere in any regions of Vietnam. Grab your camera and take the precious moments Fulvous-breasted, Rufous-bellied & Black-headed woodpeckers, Alexandrine and Blossom-headed parakeets, White-rumped Pygmy-falcon, Rufous Treepie and near-endemic Mekong Wagtail.
Spend your night with the vibrant vibe of Buon Me Thuot city.
After birding Mekong Wagtail at Serepok River bank, we will head for the less-known site Mang Canh Forest.
Our main target for full day birding at Mang Canh is Chestnut-eared Laughingthrush but we will also be on the lookout for Black-hooded Laughingthrus, Pale-capped Pigeon, the endemic Ratchet-tailed Treepie and we have another chance for Yellow-billed Nuthatch as well as the first chance for Brown Hornbill.
Early morning birding in Mang Den before we drive to Ngoc Hoi Town in the late afternoon.
Ready to head up to Lo Xo Pass tomorrow morning for full day birding.
Recently, Lo Xo Pass has been getting fame for the site of seeing the endemic Black-crowned Barwing. Here, at the forest edge, you have a fortune of finding this valuable species and others including Brown Hornbill, Indochinese Wren-Babbler (formerly known as Short-tailed Scimitar-Babbler), White-winged Magpie, Red-tailed Laughingthrush and another chance for Yellow-billed Nuthatch.
Back to your hotel to have lunch and check out. Then we will set off to Bach Ma National Park.
Evening searching for Hodgson’s Frogmouth at Bach Ma National Park.
Overnight at Phong Lan Villa, which was built by the French 80 years ago for tourism purposes.
Enjoy dinner with mouthwatering BBQ grill in the chilly weather of Bach Ma.
Trekking and early morning birding at Bach Ma National Park, searching for the endemic Annam Partridge and near-endemic Indochinese Wren-babbler.
We will have our best chance for Indochinese Wren-Babbler, Chestnut-collared (Indochinese) Yuhina, Black-throated Laughingthrus, Rufous-throated Partridge.
You will continue the tour by exploring Bach Ma peak, which is 1450m above the sea level. After a short trekking, you will reach Hai Vong Dai– the highest peak of Bach Ma, to have a panoramic view of mountains, lagoons, Hai Van Pass, Chan May Port, …
Trekking along Five Lake Trail to reach Do Quyen Waterfall, which is the most beautiful trekking route in the Park. Just challenge yourself by passing more than 700 steps on foot to this majestic fall of the national park. We will have a forest guard to accompany and ensure your safety.
We will drive to Dong Ha City in Quang Tri Province in the late afternoon.
Overnight at Saigon – Dong Ha.
We will leave for Shamu Pass via Ho Chi Minh trail Western branch in the early morning. This spot is quite near Laos border, which is home to near-endemic Rufous-cheeked Laughingthrush, Indochinese Wren Babbler and Moustached Barbet.
In the afternoon, we will transfer you to Phong Nha – Ke Bang National Park.
Overnight and relax at Phong Nha Lake House.
Spend completely a full day here exploring the magnificent caves systems and outstanding scenery.
The main targets here are the Indochinese endemic Sooty Babbler, which lives on the limestone outcrops, and the recently-split Limestone Leaf-warbler. Red-collared Woodpecker and Northern Brown Hornbill are among the other specialities at Phong Nha as well as an endangered primate, the Ha Tinh Langur.
Morning searching for two endangered primates – Black and Ha Tinh Leaf Monkeys as well as the beautiful Red-shanked Duoc langur.
Transfer you to Dong Hoi Airport for your returning flight to Ho Chi Minh City.