In the last days of the week when I can finally leave the crowded city, my favorite destination for relaxation is Bu Gia Map National Park, the only primeval forest left of Binh Phuoc Province.

Stepping into the forest, you will feel like you are in a fairy tale world. Sometimes quiet, sometimes lively, and also warm and mysterious.

Tourists who come here can be easily drowned in a sea of century-old trees that are high up to 40 – 50m. (Photo: ZingNews)

Bu Gia Map National Park is located in Bu Gia Map District, Binh Phuoc Province, which is around 210km from Ho Chi Minh City. Geographically, this Park belongs to the lowlands of Southern Vietnam. The West and North of the Park are bordered with Cambodia. The East and Northeast are bordered with Dak Nong Province.

I have traveled to many forests, trekking through Europe and America, but tropical forests in Southeast Asia (including Vietnam) always have their distinctive and unique charm that are impossible to resist. Bu Gia Map National Park attracts tourists who love nature with its crystal clear river streams, historical and pristine site.

Natural helps healing all our pain and sorrow. (Photo: ZingNews)

Especially, Bu Gia Map is also the home for many rare and endangered plants such as Afzelia xylocarpa, Dalbergia cochinchinensis, and Shorea guiso. Tourists who come here can be easily drowned in a sea of century-old trees that are high up to 40 – 50m.

I quietly watched the floating clouds on the deep blue sky, through the foliage of trees. Being in the wilderness will always give you a feeling of being nurtured, bringing you peace and joy at the same time. I also learned to use more of my senses to feel and absorve the attractiveness of the nature world.

When you walk through the primeval forest, remember to breathe in the fresh atmosphere. It will help you feel more relaxed and your mind becomes more peaceful.

There recorded 628 species of plants in the Park (Anon. 1997), and the globally endangered species could be Afzelia xylocarpa, Dalbergia cochinchinensis, and Shorea guiso. (Photo: ZingNews)

The habitat of this tropical forest is diverse. There are several herbs and plants that had been used for making medicines, or served in daily activities. The streams in the forest are filtered naturally through layers of soils, forest trees and rocks. With a low mountainous terrain, the trails through the forest are fairly easy to walk on.

I can smell the moist and the pungent smell of the tree leaves rotting, and slowly blending into the forest soil. The deeper you go into the forest, the more excited and curious you will become.

When you walk through the primeval forest, remember to breathe in the fresh atmosphere. It will help you feel more relaxed and your mind becomes more peaceful. (Photo: ZingNews)

You can loose yourself in the wonderful of nature, listening to the roaring sound of water falls and the streams running, the birds chirping will put your mind and soul at peace.

Not only able to enjoy the majestic natural beauty, I also had a chance to learn about the curinary and traditional dishes of S’tieng and M’nong minority people.

Around 4-hour drive from Ho Chi Minh City, Bu Gia Map National Park remains green, fresh, historical, and beautiful to attract tourists who love ecotourism and nature-friendly activities. Know that this Site has the historical values as it was a resistance base during the Second Indochina War. Also, it protects part of the watershed of the Dong Nai River.

More attractively, Bu Gia Map National Park in Binh Phuoc is ideal for ecotourism. The picturesque sightseeing spots are Hoa Mai pond, the orchid gardens, Dak Mai Waterfall, Luu Ly Waterfall, the bat caves, the historical remnants, etc. In general, the best time to discover Bu Gia Map is between November and April when it is the dry season and feasible for trekking. For tours in the National Park, you have to contact the Management Board in advance. They will arrange a tour guide who takes you around the Park and give valuable information. Trekking Bu Gia Map National Park, you cross the cool streams and primitive forest to enjoy the fresh, stress-free, and fascinating atmosphere.

Cơm lam was originated when mountain people, such as the Thay people, would prepare for long journeys by pressing wet rice, with added salt, into bamboo tubes, and cooking.Cơm lam is also served in Central Highlands food stalls with chicken. (Photo: ZingNews)

Chau Polly