The recognition was announced during the 18th ASEAN Ministerial Meeting on the Environment (AMME-18) in Langkawi, Malaysia.
With the latest additions, Vietnam now has 12 ASEAN Heritage Parks, each renowned for its ecological diversity, scenic beauty, and cultural significance.
Pù Mát National Park: A haven of biodiversity in Central Vietnam
Spanning nearly 95,000 hectares across the districts of Anh Sơn, Con Cuông, and former Tương Dương in Nghệ An province, Pù Mát National Park forms the core of the UNESCO-recognized Western Nghệ An Biosphere Reserve (designated in 2007).
The name “Pù Mát,” derived from the Thai language, means “high mountain peak,” with its highest summit reaching 1,841 meters. The park is home to 2,494 plant species and 1,746 animal species, many listed in Vietnam’s Red Data Book. Pù Mát was also the first place in Vietnam where the rare saola was discovered.
Tourist highlights include the 150-meter-high Khe Kèm Waterfall, often described as a “white silk ribbon” cascading through the forest, and serene boat trips along the Giăng River and Mọc Stream, surrounded by orchids and playful monkeys. The park’s landscape is further enriched by the cultural heritage of Thai, H’Mông, and Đan Lai ethnic communities, whose traditions bring vibrant life to the area.
Đồng Nai Nature and Culture Reserve: The ‘green lung’ of Southeastern Vietnam
Covering about 100,000 hectares, including 68,000 hectares of forest and 32,000 hectares of Trị An Lake, the Đồng Nai Nature and Culture Reserve serves as the core of a UNESCO-recognized biosphere reserve. Known as the “green lung” of southeastern Vietnam, it harbors 1,552 higher plant species and 1,817 animal species, including elephants, gaur, banteng, sun bears, and dholes.
The reserve also protects Vietnam’s last wild elephant herd and contains 43 species listed in the IUCN Red List and 36 in Vietnam’s Red Data Book. In addition to its rich biodiversity, the area holds three nationally recognized revolutionary relics: Suối Linh tunnels, the Southern Central Committee site, and the Eastern Nam Bộ Regional Committee base.
Xuân Thủy National Park: Vietnam’s first ramsar wetland
Located about 160 kilometers from Hanoi in Nam Định province, Xuân Thủy National Park covers more than 7,100 hectares and was recognized in 1988 as Vietnam’s first Ramsar site and the first in Southeast Asia. The park lies at the mouth of the Red River, serving as a vital stopover for tens of thousands of migratory birds.
Its ecosystem of tidal flats, mangrove forests, and sand dunes shelters rare waterbirds such as the spoon-billed stork, spot-billed pelican, and spoon-billed sandpiper. The park also supports abundant seafood resources that sustain local fishing communities and preserves the traditional culture of the Red River Delta with its craft villages and festivals. In 2004, UNESCO designated Xuân Thủy as the core zone of the Red River Delta Biosphere Reserve.
Sustainable tourism and regional significance
The recognition of these parks as ASEAN Heritage Parks enhances Vietnam’s regional conservation profile and underscores its commitment to sustainable tourism. Each site offers visitors opportunities to explore rich biodiversity, cultural traditions, and natural landscapes that embody the ecological wealth of Southeast Asia.
(Source: Vietnam+)