The Pu Mat National Park - Nghe An Province

The Pu Mat National Park

The Pu Mat National Park is located in the southwest of Nghe An Province, about 130 km from Vinh City. Recently, plans have been made to turn this park into one of the province’s five main tourism areas. The other four comprise of Cua Lo Beach, Nam Dan, Quy Chau - Que Phong and Vinh City.
The park, formerly known as Pu Mat National Reserve, covers three districts - Anh Son, Con Cuong and Tuong Duong – with an area of over 91,000 hectares.
Pu Mat, home to diverse flora and fauna, has 896 flora species, 241 mammal species, 137 bird species, 25 reptiles and 15 amphibians. Many scientists also see Pu Mat as Vietnam’s great museum of animal gene pool.
Significantly, Pu Mat is one of Vietnam’s rare forests such as Quang Nam, Danang, Ha Tinh and Thua Thien-Hue where Sao la (long-horned bovid or scientific name Pseudoryx nghetinhensis) can be found. Sao la is one of the animals facing extinction, according to the World Conservation Union’s Red List of Endangered Species. A mature Sao la can weight up to 100 kg and groups of scientists, natural reserve managers and foreign experts are discussing ways to protect the animal.

Waterfall

Together with many unique animals, the primitive forest also has many beautiful landscapes. Among the favourite destinations are the 150-metre Kem Waterfall, Giang River and ethnic minority villages in the forest such as Thai, Tho, Dan Lai and H’Mong.
As such, Nghe An Service of Tourism is hoping to promote the park as the best ecological tourist destination in central Vietnam. The province will be preserved and the forest and surrounding areas developed to attract visitors, who come to Pu Mat for research or to experience adventure tours.
So far, the trekking tours, where travellers have an opportunity to explore the jungle and unique villages, are among the top choices for visitors of Pu Mat. These tours also allow visitors to speak to ethnic minorities and learn about their arts and culture, visit villages making brocades or tho cam and enjoy special food such as com lam (rice in bamboo cylinders).
Currently, Pu Mat welcomes over one thousand guests a year. Late last year, the provincial tourism service organised a familiarisation trip for photographers, guiding them to Dan Lai village, Kem Waterfall and rowing on the Giang River, so they can take beautiful photos of Pu Mat to promote to tourists.