Cuc Phuong National Park, Vietnam's first (1962)
Cuc Phuong National Park was founded in 1962 and was Vietnam's first national park. It is the biggest of three nature stops around Ninh Binh, along with the Van Long wetland reserve and the Thung Nham bird park. They cover forest walks, a rescue centre for endangered primates, a boat ride through a wetland and a garden where birds roost.
We cover all three on one page because they fit the same kind of day, mostly outdoors. If you want to hike, Cuc Phuong is where a forest trek with a guide makes most sense. Each place has its own ticket, so keep the fee list below in mind when you compare prices.
Our picks: Cuc Phuong and Van Long tours
The nine-hour jungle hike is for going deep into Cuc Phuong, the bear sanctuary tour pairs it with the national park, and the Van Long tour is a shorter half day on a bamboo sampan. Park tickets often depend on the option you choose.
Hand-picked tours, booked through GetYourGuide. Prices are indicative starting prices in US dollars (as of October 2026). Tap a tour for live availability and the current price in your currency.
Cuc Phuong jungle hike with a primate rescue centre visit
- Endangered Primate Rescue Center visit
- Trek to Ancient Human Cave
- 1,000-year-old tree
Park entrance and lunch inside the park are paid on site. About nine hours with a local guide and round-trip transport.
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Bear sanctuary and Cuc Phuong National Park day trek
- Ticket to Cuc Phuong National Park
- Ticket to Bear Sanctuary Skywalk
- Live English-speaking guide
Tickets depend on the option you choose. Rescue-centre tickets are included from 1 November 2026; until 31 October 2026 they cost 160,000 VND extra. Groups of four or more get a private car.
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Van Long wetland reserve and bear sanctuary tour
- Van Long Nature Reserve
- Boat tour on traditional bamboo sampan
- Rescued Moon and Sun bears
About 5 to 6 hours, with entrance tickets depending on the option. Seeing Delacour's langur is not guaranteed. Groups of four or more get a private car.
Check availability →Cuc Phuong, Van Long and nature tours
Forest treks, wetland boat rides and day trips from Ninh Binh, Tam Coc and Trang An, with live prices and availability.
Fees 2026
Park entry and the primate programme are separate.
The price list updated on 27.02.2026 gives Cuc Phuong park entry as 60,000 VND for adults, 20,000 VND for students and 10,000 VND for school children. The primate protection programme is charged on top: 80,000 VND for adults and 30,000 VND for students and children. These are two separate positions, so a park ticket alone does not mean you can enter every rescue centre or ride every transfer. Ask at the ticket desk what your ticket covers.
Van Long costs 100,000 VND for adults and 50,000 VND for children on the same list. Thung Nham announced new fares from 01.04.2026: 250,000 VND for adults, up from 150,000 VND, and 150,000 VND for children between 1 m and 1.29 m, up from 100,000 VND. From 1.3 m the adult fare applies and children under 1 m go free.
Endangered Primate Rescue Center
Inside Cuc Phuong.
The Endangered Primate Rescue Center lies within the national park. Guided visits can be arranged through the centre's own tourism office, and private visits are coordinated separately by the centre. Contact them ahead and ask about hours and prices at the same time. A guided tour listing includes the centre as part of a forest day.
Van Long wetland and Delacour's langurs
Boat through a wetland of isolated limestone hills.
Van Long is a wetland reserve with isolated limestone hills. It is a habitat of the Delacour's langur. The tourism office describes a boat ride through the wetland, and the usual way to see it is by traditional sampan. Sightings of langurs are not guaranteed, so see the boat ride as the main reason to go and the animals as a bonus.
Adults pay 100,000 VND and children 50,000 VND. The list does not name a separate boat fee, so ask what the ticket includes before you buy. For more on the nearby caves and rivers, see our things to do in Ninh Binh guide.
Thung Nham bird park
Birds, gardens and boat rides.
Thung Nham is run as a visitor park with a bird garden and several boat rides. The operator's tariff from 01.04.2026 lists entry, boat rides to the bird garden and other visitor areas. Do not plan around a fixed time of day or a promised bird species.
Hang But, Dong Tien Ca and forest stays: ask first
Programmes paused after the August storms.
A notice dated 23.08.2026 said that Hang But and Dong Tien Ca at Thung Nham, and overnight forest stays in Cuc Phuong, were paused from 21.08.2026 after storms and floods. That applies to those programmes, not to the whole park or the primate centre. Ask for the current status before you build a day around any of them, and have a second plan ready.
Hiking and nature tours from Ninh Binh
Three tours with different focus.
Forest day trek
A guided trek in Cuc Phuong goes to the Ancient Human Cave and a 1,000-year-old tree, with a visit to the primate centre and a pick-up in Ninh Binh City, Tam Coc or Trang An. Park entry and lunch are paid on site. The trip runs about nine hours.
Trek with tickets by option
Another day trek lists tickets for the park and other sites depending on the option you choose, a live guide and water. Lunch is extra, and a private car is offered for groups of four or more.
Van Long by sampan
A shorter tour of five to six hours covers Van Long by traditional sampan, with tickets depending on the option and pick-up in the city, Tam Coc, Trang An or Bai Dinh. Langurs are possible, not promised.
To combine these with other sights, use our Ninh Binh itinerary. For the road in, see getting there.
Frequently asked questions
How much is Cuc Phuong National Park?
The price list updated on 27.02.2026 gives 60,000 VND for adults, with the primate programme at 80,000 VND on top.
Will I see langurs at Van Long?
They live in the reserve, but sightings are not guaranteed. Go for the boat ride and treat any sighting as a bonus.
Is Thung Nham worth a stop?
It suits a quiet half day with a bird garden and boat rides. Entry is 250,000 VND for adults from 01.04.2026.
Can I visit Hang But or the Cuc Phuong forest stays?
Those programmes were paused from 21.08.2026. Ask for the current status before you plan them.
Can I combine this with a boat day in Tam Coc?
Yes, usually on separate days. See our Tam Coc page for the boat tour.