Birding Destinations in Vietnam

With more than 900 species of birds, including over 13 endemics, 25 near-endemic species, 9 endemic subspecies and 11 near-endemic subspecies, Vietnam is a superlative neotropical birding destination in South East Asia.

There are many amazing birdwatching places to see birds across Vietnam, but a few stand out as particularly special. Many locations are important stopovers for migrating birds, making them extra special during the spring and winter seasons.

– Cat Tien National Park

Cat Tien National Park is the most famous birding destinations in Vietnam. Cat Tien National Park is estimated as the reserve of natural resources in Vietnam with lots of rare, specious and endemic genes of fauna and flora, as plentiful site for scientists, domestic and foreign tourists. Birders have recorded over 350 species in the park, including many specialties that are easier to find in Cat Tien than in any other park in the region.

Must-See Birds of Cat Tien National Park: Blue-rumped Pitta (Near Endemic), Bar-bellied Pitta (Near Endemic), Orange-necked Partridge (Near Endemic), Siamese Fireback, Green Peafowl, Germain’s Peacock-Pheasant (Near Endemic), Great Hornbill, Pale-headed Woodpecker, Gray-faced Tit-Babbler (Near Endemic), Indochinese Babbler (Near Endemic – Subspecies),…and more.

– Deo Nui San (Di Linh)

Di Linh is an excellent birding hotspot between Cat Tien National Park and Dalat Plateau. This is the most reliable site to see the beautiful endemic birds of Vietnam “Orange-breasted Laughingthrush”. You also have a great chance to see the newly split “Black-headed Parrotbill” and the beautiful “Indochinese Green Magpie”.

The main birding site is Deo Nui San, a pass is located about 16 km east of Di Linh along the old road between Di Linh and the seaside town of Phan Thiet. Deo Nui San (Also known as Deo Suoi Lanh or Nui San Pass) is an excellent birding site, a pass surrounded by impressive forested hills.

Must-See Birds of Deo Nui San (Di Linh): Blue Pitta, Indochinese Green-Magpie, Black-headed Parrotbill (Near Endemic), Orange-breasted Laughingthrush (Endemic), Black-hooded Laughingthrush (Near Endemic), Red-billed Scimitar-Babbler, Collared Babbler, Annam Streaked Wren-babbler (Endemic – Subspecies), Red-vented Barbet (Near Endemic), Bar-backed Partridge,…and more.

– Da Lat Plateau

Da Lat Plateau is one of the best places for birding in Vietnam. This area has 8 species of total 13 endemic species of Vietnam and many near-endemic species and subspecies also can be found here. Main birding sites in Da Lat Plateau including Ta Nung Valley, Suoi Tia trail, Tuyen Lam Lake, Langbian Mountain and Bi Doup National Park.

Da Lat Plateau is one of the five endemic bird areas (EBAs) in Vietnam identified by BirdLife International. The plateau located in southeastern Vietnam, reaches elevations of over 1500 meters, several mountains in this area rise to over 2,000 m.

The center of this plateau is Da Lat City, also known as a famous domestic tourist destination with cooler climes and its old French colonial buildings and numerous outdoor cafes, restaurants, and markets that making it the perfect base to easily explore the surrounding areas in day trips.

Must-See Birds of Da Lat Plateau: Vietnamese Cutia (Endemic), Gray-crowned Crocias (Endemic), Collared Laughingthrush (Endemic), Vietnamese Greenfinch (Endemic), Dalat Shrike-Babbler (Endemic), Annam Prinia (Endemic), Dalat Bush Warbler (Endemic), Black-crowned Fulvetta (Endemic), White-cheeked Laughingthrush (Near Endemic), Rusty-naped Pitta,…and more.

– Go Cong (Tan Thanh beach)

Go Cong (Tan Thanh beach) located in Go Cong Dong District, Tien Giang province (Mekong Delta), Southern Vietnam. This birdwatching site is one of the important sites for many migratory shorebirds on the East Asian Flyway. The intertidal mudflats at this site are habitats for thousands of migratory shorebirds. Most especially, this is a trusted destination for “Spoon-billed Sandpiper”, one of the rarest migrant birds in the world.

Must-See Birds of Go Cong (Tan Thanh beach): Spoon-billed Sandpiper, Nordmann’s Greenshank, Spot-billed Pelican, White-faced Plover, Far Eastern Curlew, Bar-tailed Godwit, Great Knot, Curlew Sandpiper, Red-necked Stint, Asian Dowitcher,…and more.

– Yokdon National Park

Yok Don National Park is a unique and fascinating birding place in Central Vietnam. This Park is located near Buon Ma Thuot City, Dak Lak Province in Central of Vietnam, was established in 1992. Yok Don is the second biggest national park and it is the only national park to conserve dry deciduous dipterocarp forests in Vietnam. The trees here lose their leaves annually in dry season, which lasts from November to April. When wet season (May – October) comes with its heavy precipitation, everything revives quickly.

Yok Don National Park is a unique forest ecosystem type harboring a vast variety of important and endemic species. This is home to a wealth of wildlife including 89 species of mammals (Wild elephants, wild water buffalos, gaurs,..), over 300 species of birds,… Many of these species are listed in IUCN Redbook.

Must-See Birds of Yokdon National Park: Annam Prinia (Endemic), White-rumped (Pygmy) Falcon, Rufous-bellied Woodpecker, Black-headed Woodpecker, Great Slaty Woodpecker, Yellow-footed Green-Pigeon, Rufous-winged Buzzard, Gray-headed Parakeet, Burmese Nuthatch, Purple Sunbird,…and more.

– Mang Den (Mang Canh Forest)

Mang Den (Mang Canh Forest) is the best birding place to see the rarest endemic “Chestnut-eared Laughingthrush”. Mang Den is the name of a resort town under development approximately 50 km to the east of Kontum city in Central Highlands of Vietnam.

Mang Canh Forest (Kon Plong forest) and Pa Sy waterfall are two birding sites above Mang Den town. Kon Plong is an Important Bird Areas (IBAs), has relatively high levels of bird endemism, and supports seven restricted-range species, qualifying the site for inclusion within the Kon Tum Plateau Endemic Bird Area (EBA).

Must-See Birds of Mang Den (Mang Canh Forest): Chestnut-eared Laughingthrush (Endemic), Black-hooded Laughingthrush (Near Endemic), Yellow-billed Nuthatch (Near Endemic), Annam Sultan Tit (Near Endemic – Subspecies), White-winged Magpie, Indochinese Green-Magpie, Ratchet-tailed Treepie, Gray-headed Parrotbill, Rusty-naped Pitta, Blue Pitta,…and more.

– Ngoc Linh Nature Reserve

Ngoc Linh Nature Reserve is the birding place not to be missed in your Vietnam Birding Trip. This is the best place where you have a great chance to see two new bird species to science “Golden-winged Laughingthrush” and “Black-crowned Barwing”, were described as recently as the 1990s.

This area is a protected area located in two districts of Dak Glei and Tu Mo Rong, in Kon Tum province, Central Highlands of Vietnam (approximately 150 km to the north of Kontum city). Ngoc Linh is a second highest mountain range in Viet Nam, following the Hoang Lien Mountain (Sapa, northwest Vietnam), the highest in South Viet Nam and Indochina and recognised as a Key Biodiversity Area, Important Bird Area, and Global Endemic Bird Area.

Must-See Birds of Ngoc Linh Nature Reserve: Golden-winged Laughingthrush (Endemic), Red-tailed Laughingthrush, Vietnamese Cutia (Endemic), Black-crowned Barwing (Near Endemic), Indochinese Fulvetta (Near Endemic), Annam Golden-breasted Fulvetta (Endemic – Subspecies), Brownish-backed Sibia (Near Endemic – Subspecies), Coral-billed Scimitar-Babbler, Red-tailed Minla, Ferruginous Flycatcher,…and more.

– Cuc Phuong National Park

Cuc Phuong National Park is the one of the best places for birdwatching in Vietnam. This park is located in Ninh Binh Province, the first national park in Vietnam, established in 1962. Cuc Phuong National Park is considered to be one of seven globally significant Centres of Plant Diversity in Vietnam.

Cuc Phuong National Park has the area of 22.000 hectares, of which three quarters are limestone with height from 300 meters to 600 meters above sea level. The vegetation of the national park is dominated by limestone forest. This is home to more than 300 species of birds and many rare species of flora and fauna, including a critically endangered endemic primate “Delacor’s Langur”.

Must-See Birds of Cuc Phuong National Park: Tonkin Partridge (Endemic – Subspecies), Red-collared Woodpecker (Near Endemic), Blue-rumped Pitta (Near Endemic), Bar-bellied Pitta (Near Endemic), Tonkin Streaked Wren-babbler (Near Endemic – Subspecies), Annam Limestone Babbler, Limestone Leaf Warbler (Near Endemic), White-winged Magpie, Common Green-Magpie, Rufous-throated Fulvetta,…and more.

– Xuan Thuy National Park

– Tam Đao National Park