Cat Tien River Lodge

We rented bikes for a day and did both the Gibbon Trek and the Night Safari. The trek was great. It cost quite a bit more than other tours, but felt worth it since we saw a family of Gibbons and heard them sing. The Night Safari wasn’t what we expected. They packed about 25 of us into a noisy diesel truck and drove down the road away from the National Park. We saw plenty of deer and nothing else, so I’d skip that one if I came back.

Bau Sau was the highlight of my trip. We rented a jeep to the forest entrance, about 10 km from the visitor center, then hiked 5 km through the forest. Bikes are also available to rent. The hike was fairly easy, though rainy season brought plenty of leeches, mosquitoes and insects. The weather was nice, and ours was the only group there that day. At night we saw deer and crocodiles with their eyes lit up. Rangers cooked delicious meals. Fresh, cool air, a foggy morning, a gentle sunset and a quiet night made it unforgettable. I visited the national park in September a few years ago and took a bus from Mien Dong station, though you can ride a motorbike there too. There’s lots to do: cycling around, hiking, visiting the wildlife rescue station and taking a nocturnal wildlife tour, where there isn’t much to see. We were lucky to see a herd of bison grazing while biking.

A great base for visiting Cat Tien, and two nights was a good amount of time for us. The rooms were affordable and clean, although small, and had everything we needed. Staff were exceptionally helpful. We messaged on WhatsApp before arriving and got much-needed help with transport. The restaurant was very good and generally affordable. Breakfast, excluding drinks, was included, which we hadn’t realized, so that was a nice surprise. Good-quality bicycles cost 100,000 a day, and the ferry to the national park costs another 100,000. Highly recommended if you’re visiting Cat Tien.

I’m a local tour guide here and love my homeland, with its rich biodiversity and beautiful scenery.