U Minh Ha National Park emerges as ecotourism frontier

U Minh Ha National Park in Vietnam’s Ca Mau province is emerging as a significant destination for ecotourism and environmental research. Established in 2006, the park is one of the country’s remaining peatland forest ecosystems and serves as a critical biodiversity anchor for the Mekong Delta. In 2009, UNESCO designated the park as one of the three core zones of the Ca Mau Cape World Biosphere Reserve.

The park’s core covers more than 8,500 hectares, surrounded by a 25,000-hectare buffer zone. The landscape is characterized by vast melaleuca forests growing from peat, intersected by a network of canals and waterways. The area supports diverse wildlife, including otters, long-tailed macaques, wild boars, pythons, turtles, and various waterbirds.

Beyond its ecological value, the region maintains unique cultural traditions, such as “gac keo ong,” a heritage-grade beekeeping method. This practice involves using wooden supports to attract bees and harvest honey while preserving the colonies. This traditional method was recognized as a national intangible cultural heritage by the Vietnamese Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism in 2019.