Hanoi (VNA) - 💃The Dong Van Karst Plateau Global Geopark in Ha Giang province and the Non Nuoc Cao Bang Global Geopark Cao Bang province, both in northern Vietnam, and the Dak Nong Global Geopark in the Central Highlands province of Dak Nong are appealing destinations for domestic and foreign tourists.

Dong Van Karst Plateau Global Geopark

On October 3, 2010, the Dong Van Karst Plateau was recognised by UNESCO as an official member of the Global Geo-parks Network (GGN), becoming Vietnam's first geological park and the second in Southeast Asia.

According to UNESCO, most of the Dong Van Karst Plateau’s surface is limestone (about 60%). Its landscape is spectacular, featuring high mountains and deep canyons. The highest peak is Mieu Vac Mount (1971m) while Tu San is the deepest canyon (700-800 m deep).

The geopark is located at an extension foot mount East of the Himalayas. Geoheritages date from the Cambrian (about 550 million years ago) to the present in seven different stages. They include features of palaeobiology, stratigraphy, geomophology, tectonics, karst, caves and also important faults. The geology in this UNESCO Global Geopark reflects important events in the Earth's geomorphological history.

The geopark has two natural conservation areas rich in fauna and flora species such as conifers, Asian black bear, Southern serow (a solitary mountain goat) and many bird species. The mysterious Tonkin snub-nosed monkey is one of the 25 most endangered species of primates in the world. It is only found in Ha Giang province and was believed extinct until its rediscovery in the early 1990s. It is home to 17 ethnic groups which create the unique and rich cultural heritage of this area. UNESCO’s recognition has created new opportunities for socio-economic development in Ha Giang and four districts in the karst plateau area in particular. The Dong Van Karst Plateau has become an attractive destination for domestic and international tourists. It is home to diverse and unique tourist products and attractions such as the Lung Cu flagpole, Vuong Mansion relic site, Dong Van ancient street, Tu San canyon, Ma Pi Leng pass, H'Mong Khen (Flute) Festival, and Khau Vai market. In 2014 and 2019, UNESCO re-recognised Dong Van Karst Plateau as a member of the UNESCO Global Geopark network in the 2015-2018 period and the 2019-2022 period.

In September 2023, the karst plateau was recognised as a global geopark by UNESCO for the third time. The number of visitors to Ha Giang increased sharply from just 2,000 visitors in 2010 to 2.2 million in 2022 and over 3 million in 2023.

^{Non Nuoc Cao Bang Geopark}

Non Nuoc Cao Bang was officially recognised by UNESCO as a global geopark on April 12, 2018, becoming the second of this kind in Vietnam after the Dong Van Karst Plateau Geopark. Located in the north of Vietnam, 300km from Hanoi, Non Nuoc Cao Bang UNESCO Global Geopark covers 3,000sq.km. It covers six districts of Ha Quang, Tra Linh, Quang Yen, Trung Khanh, Ha Lang, Phuc Hoa, and part of Hoa An, Nguyen Binh and Thach An. The geopark is home to eight ethnic groups including Tay, Nung, Mong, Kinh, Dao, San Chay, Hoa, and Lo Lo.

The geopark is an exceptional territory which offers insights into the history of our planet across more than 500 million years through protected sites. Fossils, marine sediment, volcanic and plutonic rocks and minerals are witness to the remarkable evolution and changes of our planet, and they constitute an exceptional geological heritage. Mountainous landforms cover approximately 90% of the land area, with elevations ranging from 1,500 to 2,000 m in the west-northwest to 200 m in the east-southeast. With a highland tropical monsoon climate and two distinct wet and dry seasons, the geopark exhibits a rich biodiversity, with widespread forests, endemic faunas and floras, herbs and specialty crops etc. The region has a complex drainage network that includes five major river systems and 47 lakes, according to UNESCO.

It is also a land of tangible and intangible cultural heritage sites and special historical monuments. There are three main routes to explore the geopark, including going to the east to experience traditional cultures, north to see history and freedom, and west to experience Phia Oac, the mountain of transformations. In 2023, Cao Bang province welcomed about 1.9 million visitors, an increase of 72% compared to 2022. They included 34,000 foreign tourists.

Dak Nong Global Geopark

Dak Nong Geopark was recognised by UNESCO as a global geopark in July 2020, becoming the third global geopark in Vietnam after Dong Van Karst Plateau Geopark and Non Nuoc Cao Bang Global Geopark.

The park covers more than 4,700 sq.km. of land in six of the eight district-level localities in Dak Nong. These include Krong No, Cu Jut, Dak Mil, Dak Song, Dak G’Long, and Gia Nghia, equivalent to two-fifths of the province’s total area.

According to domestic and foreign scientists, there are 65 heritage and geomorphological sites in the Dak Nong Geopark, including volcanic craters, volcanic caves, and waterfalls. Notably, this geopark is home to the largest system of volcanic caves in Southeast Asia, with more than 50 caves and a total length of over 10,000m.

𒊎 Visitors can also explore the Central Highlands’ space of gong culture – a UNESCO-recognised masterpiece of the intangible heritage of humanity, the culture of M’Nong people – the ethnic group that has the longest residence history in the province, along with the culture of other ethnic minorities.

UNESCO Representative in Vietnam Michael Croft said the Dak Nong Geopark boasts a combination of natural beauty and unique culture, both of which need to be preserved and capitalised upon via economic and tourism activities./.