Mountains covered with tropical forests, lagoons with cozy beaches and sheer cliff islands sticking out right in the middle of the sea and the muddy Mekong River delta hidden among the jungle - all this can be found in Vietnam. The country is not as touristy as, say, Thailand, therefore, many wild and truly untouched places have been preserved here. Let's take a closer look at the geography of Vietnam. You will find a description of all the natural features of this country later in the article.
Briefly about the country
Vietnam is a country of Southeast Asia, located on the Indochina Peninsula. A long narrow strip, it stretches for 1,600 kilometers along the coast of the South China Sea and the Gulf of Tonkin. In the south, a small area of it is washed by the Gulf of Thailand. From the west and north, the country borders on Cambodia, Laos and China.
The state covers an area of 331,210 km 2 . About two-thirds of this territory is mountainous, the rest is occupied by flat river valleys, converted shrimp farms and plantations of rice, coffee, tea, sugarcane and fruit. The country is among the world leaders in rice production.
The wildlife of Vietnam has been preserved mainly in the territory of national parks, where you can meet the rarest and exotic representatives of the flora and fauna of the planet. Most of them are located within the rainforests, which account for about 30% of the country's area.
Wildlife of vietnam
Indochina is one of the region richest in bioresources. Hot tropical climate with humid air and prolonged rainy seasons did their job. Thanks to them, a huge number of evergreen trees and shrubs, various flowers and vines grows here, among which it is convenient to hide various representatives of the fauna.
Vietnam is no exception. Plants and animals of this country make up one tenth of the planet’s biological resources. In its jungle, bamboo, mahogany, sandalwood, ironwood, rubber bears, as well as those used in medicine and cooking, anise, ginseng and cardamom, which are important for industry, grow. There are also many coconut palms and fruit trees, for example, passion fruit, bananas, rambutans, mangoes, papaya. Among the plants unusual for us, there are lychee, mangosteen, sapodilla, durian, cream apple, longan and other species.
The fauna of Vietnam is a huge number of reptiles, amphibians, a variety of fish, strange and sometimes dangerous insects, colorful birds and all kinds of mammals. Smoky leopards, tigers, Asian buffaloes, rare Javan rhinos, imperial peacocks and parrots live in the tropical thickets of the country. In the mountains of Vietnam, there are Malay bears with a black coat and a bright yellow spot on their chests. And one of the most exotic animals is Binturong, which looks like a mixture of marten and raccoon.
Mekong River
Mekong is an integral part of not only the nature of Vietnam, but also throughout Southeast Asia. The river flows through six states and is the largest watercourse on the peninsula. It begins in the mountains of Tibet, cutting through narrow canyons and gorges. Then, through China, Myanmar, Laos, Thailand and Cambodia, it gradually descends to the plains of Vietnam, where it flows into the South China Sea.
The Mekong Estuary forms an extensive delta with an area of 39 thousand km 2 . Before entering the sea, it branches into several branches and many straits and channels. The marshland of the delta is covered with thickets of mangroves and is a real storehouse of biodiversity. Over the past few years alone, 160 species of animals and plants have been discovered there that were not previously known to science.
Due to the characteristics of the local soil, the waters of the river are very muddy, but this does not prevent it from being the main waterway of Vietnam. Mekong is used for rice cultivation, cultivation and fishing, generating electricity and, of course, tourism. Boat trips along the delta, as well as visits to the floating markets located right in it, are offered as the main entertainment for the country's guests.
Halong
Halong Bay is Vietnam's most famous natural landmark, which fully justifies its popularity. It is a placer of three thousand islands and inaccessible cliffs emerging from the depths of the Gulf of Tonkin.
According to legend, all these beauties appeared from the blows of the tail of the mighty dragon on the ground. When he went into the sea, water poured, formed between the rocks of the void and the bay turned out, which was named in his honor. From Vietnamese, the word "Halong" is translated as "a dragon descended into the sea."
The waters of the bay are very bright and transparent, which undoubtedly delights divers. There are many fish, sea snakes and turtles, and coral reefs are located near the coast. The islands are also full of life. The largest of them - Katba - is a national park and important natural sites of Vietnam. It is inhabited by more than 300 species of animals, including rare langur monkeys, which are also called "temple monkeys."
Lotus lake and white dunes
The typical nature of Vietnam is for the most part moist forests and meadows in the valleys of wide rivers. However, in these parts you can also find something unusual. So, in the southern part of the country there is a real desert landscape in the form of white sand dunes and rarely growing shrubs.
They are located about 30 kilometers from the famous resort - the village of Mui Ne. On the way to them, there are also Red Dunes, characterized by a characteristic reddish color of sand, but they look less impressive.
In the middle of the White Dunes, a real oasis, is a lake covered with a carpet of lotuses. You can see beautiful pink-white flowers only in a short period from July to September, but the rest of the time this area is impressive.
There Kok
Dry, There Kok can be described as flat rice fields surrounded by tall limestone cliffs. In reality, this is one of the most impressive places where the nature of Vietnam appears in all its beauty.
Between the rocks lie the arms of the Ngo Dong River, which you can ride on by renting a boat. In some places, its water undermined the rocks, forming caves and grottoes. This place is very similar to Halong, but it is located exclusively on land, which attracts close attention.