Top Birding Spots in Vietnam

Top birding spots in Vietnam include national parks, nature reserves and wetland reserves in southern Vietnam, in the Central Highlands of Vietnam, in northern Vietnam and in the Central Coast of Vietnam.

Vietnam is a small country which experienced devastated wars for decades recently and for millennium during the course of its amazing history. Yet it is not much known that Vietnam is among the only few countries in the world that offer the richest diversities of wild species, be it floral or fauna, in the world. 

Bird watching tour at Yok Don National Park in Dak Lak Province
Bird watching tour at Yok Don National Park in Dak Lak Province

An incomplete list includes more than 13,200 terrestrial plant species, more than 10,000 animal species, over 3,000 freshwater species, more than 11,000 marine species in the country's coastal waters. Some researchers have found that Vietnam has as many species of animals as in the famed destinations Kenya and Tanzania. Yet, it is again a small country and several hundreds new-to-science floral and fauna species have been discovered in Vietnam from after its reunification in 1975.

Olive-backed pipit in Vietnam
Olive-backed pipit in Vietnam

But Vietnam does have its own serious problems related to wildlife conservation: lack of funds, low awareness for wildlife protection among the local populations, poor local populations making a living from exploiting produce from the wild, erratic belief of making elixirs out of wildlife animals, brutal interests in hunting by the corrupt officers and officials who have powers...

Red-whiskered bulbul Vietnam
Red-whiskered bulbul Vietnam

But slow progress has been observed in the government enforcing tougher laws in practice and higher awareness in the general public for wildlife protection in recent years. In many places, local communities are engaged in wildlife protection which also brings incomes to the local households. Wildlife tourism has also contributed a great deal to wildlife conservation in Vietnam recently.

Black drongo in Vietnam
Black drongo in Vietnam

For birders, you should find it an amazing experience which may often surpass your expectations making a bird watching trip to Vietnam, provided you get the right birding guide with good knowledge of where and when to spot what bird species. AdventureGreen has quite a number of in-depth articles which you may find of interest and help related to birding in Vietnam. Below is a list of key birding sites in Vietnam that could be of help to your bird quest in the country.

Blue rock-thrush in Vietnam
Blue rock-thrush in Vietnam

Southern Vietnam

1/ Cat Tien National Park

Cat Tien National Park

Cat Tien National Park for lowland forest species in southern Vietnam. Cat Tien is among the best national parks in Vietnam for conservation of wild species. Cat Tien is no doubt the best place for birding and wildlife spotting in Vietnam.

Black-naped oriole in Vietnam
Black-naped oriole in Vietnam
Green peafowls at Cat Tien National Park, Vietnam
Green peafowls at Cat Tien National Park, Vietnam

Central Highlands of Vietnam

2/ Da Lat and Bidoup Nui Ba National Park

Da Lat

Bidoup Nui Ba National Park, Lam Dong

Da Lat and Bidoup Nui Ba National Park for species in mixed forest and pine forest on high altitudes. Da Lat and the surrounding area in the Lang Biang Plateau and Di Linh Plateau are Endemic Bird Area with high number of endemic bird species.

Slender-billed oriole in Vietnam in May 2026
Slender-billed oriole in Vietnam in May 2026
Burmese shrike in Vietnam
Burmese shrike in Vietnam
Birding in Da Lat Vietnam
Birding in Da Lat Vietnam

3/ Di Linh

Birdwatching in Di Linh Vietnam

Di Linh is on the Di Linh Plateau with amazing number of bird species.

White-throated rock-thrush in Vietnam
White-throated rock-thrush in Vietnam
Birding in Dinh Linh, Lam Dong Province,  Vietnam
Birding in Dinh Linh, Lam Dong Province, Vietnam
Birding in Dinh Linh, Lam Dong Province,  Vietnam
Birding in Dinh Linh, Lam Dong Province, Vietnam

4/ Yok Don National Park

Yok Don National Park

The Yok Don National Park is on the Dak Lak Plateau, unique for its decidous forest. And the national park has a wide number of species in deciduous forest on high altitudes. The Serepok River around the national park, no doubt, contributes to a rich number of bird species here. The national park is right on the Cambodian border and this is part of the reasons that it is well protected.

Looking for novel bird species at Yok Don Naitonal Park
Looking for novel bird species at Yok Don Naitonal Park

Northern Vietnam

5/ Cuc Phuong National Park

Cuc Phuong National Park

Greater coucal in Vietnam in May 2026
Greater coucal in Vietnam in May 2026
Bird watching at the Cuc Phuong National Park
Bird watching at the Cuc Phuong National Park
Yellow-rumped flycatcher in Vietnam
Yellow-rumped flycatcher in Vietnam

6/ Van Long Nature Reserve

Bird watching at the Van Long Wetland Reserve in Ninh Binh, Vietnam
Bird watching at the Van Long Wetland Reserve in Ninh Binh, Vietnam
Grey-headed swamphen in Vietnam
Grey-headed swamphen in Vietnam
Yellow-bellied prinia Vietnam
Yellow-bellied prinia Vietnam
Little grebe at Van Long Vietnam
Little grebe at Van Long Vietnam

7/ Xuan Thuy National Park

Xuan Thuy National Park

Xuan Thuy National Park, a great place in Vietnam for shore birds and waterfowls
Xuan Thuy National Park, a great place in Vietnam for shore birds and waterfowls
Birding at the Xuan Thuy National Park, Nam Dinh Province, Vietnam
Birding at the Xuan Thuy National Park, Nam Dinh Province, Vietnam
Birding at the Xuan Thuy National Park, Nam Dinh Province, Vietnam
Birding at the Xuan Thuy National Park, Nam Dinh Province, Vietnam

8/ Ba Vi National Park

Ba Vi National Park

Ba Vi National Park Vietnam
Ba Vi National Park Vietnam
Chestnut bunting in Vietnam
Chestnut bunting in Vietnam
Radde's warbler in Vietnam
Radde's warbler in Vietnam
Crimson sunbird in Vietnam
Crimson sunbird in Vietnam
Ornate sunbird in Vietnam
Ornate sunbird in Vietnam

9/ Tam Dao National Park

Tam Dao National Park

Tam Dao National Park in Vinh Phuc Province, northern Vietnam
Tam Dao National Park in Vinh Phuc Province, northern Vietnam
Large hawk-cuckoo in Vietnam in April 2026
Large hawk-cuckoo in Vietnam in April 2026
Light-vented bulbul in Vietnam
Light-vented bulbul in Vietnam
Black drongo in Vietnam
Black drongo in Vietnam
Blue-throated bee-eater in Vietnam in May 2026
Blue-throated bee-eater in Vietnam in May 2026
Red-billed Blue-Magpie in Vietnam in May 2026
Red-billed Blue-Magpie in Vietnam in May 2026
Long-tailed minivet in Vietnam
Long-tailed minivet in Vietnam
Rosy minivet in Vietnam in May 2026
Rosy minivet in Vietnam in May 2026

10/ Sapa

Sapa

A waterfall in Sapa Vietnam
A waterfall in Sapa Vietnam
Ashy drongo in Vietnam
Ashy drongo in Vietnam

11/ Mu Cang Chai

Mu Cang Chai

Mu Cang Chai Vietnam
Mu Cang Chai Vietnam

Central Coast of Vietnam

12/ Phong Nha Ke Bang National Park

Phong Nha Ke Bang National Park

Phong Nha Ke Bang National Park Vietnam
Phong Nha Ke Bang National Park Vietnam

13/ Bach Ma National Park

Bach Ma National Park