Yok Don National Park

Vườn Quốc gia Yok Đôn

Vietnam's largest national park featuring diverse wildlife including elephants, gibbon, and hornbills across 115,545 hectares of pristine forest. The park offers trekking, river boating, and wildlife spotting in one of Southeast Asia's most biodiverse areas.

Things to do

• Elephant Trekking — Ride through the park on the back of trained Asian elephants to experience the forest canopy and spot wildlife in their natural habitat.
• Serepok River Boating — Take a guided boat journey along the Serepok River to observe crocodiles, water birds, and the park's riverine ecosystem.
• Wildlife Spotting Trek — Join guided forest treks at dawn or dusk to search for gibbons, hornbills, wild boar, and other endemic species in their morning or evening activity periods.
• Jungle Camping — Stay overnight in the forest with a ranger guide to experience nocturnal wildlife sounds and early morning bird calls in the pristine wilderness.
• Ede Minority Village Visit — Visit traditional stilt houses of the local Ede ethnic group to learn about their culture, traditional crafts, and way of life in the highland region.
• Bird Watching at Ban Don — Explore the park's grasslands and open areas near Ban Don to observe over 400 bird species including hornbills and eagles.

Food to try

• Grilled Forest Fish — Fresh fish caught from the Serepok River, grilled with lemongrass and served with sticky rice, a local specialty reflecting the park's river ecosystem.
• Ede Bamboo Shoot Soup — A traditional dish made with fresh bamboo shoots harvested from the forest, cooked with local herbs and wild game common to Ede cuisine.
• Wild Boar Stew — Slow-cooked wild boar with turmeric and ginger, a hearty highland dish often prepared in local villages surrounding the park.
• Com Lam (Bamboo Rice) — Sticky rice cooked inside fresh bamboo tubes with peanuts and salt, a portable and traditional food of the Ede people.
• Forest Honey and Herbal Tea — Local honey harvested from bees in the park's forest canopy, served as tea or with rice cakes as a traditional refreshment.

Local customs & good to know

• Respect Wildlife Distance — Maintain quiet and keep a respectful distance from animals, as sudden movements or noise can disturb them and reduce your chances of sightings.
• Hire Local Guides — Always use park-authorized guides who understand animal behavior, forest safety, and can share knowledge of Ede and other highland communities.
• Ask Permission in Villages — When visiting Ede settlements, greet elders and ask permission before photographing or entering homes, as these are private spaces.
• Best Visiting Season — Plan visits during the dry season from November to April when trails are accessible and wildlife is more active around water sources.