Birdwatching Tour - Vietnam's endemics & specialties (22-days)

Below is a list of species that we will target on this tour - It is not an exhaustive list of species that we will look for but these are the main highlights due to them being rare, restricted ranges or the birds found only in Vietnam and some species may be more easily seen in other countries. Of course we cannot guarantee that we will see all of these birds, but we have a good chance of finding most of them based on the expeience of previous tours by VietBird Ltd. 

Destinations: Hanoi Captital – Cuc Phuong National Park – Mu Cang Chai (Che Tao forest) – Phia Oac-Phia Den National Park – Ngoc Linh Nature Reserve – Mang Den (Mang Canh forest) – Da Lat Plateau – Deo Nui San (Di Linh) – Cat Tien National Park – Ho Chi Minh City.

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• This trip includes a domestic flight. Checked luggage allowance is a maximum 20kg, with up to 7kg carry on luggage. Any excess luggage charges will need to be paid directly to the airline at check-in.
• Leeches do occur in some of the reserves and encountering them really depends on how much recent rain there has been. If you do have leach socks, it might therefore be a good idea to bring them along.
• By booking this tour you are agreeing to our Terms & Conditions.

Photographic Opportunities: We try to balance seeing as many birds as possible while also trying to take great photos of them.

Physical difficulty: Mostly easy walking along tracks, roads, and trails, but there will be a few inclined sections in the mountains.

Habitats Covered: Broadleaved evergreen forest, Evergreen forest, Secondary forest, Dry dipterocarp forest, Wetland, Rice field, Mountain forest, Pine forest, Bamboo forest, Shoreline.

Accommodation: Comfortable hotel and Guesthouse at the Parks. All accommodations have hot water, free Wi-Fi and most have air-conditioning.

Climate: Temperatures typically vary between 20°C-25°C (68-77°F). At higher altitudes we may encounter some small rain at times and colder temperatures 10°C- 20°C (50-68°F).

 “Our trip to Vietnam has been a most fantastic one !! Thanks to Phuc Le (co-founder of VietBird) dedication, knowledge and patience, we recorded at least 334 species of birds of which 53 were personal lifers. Some of them will be forever unforgettable like Grey-crowned Crocias which was THE bird that had me desiring to visit Vietnam ! All the laughingthrushes were equally great, though often frustratingly elusive but thanks to your patience we got excellent views of most of them ! Red-collared Woodpecker, Blue, Blue-rumped and Bar-bellied Pittas, Vietnamese Cutia, Vietnamese Greenfinch, 8 species of barbets, some magnificent pheasant-related birds like Siamese Fireback, Germain's Peacock-Pheasant and Green Peafowl and a multitude of flycatchers were some of the other colourful gems that we saw during those memorable 3 weeks in Vietnam ! Rufous-tailed Robin, Siberian Thrush and Chestnut Bunting were also among my favourite ones since they are among those "sibes" that we praise so much in autumn in Western Europe. Now at last I know what they look like !! All the untouched forests are magnificent in Vietnam, let's hope the government will protect more such areas for the future of our beloved birds !!” 

Hugues Dufourny - Belgium

VietBird's clients birding at Yokdon National Park - April 2022.

“I went with VietBird Ltd on a South Vietnam Birding private quest to try to see the specialties of this region. Lucky I was to contact them. My birdguide knew all the birds, calls and places where to see them. As you might know, some of these forest dwellings, laughingthrushes, pittas, partridges and so on, are among the most difficult birds to see. The trip went also very smooth with little as possible time lost to travel and other logistic nuisances. It was a great success. So, strong recommend anyone interested in birding this part of the world to contact VietBird Ltd.

Augusto Faustino - Portugal

"I have taken two week-long trips and several weekend trips with Mr. Tien (co-founder of VietBird) when I was in Viet Nam teaching. He is a wonderful guide - knowledgeable about the birds and where to find them and attentive to every detail. These were the trips of a lifetime for my husband and me, and we hope to return for more birding with Mr. Tien." 

Katherine Towler

VietBird's clients birding at Ngoc Linh Nature Reserve - 2019.

“I finished my Big Year in Vietnam with Phuc Le as my guide. We visited Cat Tien NP and the Dalat area and rounded up almost every possible targets in just 3 full days, all thanks to Phuc’s incredible local knowledge. I think the list says it all, we finished with the hard-to-find Black-crowned Fulvetta. Best bird for me was Orange-necked Partridge in Cat Tien. I only heard Blue-rumped Pitta, so will definitely come back for that one and of course I will contact Phuc when that day comes!”

Arjan Dwarshuis - Netherlands 

Arjan Dwarshuis finished his "Big Year" in Vietnam with VietBird Ltd.

"It's a wrap! My 6833th and final new species this year was the #BlackCrownedFulvetta near #dalat in #Vietnam with Tjeerd Burger, André Willem Faber, Jaap Hennevanger and Phuc Le #biggestyear #birding #itsawrap #theend #finito"

"Thank you so much, Par,Tien and Tui for your so professional presence.This trip was well prepared, so that we have no trouble for the end of it. Birding inThailand was quite different than in Vietnam, in order the weather, the habitats, but sincerelly, impossible to compare.You three do all your best to help us to watch as well at these foreign birds, sometimes so smoggy and fast, so small and frightened. And, sure, to book for us so nice lodge and hotel for resting. You help us to discover respectivly your own country, trying to choose the best suiting for us, with care and vigilance, always in the hope for enjoying ourself. I won't forget to tell the best on your naturalist travel agency to my friends. So on, and one more time, many thanks for all......." 

Gisèle Beaudoin

VietBird's clients birding at Cuc Phuong National Park, Northern Vietnam.

“Hi, i just wanted to say that the trip was good with VietBird Ltd! 
The driver was professional and our birdguide was friendly and his communication skills and bird knowledge were good.
He got us the birds and most importantly good looks at my main target bird Bar-bellied Pitta!
Thanks, we have good memories of Vietnam.”

Paul & Api - Canada

VietBird's clients birding at Bach Ma National Park, Central Vietnam.

"Thanks so much to Bui Duc Tien from VietBird for a marvelous 7 days Birding in North Vietnam... We had wonderful birding experiences and so many "lifers" but our moments with the Black-Faced Spoonbills, keep coming back to my mind. As we lifted off from Hanoi Airport and entered the clouds I thought about the four Spoonbills we had seen at Xuan Thuy National Park along the coastal zone of the Red River Delta. We had almost given up on finding this special species. Tien thought that perhaps the wintering birds had already left. He was the first to see one flying in the distance, recognizing it's distinct flying style. We watched the general area it landed and turned around and started walking fast. We found the bird and even better we were priveleged to observe it eating. As the day’s light was turning into a gorgeous sunset, three more Spoonbills flew in.

Mary Willard Gallagher & Tim Gallagher

VietBird's clients birding at Yokdon National Park, Central Vietnam.

" I first went birding with Phuc Le from VietBird Ltd more than 2 years ago. It was the first time I had met him and we went to Cat Tien National Park. My reason to go there was for the Bar Bellied and Blue Rumped Pitta. We got both and thanks to Phuc Le many other birds as well. His knowledge is excellent of not only identifying the birds, but also their behaviour. Since then we have become good friends and only last month I went with him in DaLat to picture the Collared Laughingthrush. I have no hesitation in highly recommending him as a guide and will be using Phuc Le again in the future." 

Jim George - Australia

"But our luck did not stop there, and we had even better views of the endangered Collared Laughingthrush, another Dalat Plateau endemic, which is still sadly heavily trapped for the cage bird trade in a country where keeping pet birds is a die heard tradition. It took us the best part of two days to finally connect with this striking bird, possibly the most beautiful of all laughinthrushes. Kudos to local guide Duc Tien Bui for the feat."

Yann Muzika

VietBird's clients birding at Go Cong (Tan Thanh Beach), Southern Vietnam.

"We spent a trip with Mr. Bui Duc Tien during my visiting in Vietnam. He is a superb bird guide and a great host, punctual, warm and very nice. He knew birds and birding places very thoroughly and could spot birds in no time. He helped us find almost all the birds that we wanted and also many other species as well. He took us sightseeing around the town we stopped over along the way and the experiences were very pleasant too. His birding professionalism and great hospitality made our trip very very enjoyable." 

Pinit Saengkaew

"My wife and I have been birdwatching with Tien for nearly two years, and we have traveled to every part of the country with him. He is, simply put, world class. One of the best guides we've ever had."

Alexander Yates

VietBird's clients on a birding trail at Ngoc Linh Nature Reserve, Central Vietnam.

Relaxing after a morning birding at Deo Nui San (Di Linh), Southern Vietnam.

A local breakfast at the hotel - Da Lat Plateau, Southern Vietnam.