Can Gio Mangrove Biosphere Reserve

The Can Gio Mangrove Biosphere Reserve lies in the Rung Sac mangrove forest of Can Gio District, about 50 km southeast of central Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam, where the Saigon and Dong Nai river systems meet the South China Sea. UNESCO recognised it as a biosphere reserve in 2000. Much of the original forest was destroyed by defoliants and bombing during the Vietnam War, and decades of replanting have turned it into one of the largest regenerated mangrove ecosystems in Southeast Asia and a source of cleaner air and fish nurseries for the city. Visitors reach the reserve by car or tour from District 1, a journey of 1.5 to 2 hours that often includes the Binh Khanh ferry crossing. Once inside, activities centre on boat trips along tidal channels, walks on raised boardwalks and observation towers, and visits to a visitor area with exhibits on the ecosystem and its wildlife. Long-tailed macaques roam on the monkey island area, where visitors should keep food and bags secured, and the forest is also home to birds, mudskippers, crabs and, in the wider reserve, saltwater crocodiles kept in a farm area. A crocodile farm and a bat-watching lake are also popular stops on some routes. A typical visit is a full day, and boat trips run about one to two hours. Because the landscape is flat and shaded only by mangroves, mornings are the most comfortable, and the dry season from December to April brings less rain and fewer mosquitoes. Visitors should wear light clothing, a hat and insect repellent, and bring water.