Mountains covered with tropical forests, lagoons with cozy beaches and sheer cliff-islands sticking out right in the middle of the sea and the delta of the muddy Mekong River, hidden among the jungle - all this can be found in Vietnam. The country is not as touristy as, say, Thailand, so many wild and truly untouched places have been preserved here. Let's learn more about the geography of Vietnam. You will find a description of all the natural features of this country further in the article.
About the country
Vietnam is a Southeast Asian country located on the Indochina Peninsula. In a long narrow strip, it stretches for 1600 kilometers along the coast of the South China Sea and the Gulf of Tonkin. In the south, a small section 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 km2. Approximately two thirds of this territory is covered by mountains, the restpart 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.
Vietnam's wild nature has been preserved mainly in national parks, where you can meet the rarest and most exotic representatives of the planet's flora and fauna. Most of them are located within the tropical forests, which account for about 30% of the country's area.
Vietnam Wildlife
Indochina is one of the richest regions in bioresources. The hot tropical climate with humid air and long rainy seasons did their job. Thanks to them, a huge number of evergreen trees and shrubs, various flowers and vines grow 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 a tenth of the planet's bioresources. Bamboo, mahogany, sandalwood, ironwood, rubber trees, important for industry, as well as anise, ginseng and cardamom, which are used in medicine and cooking, grow in its jungle. There are also many coconut palms and fruit trees, for example, passion fruit, bananas, rambutans, mangoes, papaya. Among the plants that are unusual for us 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. In the tropical thickets of the country liveclouded leopards, tigers, Asiatic buffaloes, rare Javan rhinos, emperor peacocks and parrots. In the mountains of Vietnam, there are Malayan bears with a black coat color and a bright yellow spot on the chest. And one of the most exotic animals is the binturong, which looks like a mixture of a marten and a raccoon.
Mekong River
The Mekong is an inseparable part of not only the nature of Vietnam, but the whole of Southeast Asia. The river flows through six states and is the largest watercourse on the peninsula. It starts 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 mouth of the Mekong forms a vast delta with an area of 39 thousand km2. Before flowing into the sea, it branches into several branches and many straits and channels. The swampy area of the delta is covered with thickets of mangrove trees and is a real storehouse of biodiversity. In the last few years alone, 160 species of animals and plants have been discovered there that were previously unknown to science.
Due to the peculiarities of the local soil, the waters of the river are very muddy, but this does not prevent it from being the main water artery of Vietnam. The Mekong is used for growing rice, growing and catching fish, generating electricity and, of course, tourism. As the main entertainment for guests of the country, boat trips along the delta are offered, as well as visiting floating markets located right inher.
Halong
Halong Bay is the most famous natural attraction in Vietnam, which fully justifies its popularity. It is a scattering of three thousand islands and impregnable rocks emerging from the depths of the Gulf of Tonkin.
According to legend, all these beauties appeared from the blows of the tail of a mighty dragon on the ground. When he went to sea, the water flooded the voids formed between the rocks and the bay turned out, which was named after him. From the Vietnamese word "halong" is translated as "dragon descended into the sea."
The waters of the bay are very light 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 - Cat Ba - is a national park and an important natural site in 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
Typical nature of Vietnam is for the most part moist forests and water meadows in the valleys of wide rivers. However, in these parts you can 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 the Red Dunes, which are distinguished by the characteristic reddish color of the sand,but they look less impressive.
In the middle of the White Dunes, a real oasis, there is a lake covered with a carpet of lotuses. The beautiful pink and white flowers are only seen in the short period from July to September, but the rest of the time the area is impressive.
Tam Kok
Dry, Tam Coc 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 branches of the Ngo Dong River, which you can ride by renting a boat. In some places, its waters have thoroughly 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.
