Phong Nha-Ke Bang
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Phong Nha - Ke Bang is a national park in the central Quang Binh province of Vietnam, about 500 km south of Ha Noi and 260 north of Da Nang. The park was recognised in 2003 as the World Natural Heritage site in Vietnam by UNESCO.
The park land is one of the world's two largest limestone regions and the site is home to several hundred caves and grottoes. Long underground passageways are adorned with stalactites and stalagmites. In 2005, a new species of gecko was discovered here by a group of Vietnamese biologists together with biologists working for the park, Cologne Zoo in Germany and the Saint Petersburg Wild Zoology Institute in Russia.
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[edit] Recognized by the UNESCO
Phong Nha-Ke Bang national park was recognised as a world natural heritage site by the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation (UNESCO) at its 27th general assembly session being held in Paris from June 30-July 5.
At the session, delegates from over 160 member countries of UNESCO World Heritage Convention agreed to include Phong Nha-Ke Bang park and 30 others worldwide to the list of world heritage sites.
[edit] A site for prehistorical geographical research
Phong Nha-Ke Bang national park is one of the world's two largest limestone regions. In comparison with 41 other world heritage sites which have karsts, Phong Nha has a dissimilar geomorphic, geologic and biotic conditions. The karsts of Phong Nha can be traced back to Palaeozoic 400 million years ago. According to the UNESCO, Phong Nha is the oldest major karst in Asia. Phong Nha is an ideal site for earth's history research. If the Hin Namno, bording Phong Nha on the west (in Laotian territory) is combined in a unique reserve, then this natural reserve can be considered one of the biggest karst regions in the world. The over 2,000 km² of parkland includes beautiful limestone formations, grottoes and caves, and boasts lush forestland covering 95% of the park area.
The area is considered a paradise for researchers and explorers of grottoes and caves, and Vietnamese and British scientists have so far surveyed 20 with a total length of 70 km of caves. Of them, 17 caves are in Phong Nha area and three ones are in Ke Bang area.
The Phong Nha cave itself which lends its name to the whole system is probably the most beautiful of all, containing many fascinating rock formations, enchanting visitors with evocative names such as Lion, Fairy Caves, Royal Court and Buddha.
Besides the grotto and cave systems, Phong Nha has the longest underground rivers, the largest caverns and passageways, the widest and prettiest sand banks, and the most astonishing rock formations in the world. Phong Nha - Ke Bang also home to dozens of mountain peaks of over 1,000 metres still unexplored by men and seen as ideal sites for activities like climbing and exploration. Worthy of note are Peak Co Rilata with the height of 1,128 m and Peak Co Preu, 1,213 m. Lying between these peaks are valleys which promise tourists exciting eco-tours.
[edit] Diversity in ecological system
According to initial statistics, the primitive tropical forest in Phong Nha - Ke Bang houses 140 families, 427 branches, and 751 species of high-rated plants, of which 36 species are endangered and listed in the Viet Nam Red Book. The forest is also home to 32 sets, 98 families, 256 races and 381 species of four land backboned animals. Sixty-six animal species are listed in the Viet Nam Red Book and 23 other species in the World Red Book. In general, Phong Nha-Ke Bang's animals are more diverse than in other natural reserves and national parks.
[edit] A historical site
In addition to the diversity in the ecosystem, Phong Nha - Ke Bang is home to archeological and historical relics, such as an ancient hieroglyphic script of the Cham ethnic minority, King Ham Nghi's base built for the resistance war against French colonialists in the late 19th century, and the Xuan Son ferry station, Ho Chi Minh Trail and Road 20 used during the US resistance war or Vietnam War as commonly called.
[edit] Tourism deveplopment in recent years
Central Quang Binh province has poured heavy investment into upgrading the Phong Nha-Ke Bang visitor site to turn it into the country's major tourist destination.
Multiple eco-tourist projects have been licensed for development in the area and the area is being heavily invested by the province to turn it into a major tourist site in Vietnam. Phong Nha Ke Bang is part of a tourism promotion programme called: "Middle Heritage Road", including: the ancient capital of Hue (tangible architecture and intangible Nha nhac cung dinh), Champa relics of My Son, Hoi An, The space of Gong culture in the Central Highlands of Vietnam.
In order to facilitate the increasing flow of tourists to the site, construction of the Dong Hoi Airport nearby has been in progress and due to open at the end of 2006.
