Ben En National Park (Vietnamese: Vườn quốc gia Bến En) is located in Thanh Hóa Province, Vietnam. The park was established by a decision numbered 33, made on January 27, 1992, by the head of the Council of Ministers of Vietnam.

Location

The national park is located in the districts of Như Thanh and Như Xuân, Thanh Hóa Province. It is about 46 kilometers (29 miles) southwest of Thanh Hoa City. The coordinates are 19°31′ to 19°43′ N and 105°25′ to 105°38′ E.

The total area of the park is 14,735 hectares (57 square miles). Of this, 8,544 hectares (33 square miles) are covered by primitive forest. The park includes mountains, hills, streams, and rivers. It also has a lake covering 3,000 hectares (12 square miles) with 21 small islands.

Biodiversity

Studies show that many rare species live in this park. Scientists have found 1,389 types of plants, 1,004 types of animals, 66 types of mammals, 201 types of birds, 54 types of reptiles, 31 types of amphibians, 68 types of fish, and 499 types of insects. There are 462 kinds of plants in the park, and they belong to 125 groups. Some of the species listed may no longer exist. In Ben En National Park, the endangered tree Erythrophleum fordii still grows. In 2011, scientists from Vietnam and Singapore discovered a new type of ginger called Distichochlamys benenica.

Tourism

The main attraction of the national park is Lake Song Muc, which can be explored using a motorboat or kayak. Other interesting places include caves found in both the southern and northern parts of the park. Two forest trails are available: one starts near the national park's guesthouse, and the other is on one of the islands within the park. This island also has two vacation homes that can be rented. The guesthouse near the dam offers simple lodging choices for visitors.