Phong Nha Botanical Garden, part of the UNESCO-recognized Phong Nha-Ke Bang National Park in the central province of Quang Binh, has opened to the public without charging admission fees since Wednesday, according to the park’s management.

Located on Road No.20 Quyet Thang, approximately 12 km from the Phong Nha Tourism Center and 50 km from Dong Hoi City. Botanical Garden is a natural forest with an area of over 40 ha and 500 plant species within its diverse ecosystems.

 The garden is home to Gio (Wind) Waterfall, Vang Anh Lake, a prototype exhibition house, a propagation section, and pristine forest patches. Its diverse flora provides a rich habitat for various species of birds and mammals. Admission is free for now, the park management said.

The park was founded to preserve one of the world’s two largest karst regions as well as the ecosystem of the limestone forest of the Annamite Range region on the north-central coast of Vietnam.

Phong Nha-Ke Bang is noted for its cave and grotto systems, as it is composed of 300 caves and grottos with a total length of about 70km, of which only 20 have been surveyed by Vietnamese and British scientists.

The park was listed among UNESCO’s World Heritage Sites in 2003 for its immense geological value and rich biodiversity.

Visiting to Botanical Garden, you can choose of three routes depending on your fitness level:

Route 1: Waterfall only (40 minutes)

Route 2: Lake (small swimming spot) and Waterfall (1hr and 30 mins)

Route 3: Route 2 with a longer jungle trek (3 hours)

Botanical Garden Phong Nha is open from 7:00 am to 5:30 pm.