Cat Ba National Park

The accessible Cat Ba National Park is home to 32 types of mammals - including langurs, wild boar, deer, squirrels and hedgehogs - and more than 70 species of birds have been sighted, including hawks, hornbills and cuckoos. The golden headed langur is officially the world's most endangered primate with just 60 left in the park. Cat Ba lies on a major migration route for waterfowl, which feed and roost on the beaches in the mangrove forests.

There are 745 species of plants recorded on Cat Ba, including 118 timber species and 160 plants with medicinal value. The park is also home to a species of tree called Cay Kim Gao. In ancient days, kings and nobles would eat only with chopsticks made from this timber, as anything poisonous it touches is reputed to turn the light-coloured wood to black.