Pu Mat National Park, Nghe An, Vietnam: Things to Do, Homestays & How to Get There
“I want to experience nature and culture in Vietnam, not just big cities like Hanoi or Ho Chi Minh City!”
“I want to learn about the lives and culture of ethnic minority communities!”
“I want to see a side of Vietnam that is not overly developed for tourism!”
If that sounds like you, I highly recommend Pù Mát National Park in Nghệ An Province.
The appeal of Pù Mát National Park is not only its waterfalls and tropical forest. Here, you can experience both nature and local life in one trip — from wildlife conservation efforts to Thai ethnic minority villages, traditional crafts, and local food culture.
In this article, I will introduce Pù Mát National Park, one of the highlights of tourism in Nghệ An Province, Vietnam. It is a truly unique destination, and I hope many of you will have the chance to visit.
Contents
- What is Pù Mát National Park?
- Highlights of Pù Mát National Park
- 🏞️ Highlight 1: Khe Kèm Waterfall
- 🐒 Highlight 2: Wildlife Rescue Center and Museum
- 🌿 Things to Do 1: Trekking in the Tropical Forest
- 🛶 Things to Do 2: Giăng River Cruise
- 🪷 Things to Do 3: Thai Ethnic Homestay Experience
- 🎋 Things to Do 4: Traditional Craft Experience
- Best Time to Visit
- How to Get to Pù Mát National Park from Major Cities
- How to Get to Pù Mát National Park from Vinh City
- Getting Around in Con Cuông
- Recommended Travel Companies
- Need Help?
What is Pù Mát National Park?
Pù Mát National Park is a protected natural area in Nghệ An Province, in north-central Vietnam. It is the third largest national park in Vietnam, covering about 94,000 hectares.
The park is home to an impressive range of biodiversity, with around 2,494 plant species and about 1,650 animal species, including 132 mammal species and 361 bird species. It is known as one of the most biologically diverse national parks in Vietnam.
With its tropical forest, rich wildlife, and beautiful waterfalls, Pù Mát is an ideal destination for travelers who love nature.
It is located more than 300 kilometers from Hanoi, so it is not as heavily developed for tourism as many famous destinations. That is exactly why you can still experience nature in its original form and local culture as it really is.
Highlights of Pù Mát National Park
🏞️ Highlight 1: Khe Kèm Waterfall (Thác Khe Kèm)
Khe Kèm Waterfall is the most famous attraction in Pù Mát National Park. Water falls dramatically from a height of 150 meters, creating an impressive view throughout the year.
It is not only a place to enjoy the scenery. You can also swim in the pool below the waterfall or even stand under the falling water for a refreshing experience.
Another fun surprise is that the natural pool is home to doctor fish. They gather around your feet and gently nibble away dead skin!
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| Doctor fish gather around your feet |
If you want to swim, the best time to visit is from April to October.
The entrance fee is 30,000 VND.
🐒 Highlight 2: Wildlife Rescue Center and Museum
Both the Wildlife Rescue Center and the museum are located inside the Pù Mát National Park headquarters in central Con Cuông.
At the Wildlife Rescue Center, you can see animals such as gibbons rescued by park rangers and even tigers that were confiscated by the police after being kept illegally. These animals are cared for at the center, and once they recover, some of them are returned to the wild.
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| Northern White-cheeked gibbon/ Nomascus leucogenys |
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| Tiger |
The museum is small, but it has an impressive collection of exhibits, including specimens of animals, fish, and insects. It also has many displays introducing the culture of ethnic minority communities living in and around Pù Mát National Park, especially the Thai people.
The Wildlife Rescue Center and the museum are located on the same site.
The admission fee is 10,000 VND.
Note:
The Wildlife Rescue Center and the museum are generally open all year round. However, they are sometimes unexpectedly closed. If that happens, do not give up too quickly. Try to find a staff member and use Google Translate or simple English to say that you would like to visit. In many cases, the staff will kindly open the facilities and show you around.
🌿 Things to Do 1: Tropical Rainforest Trekking
Inside Pù Mát National Park, rangers patrol the forest every day. They check for illegal hunting and monitor the border area for security reasons. By joining them on a jungle trek, you can explore the rainforest and observe rare plants and wildlife along the way.
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| There are both one-day trekking trips and two-day, one-night camping trips. |
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| Meals in the jungle taste especially good. |
If you are lucky, you may even spot wild animals in their natural habitat.
To arrange this experience, you need to contact the Pù Mát National Park headquarters directly. You can visit the park’s official website and send an email in Vietnamese with the help of tools like ChatGPT.
You are also welcome to contact me directly. I can help connect you with the rangers, so please feel free to reach out.
Contact >>>［FB］Kohei Unoki ［IG］unoki1222
🛶 Things to Do 2: Giăng River Cruise
You can take a boat ride along the Giăng River as it winds through the primary forest of Pù Mát National Park. It is a peaceful and beautiful way to experience the landscape. You can also enjoy a meal on the boat during the trip.
About 15 kilometers upstream on the Giăng River, there is a village of the Đan Lai people, a very small ethnic community with only around 4,000 people in Vietnam.
Important:
This river area is located in a border zone, so independent travel is not allowed. You can only visit as part of a tour organized by a travel company. Please keep this in mind when planning your trip.
🪷 Things to Do 3: Stay at a Thai Ethnic Homestay
※The Thái ethnic group, one of Vietnam’s ethnic minority communities.
In Nua Village, where a JICA community support project was carried out in the past, there are currently two homestays. What makes this village especially interesting is that when you stay at one of these homestays, part of the income is shared with around 5–10% of the villagers. It is a wonderful community-based system, and I highly recommend supporting it.
Homestay①Homestay Hoa Thụ
Homestay②Homestay Nhuong Thanh
At the moment, reservations can only be made by phone or through Facebook, and communication is generally in Vietnamese only. For that reason, booking through Facebook is probably the easiest option. You can use Google Translate or ChatGPT to help with communication.
If you would like to enjoy a traditional Thai meal or experience traditional dancing, be sure to tell the owner when you make your reservation.
Best Time to Visit
The best time to visit is from April to October.
During the off-season, the weather can be a little cool, and there are far fewer visitors. On the other hand, this can also be a good thing, as you can enjoy the area in a much quieter and more peaceful atmosphere.
How to Get to Pù Mát National Park from Major Cities
From Hanoi, you can travel to Pù Mát National Park by bus, train, or plane.
From Ho Chi Minh City, flying is the best option because it is quite far away.
By Bus
Direct Bus from Hanoi to Con Cuông, the Gateway to Pù Mát National Park
There is a direct bus between Hanoi and Con Cuông(Pù Mát National Park) operated by Hai Binh Bus and Cuc Mung Bus.
However, reservations are available in Vietnamese only, so it may be a little difficult for foreign travelers. If you have Vietnamese friends, it would be helpful to ask them to book for you. You can also contact me, and I can help make the reservation.
The ticket price is around 250,000 to 350,000 VND.
There are both daytime buses and overnight buses.
Bus from Hanoi to Vinh
There are also many bus companies running from Hanoi to Vinh, the nearest major city to Con Cuông.
By Train
Taking the train from Hanoi to Vinh City with Vietnam Railways is also a convenient option.
How to book
You can also buy tickets directly at the station counter at Hanoi Railway Station (Ga Hà Nội). However, this usually requires some Vietnamese ability, and tickets may sell out during busy travel periods.
By Plane
There are flights from both Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City to Vinh, the capital city of Nghệ An Province.
Hanoi to Vinh: about 40 minutes
Ho Chi Minh City to Vinh: about 2 hours
How to Get to Pù Mát National Park from Vinh City
From Vinh City to Con Cuông(Pù Mát National Park), it is about 120 km, and the journey takes around 2.5 to 3 hours by local bus or limousine van.
Local Bus
Look for buses with “TT Con Cuông” written on the front.
These local buses are easy to recognize because of their red and green stripes. There are bus stops in many parts of Vinh City(bus stop①,bus stop②, bus stop③ etc...), so if you see a bus with “Con Cuông” written on it, you can simply get on. After boarding, just take a seat. A staff member will come to sell tickets, and you can simply say “Con Cuông.”
The ticket costs 70,000 VND as of 2026.
Buses run from around 5:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m., with about 3 to 4 buses per hour.
Limousine Van
A limousine van costs about twice as much as the local bus, but it is more comfortable. You can usually charge your phone on board, and the vehicle is air-conditioned.
You can book online through this website.
Getting Around in Con Cuông
In Con Cuông, you can use MaiLove Taxi, which is easy to recognize by its green color.
You can usually find a MaiLove taxi without much trouble in Con Cuông. However, if you cannot find one, I recommend going to this taxi station:
Approximate taxi fares(as of 2026)
Con Cuông town center → Khe Kèm Waterfall (one way): 250,000 VND
Con Cuông town center → Nua Village Homestay (one way): 100,000 VND
Recommended Travel Companies
If you are thinking, “It looks a bit difficult to organize everything by myself,” then joining a tour through a travel company may be the easiest option.
Need Help?
I will be working in Con Cuông(Pù Mát national Park) as a tourism development volunteer until the end of 2026, so please feel free to send me a direct message on Instagram or Facebook if you need any help.
Contact >>>［FB］Kohei Unoki ［IG］unoki1222
If our schedules match, I would be happy to show you around the area in person 🫡
I look forward to welcoming you to Con Cuông!
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