With its spectacularly shaped limestone mountains surrounding northern Vietnam ’s largest wetland, Van Long Nature Reserve in Ninh Binh province is becoming an attractive destination for tourists.
According to the Ninh Binh Tourism Department, Van Long Nature Reserve attracted 45,000 visitors, mostly foreigners, in 2007. Visitors from France , the Republic of Korea and Japan were the largest groups to include Van Long, along with the old capital of Hoa Lu and Tam Coc-Bich Dong tourist site also in Ninh Binh province, in their travel itinerary.
The Van Long wetland in Gia Vien district about 90km south of Hanoi covers a total area of 2,643 ha. There are 457 species of high-class flora throughout the reserve, of which eight species have been listed in Vietnam ’s Red Book.
The reserve is home to 39 animal species including the rare white breeched langur, tibetan bear, serow, loris and panther . Nine species of reptiles including the python, king cobra, varan and gecko and the near extinct insect species, the belostomatid, are all found in the reserve.
Van Long wetlands, which is described as a Ha Long Bay on land, also has many beautiful caves and grottos. A popular activity among visitors is a boat ride to discover the beauty of the 100m Bong grotto, four-storey Duoi cave, or the most beautiful Ca grotto half submerged with a 250m length and multiform magnificent stalactites and stalagmites.
Those visitors interested in history cannot overlook sites such as a “Thi” tree which is believed to be 600 years old, or Chi Le, Mai Trung and Dich Long pagodas and cave site or King Dinh Tien Hoang Temple .
The development of tourism around Van Long has supported a face-lift of the area, with roads, schools and craft villages benefiting from upgrades and many hotels being built. The area has been selected by local authorities for the province’s master plan on tourism development by 2010. | 
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