Tourist Attractions in Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon)

Can Gio World's Biosphere Reserve Zone

Location: The ecological forest of Can Gio is situated 50km away from downtown Ho Chi Minh City.
Characteristic: With an area of over 70,000 ha, of which 35,000 ha is salt-watered forest, Can Gio has been recognized as a biosphere reserve of the world by the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO).

Can Gio has been recognized as a biosphere reserve after evaluation of various aspects, including the people, ecology, environment and biosphere sustainability. Those who visited this place decade ago can hardly recognize it today, due to the countless towering trees and plants that stretch out of sight, and the harmonious biosphere of the coastal mangrove forest. So far nearly 40,000 ha of forest and land have been restored. According to the Can Gio Forest Managing Board, at present more than 600 households with 1,500 people reside in this area. They live on reforestation, forest protection and aquatic production. In the early 1970's, the concept of "Biosphere reserve" was announced with the aim of protecting the species in danger of extinction. The biosphere reserves must preserve the samples of the ecological systems in the world, and work as a laboratory where research and observation of these ecological systems are undertaken. The reserve seeks measures to help the local people benefit from nature.
Before the construction of a 20 km-long road linking Binh Khanh wharf to Can Thanh, which runs along Can Gio to beach April 30, Can Gio was a remote area whose residents lived on catching crabs and mussels. Now it is an interesting eco-tourist site attracting many people from Ho Chi Minh City and other places. The Saigon Tourism Company and Phu Tho Tourism Company have established eco-tours to this area. Visiting Can Gio, you will see crocodiles lying in the swamp and hundreds of monkeys that come from mangrove clum