A grassy wetland edge with forest beyond in Cat Tien National Park
Photo: Vyacheslav Argenberg / CC BY 2.0

Nature · day trips

Nam Cat Tien National Park

Cat Tien National Park is the nearest big lowland rainforest to Saigon, about 150–160 km north on the road to Da Lat. A private car takes 3½ to 4 hours each way, so most visitors stay one night. You can also add it as a stop on the drive to Da Lat.

  • From SGN3½–4 hours
  • Private car from$69
  • Now part ofDong Nai and Lam Dong provinces
  • Park areaAbout 720 sq km
  • Best forBirds, gibbons, walks, a night in the forest
Book online

Tan Son Nhat airport (SGN) → Nam Cat Tien National Park HQ

  • 3½–4 hours
  • 160 km
  • Door to door
  1. 1. Trip
  2. 2. Car & extras
  3. 3. Your details

Step 1 of 3: Trip

Vietnam time. We track the flight and wait 90 minutes after landing, free.
People
2
Suitcases
2
  • Free cancellation up to 24 hours before pickup
  • Confirmed within 12 hours by email, with your driver's details
  • 90 minutes' free waiting after landing, flight tracked
  • No card needed. Pay the driver on the day
Book a transfer to Nam Cat Tien National Parkfrom $69 · 3½–4 hoursBook

Fixed prices

Private transfer prices to Nam Cat Tien National Park

Every route we drive into Nam Cat Tien National Park, per vehicle. Tap a route to load it into the booking box.

Private transfer prices to Nam Cat Tien National Park
Route Drive time Sedan
≤3 people		7-seat MPV
≤6 people		7-seat SUV
≤5 people		VIP limo van
≤7 people		16-seat bus
≤12 people
Saigon airport or city → Nam Cat Tien National Park 160 km · Saigon airport transfers · Saigon (Ho Chi Minh City) 3½–4 hours $691.800.000₫$751.950.000₫$832.150.000₫$1383.600.000₫$1193.100.000₫
Return, driver waits up to 4 h Saigon airport or city → Nam Cat Tien National Park and back 2 × 3½–4 hours $1042.700.000₫$1132.950.000₫$1253.250.000₫$2085.400.000₫$1794.650.000₫

Return prices include the drive back and up to 4 hours' waiting while you visit. Per vehicle, not per person, for a daytime pickup. Tolls included. Night pickups (22:00–06:00) add 10% and Tết adds 30%. Other currencies are a guide; you pay in VND.

Is Cat Tien National Park worth visiting?

Cat Tien is worth a night if you want a real forest within a few hours of Saigon. It is a lowland tropical rainforest of around 720 square kilometres, first protected in 1978, made up of two main areas, Nam Cat Tien and Cat Loc. After the 2025 reorganisation the park lies across Dong Nai and Lam Dong provinces. It is one of the last big areas of this kind of forest in southern Vietnam, and it holds a wide range of plants, birds, butterflies, reptiles, amphibians and mammals, from monkeys to gibbons.

The most famous resident was the Javan rhino. A small herd was found in the Cat Loc area in 1992 and was believed to be one of the last in the world. The last one in Vietnam was found dead in 2010, killed for its horn, and the species is now extinct there. The park still has real conservation work to support, and what you pay to enter goes towards it.

How long from Saigon to Cat Tien by car?

By private car, Saigon to Cat Tien takes 3½ to 4 hours over 150–160 km. The route leaves the city for Dong Nai, follows Highway 20 to Tan Phu, and turns off for the park, so the last stretch is a quieter road through plantations and villages. Leaving Saigon is the slow part, and Friday evenings and holiday eves add time.

A car also fits your plans: you can leave when you like, stop at Madagui or Bao Loc on the way if you’re heading to Da Lat, and let the driver wait or come back for you.

Bus, tour or private car to Cat Tien?

For most people the choice is between a package tour and your own car. A two-day package from Saigon is listed at about 2.4 million ₫ per adult (operator listing, October 2026) and includes the guides and meals, but the dates, the group and the programme are fixed. Buses run to Tan Phu, but they drop you in town, and the park is a further drive away.

A private car costs more than a bus seat for one person, and less per head for a family or small group. You pick the time, choose the vehicle, and can add a stop. A calm driver and a clean, non-smoking car are a good start to a trip into the forest.

What to do in Cat Tien

Most of the park is explored on foot, by bicycle or with a ranger, and many walks start at the park headquarters. Choose one or two rather than all of them.

Crocodile lake (Bau Sau)

Bau Sau is a lake inside the forest, home to Siamese crocodiles that have been reintroduced to the park. The walk is through the forest and ends at the water, and it has a separate ticket.

The giant tree and forest trails

Short trails lead to old trees, including a giant Tung tree said to be around 400 years old, and past streams and bamboo. The forest is thick, and you’ll hear more than you see. A guide helps a lot with birds and primates.

Gibbons, birds and butterflies

The park has gibbons, other primates and hundreds of bird species. Dawn is the best time to walk. Bring a long-sleeved shirt, repellent and shoes you don’t mind getting muddy.

Night walks

Ranger-led night walks are the way to see nocturnal animals. Ask at the park office what’s running on your dates.

Villages around the park

The valley around Cat Tien has long been home to ethnic communities, including the Chau Ma and the Stieng. A guided day in a village shows a different side of the area and puts money into local households.

Where to stay

Most visitors sleep in the park or in guesthouses and bungalows outside the gate, which makes dawn walks easy. Book ahead on weekends and holidays. A one-night stay is the minimum that makes the drive worthwhile.

When to go to Cat Tien

The dry season, roughly November to April, is easiest for trails and views. From May to October it is green and quiet, but trails can flood, some are closed, and leeches are everywhere. Weekends and holidays are busy with Vietnamese groups, and midweek is much calmer.

Onward from Cat Tien

Cat Tien sits on the way to Da Lat, and the two work well as one trip: a night in the park, then 4 to 5 hours on to the highlands. Back to Saigon it is 3½ to 4 hours. To book any leg, change the From and To in the booking box; the prices for every route into Cat Tien are in the table above.

Our driver standard

The car you'd want after a long flight

Car quality in Vietnam varies wildly: a driver smoking between jobs, seatbelts tucked away or missing, a car that's done half a million kilometres. This is the standard we hold every driver to, and what we ask you about after every trip.

  • Calm hands on the wheel. Smooth, unhurried driving. Safety comes before speed, every time.
  • The horn is for emergencies. Not a musical instrument. Anyone who has sat in Saigon traffic knows why we say this.
  • No smoke, no perfume bomb. Nobody smokes in our cars, and there's no air freshener strong enough to make your eyes water.
  • Air you'd want to breathe. Cabin filters changed on schedule, so the air-con blows clean, not twenty years of exhaust.
  • Newer cars, kind suspension. Cars in good condition, with seats and suspension made for a four-hour drive.
  • Seatbelts that work. In every seat. Child seats are free on request.

Where to stay

Hotels we drive to in Nam Cat Tien National Park

Any hotel in the area works; these are the ones with their own transfer page.

Getting there

Private car, bus or train: the honest comparison

We're not the cheapest way to Nam Cat Tien National Park. Here's what each option is actually like.

OptionTimeCostDoor to doorGood forThe catch
Private car (us) 3½–4 h from Saigon, door to door Per car, see the price table Yes Families, groups, anyone with luggage, and a stop on the way to Da Lat A long drive for a single day. Most people stay a night.
Bus to Tan Phu, then a local ride Longer than the drive, plus the last stretch to the park gate Per seat; ask the operator No Solo travellers on a tight budget The bus drops you in town, not at the park, so you still need a ride for the last stretch.
Guided package tour 2 days, 1 night from Saigon From about 2.4 million ₫ per adult (tour operator listing, October 2026) Yes People who want guides, meals and the park permit arranged Fixed dates and group size; the programme is set.
Why most of our travellers book a car

You know the driver and the car before you land. The price is fixed, with tolls included. Someone is waiting at arrivals with your name, the flight is tracked, and the car is clean and non-smoking with working seatbelts and child seats if you need them. After a long flight, that's worth more than the saving.

FAQ

Questions travellers ask us

How far is Cat Tien National Park from Ho Chi Minh City?

About 150–160 km north of Saigon, and 3½ to 4 hours by private car. The route follows Highway 20 through Dong Nai and turns off at Tan Phu. It sits on the road to Da Lat, so it can be a stop on the way up, with a night at the park.

Can you do Cat Tien as a day trip from Saigon?

Technically yes, but you spend 7 to 8 hours in the car for a few hours in the park, and the best wildlife is at dawn and dusk. A one-night stay is far better. If you must go in a day, leave Saigon by 5 am.

How much is the entrance fee for Cat Tien?

Around 60,000₫ for an adult at the main gate in a recent visitor guide, with lower fares for students and children. Crocodile lake, night walks and guided treks cost extra and are booked at the park. Check the current price at the ticket office.

Can you see rhinos at Cat Tien?

No. The last Javan rhino in Vietnam was found dead in 2010, and the species is considered extinct in the country. Cat Tien still has gibbons, other primates, birds, butterflies, deer and crocodiles in the lake.

When is the best time to visit Cat Tien?

November to April, the dry season, is easiest for trails and wildlife. From May to October the park is green and quiet, but trails can be muddy, flooded or closed, and there are leeches. Weekends and holidays are busier.

Can we stop at Cat Tien on the way to Da Lat?

Yes. Cat Tien is a short detour from Highway 20 at Tan Phu, so a night in the park splits the 6 to 7 hour drive well. Book the car for the Saigon to Cat Tien leg and a second transfer on to Da Lat the next day.