While some natural areas in central Vietnam suffer from overtourism, Bach Ma National Park has slipped under the developers’ radar.

A century ago this was a hill station for overheating French colonists from the nearby city of Hue. The national park still holds a cluster of French holiday villas, some of which have been converted into places to stay.

Bach Ma National Park has several excellent trails, and more are being created as the area tries to promote adventure tourism. Rhododendron Falls Trail is one of the most popular hikes. It’s suitable for families, passes a panoramic viewpoint, and the highlight is a thundering waterfall with rock pools that are good for swimming.

Hiking in Vietnam

An expert guide to the best treks & hikes in Vietnam

I’ve been living in Vietnam on and off for 15 years, and I’ve spent most of that time writing travel stories, authoring guidebooks and working as a fixer for other visitors. So vast are the outdoors here that it seems I’m always writing about adventure travel in some form or another. Vietnam’s dramatic landscapes make hiking a worthwhile activity on its own, but unlike mainstream trekking destinations, it’s rarely the sole focus...read more