Núi Chúa National Park: Mapped Protected Landscape and Geographic Context in Ninh Thuận Province

Núi Chúa National Park is best known for its exceptional combination of semi-arid coastal forest ecosystems and marine biodiversity, which is extremely rare in Vietnam and Southeast Asia. The park contains the highest known population of black-shanked douc langurs in Vietnam and supports eleven species of turtles, the highest recorded for any Special Use Forest in the country. The beaches within the park represent some of the last remaining mainland nesting sites for endangered green turtles in Vietnam. The fringing coral reefs support 307 recorded species, including 46 species that represent new distribution records for Vietnam. The park's semi-arid vegetation, characterized by thorny scrub in lower elevations and lower montane evergreen forest above 800 meters, represents a unique conservation asset in a country dominated by tropical humidity.

Núi Chúa National Park was officially established on July 9, 2003, through Decision 134/QĐ-TTg issued by the Prime Minister of Vietnam, which elevated the former Núi Chúa Nature Reserve to national park status. The decision recognized the area's exceptional biodiversity value and the need for enhanced protection of its unique coastal forest and marine ecosystems. In April 2021, the park achieved international recognition when UNESCO designated it as a World Biosphere Reserve, part of a transboundary designation that also included the Kon Hà Nừng Biosphere Reserve. This designation acknowledged the park's role in maintaining ecological processes while supporting sustainable community livelihoods in the surrounding region. Prior to the establishment of formal protection, the area had experienced significant forest loss during the early 1990s due to over-exploitation, leaving only the higher elevation montane forest relatively intact. The establishment of the national park and its subsequent biosphere reserve status have provided a framework for ongoing conservation efforts while addressing the challenges of supporting local communities who depend on the surrounding landscape.

The landscape of Núi Chúa National Park is defined by a prominent mountainous peninsula that juts dramatically into the South China Sea. The terrain forms a roughly tortoise-shaped mass with the highest elevations concentrated in the central area, sloping downward toward the coastline in all directions. The geology consists primarily of ancientMagma intrusions and volcanic rocks, including andelite, liparite, and granite formations that date back millions of years. The park's coastline stretches over 40 kilometers and includes rocky shores, sandy beaches, and tidal flats around the Đầm Nại lagoon area. The highest point reaches 1,039 meters at Cô Tuy peak, with the terrain dropping through distinct elevation zones: areas below 300 meters occur mainly on the eastern and southern sides, elevations between 300 and 700 meters characterize the western and southwestern sections with steeper slopes and deeper valleys, and the area above 700 meters contains the remaining primary forest in the central zone. The surrounding Phan Rang coastal plain lies to the west and southwest, forming a basin-like topography surrounded by higher mountain blocks that creates a rain shadow effect contributing to the region's aridity.

The ecological character of Núi Chúa National Park is defined by its position at the intersection of multiple ecoregions within one of Vietnam's most environmentally distinctive provinces. The park lies within the southern part of the Great Annamites Ecoregion, encompassing both the Southern Vietnam Lowland Dry Forests and Southern Annamite Montane Rain Forests. The vegetation originally comprised a mixture of evergreen, semi-evergreen, and deciduous forest, though much was destroyed in the early 1990s. Today, the only relatively undisturbed primary forest remains in the lower montane evergreen zone above 800 meters in the northern part of the park. At lower elevations, extensive degraded and secondary forest gives way to thorny scrub vegetation that dominates the southern areas between 150 and 800 meters elevation. This scrubland habitat type is uniquely adapted to the hot, dry climate and remains underrepresented within Vietnam's protected area network. The marine component includes fringing coral reefs in generally good to excellent condition, supporting exceptional biodiversity despite the surrounding dryland conditions.

Núi Chúa National Park supports remarkable biodiversity across both terrestrial and marine environments, with 72 mammal species and 181 bird species documented within its boundaries. The park holds particular significance for primates, supporting what is believed to be the highest population of black-shanked douc langurs anywhere in Vietnam, along with populations of pygmy lorises. Other notable mammals include Asian black bears, sun bears, and the endangered large-antlered muntjac. The bird community includes the siamese fireback among other species of conservation concern. The bat fauna is particularly well-documented with twelve species recorded, including the lesser short-nosed fruit bat which appears on Vietnam's IUCN Red List. The marine environment is equally significant, with eleven species of turtles recorded, the highest number for any Special Use Forest in Vietnam. Several beaches within the park constitute the last remaining mainland nesting sites in Vietnam for endangered green turtles. The coral reefs support 307 species with recent surveys identifying 46 species representing new records for Vietnam.

Núi Chúa National Park represents one of Vietnam's highest conservation priorities due to its unique combination of rare semi-arid ecosystems, significant marine biodiversity, and critical turtle nesting habitat. The park's designation as a World Biosphere Reserve in 2021 reflects its international importance as both a conservation area and a model for integrating sustainable human activities with environmental protection. The semi-arid coastal forest ecosystem is among the most threatened habitat types in Vietnam due to the country's predominantly humid climate, making the park's vegetation particularly valuable as a genetic resource for restoring areas affected by climate change and sea level rise. However, the park faces significant challenges as an isolated forest fragment surrounded by agricultural land, with approximately 30,000 people living within its boundaries and another 25,000 in the buffer zone. Pressures include subsistence hunting, forest product harvesting, and agricultural encroachment. Climate change is exacerbating these challenges through increasingly frequent and severe droughts, heightening competition for water resources and intensifying pressure on forest products as alternative livelihoods become less viable.

The communities within and around Núi Chúa National Park include members of the Kinh, Cham, and Raglay ethnic groups, with the Raglay people comprising approximately 21 percent of the local population and the Cham people about 3 percent. These communities face significant socioeconomic challenges, with inhabitants inside the park experiencing average food shortages for approximately six months per year. The Raglay and other local populations have traditionally depended on forest resources, including both timber and non-timber products, which currently contribute an estimated 56 percent of annual household income. Agricultural encroachment remains a concern, with over 600 hectares of wet rice land, 2,500 hectares of shifting cultivation, and 750 hectares of industrial cropland currently within the national park boundary. Efforts are underway to develop sustainable alternative livelihoods that reduce dependence on forest resources while addressing the underlying economic vulnerabilities of these communities.

Núi Chúa National Park stands out as Vietnam's premier example of semi-arid coastal forest protection, combining unique terrestrial and marine ecosystems in a single protected landscape. The park's sea turtle nesting beaches represent critical conservation value as some of the last remaining mainland nesting sites for endangered green turtles. The fringing coral reefs host exceptional biodiversity with 307 documented species, including numerous new records for Vietnam. The black-shanked douc population represents the highest concentration of this species in the country, making the park a priority location for primate conservation. The elevation gradient from sea level to 1,039 meters supports remarkable habitat diversity within a relatively small area, transitioning through coastal strand, scrubland, secondary forest, and primary montane evergreen forest. The 2021 UNESCO World Biosphere Reserve designation acknowledges both the park's ecological significance and its role in supporting sustainable community development.

The optimal time to visit Núi Chúa National Park coincides with the end of the dry season and the onset of the brief rainy period, typically from September through December. During these months, the landscape retains its green character while temperatures remain comfortable for outdoor exploration. The park experiences an eight-month dry season from November or December through July or August, when conditions become increasingly harsh and vegetation appears more parched. The monsoon season from approximately September to December brings the majority of annual rainfall, transforming the otherwise arid landscape and providing optimal conditions for wildlife viewing as animals become more active around water sources. Visitor activities may be constrained during the peak of the dry season when water scarcity and fire risk are highest, and the marine environment is most safely explored during the calmer conditions that follow the summer monsoon period.