Ba Be National Park

Ba Be, a sprawling expanse covering 10,048 hectares, earned its status as a National Park in 1992 and later secured its place as an ASEAN Heritage Park. Enshrined within the park's heart, Ba Be Lake comprises three smaller lakes orignally "slam pe" in the local Tay language. The three lakes - Pe Leng, Pe Lu and Pe Lam - are indeed three sections of the same water body.  Ba Be Lake is Vietnam's third Ramsar site as listed by UNESCO, elevating its status as a vital global wetland. Nestled at 145 meters above sea level, with an average depth of 20 to 25 meters and a maximum depth of 35 meters, Ba Be Lake reigns as Vietnam’s largest tectonic lake created by the collapse of the late Cambrian karst formation. The majestic karst limestone massif harbors captivating caves within their depths.

The Park:

• Location: Bac Kan Province, 250km northeast of Hanoi.
• Area: 10,048 hectares.
• Elevation: 145 meters above sea level.
• Status: National Park since 1992, ASEAN Heritage Park since 2003, Ramsar since 2011, Special National Vista 2012.
• Habitat type: tropcial evergreen forest on limestone mountain.

The Lake: 

• Type: fresh water.
• Area: 450 hectares.
• Length: 7.5km, width: 1.2-1km, depth: 17-23m, deepest point 29m, water level difference: 2.8m.
• Special: Vietnam’s largest tectonic lake created by the collapse of the late Cambrian karst formation.

Climate:

• Vietnam's Northeast Climatic Subregion. 
• ​​Seasons: 2 seasons (dry and rain). 
• ​Annual mean temperature: 22oC.
• Annual rainfal: 1378mm.
• ​Humidity: 80%, influenced by the northest monsoon​.

Biodiversity (2012):

• Terrestrial plant species: 909
• Aquatic plant species: 179
• Animal species: 40
• Bird species: 233
• Reptile species: 27
• Amphibian species: 16
• Fish species: 107
• Insect species: 355

Endemic species:

• Vietnamese Salamander (Paramesotriton deloustali, Cá cóc bụng hoa)
• Ngâu rừng (Aglaia pleuropteris/CR)
• Nhọ nồi Nam bộ (Hydnocarpus annamensis/VU)

Some in the IUCN's Red List

Animals:

• Owston's Civet (Chrotogale owstoni /Cầy vằn/VU)
• François's Langur (Trachypithecus francoisi/Voọc đen má trắng/EN)
• Vietnamese Salamander (Paramesotriton deloustali/Cá cóc bụng hoa/VU)
• Chinese Spiny Frog (Quasipaa spinosa/Ếch gai sấn/VU)

Plants:

• Ngâu rừng (Aglaia pleuropteris/CR)
• Hoa khế (Craibiodendron scleranthum/VU)
• Burmese Rosewood (Dalbergia bariensis/Cẩm lai/EN), 
• Nhọ nồi Nam bộ (Hydnocarpus annamensis/VU)

Other strictly protected species: 

• Pygmy Slow Loris (Nycticebus pygmaeus/Cu li nhỏ)
• Owston’s Banded Civet (Hemigulus ownstoni/Cầy vằn)
• Owston's Palm Civet (Chrotogale owstoni/Cầy vằn bắc)
• Asian Black Bear (Ursus thibetanus/Gấu ngựa)
• Eurasian Otter (Lutra lutra/Rái cá thường)
• Short-tailed Pangolin (Phataginus tricuspis/Tê tê)
• Harlequin Bat (Scotomanes ornatus/Dơi đốm hoa)
• King Cobra (Ophiophagus hannah/Hổ mang chúa)
• Big-headed Turtle (Platysternon megacephalum/Rùa đầu to)
• White-eared Night Heron (Gorsachius magnificus/Vạc hoa)

Remarkable old trees in the Park:

• Nghien (Burretiodendron tonkinense/Nghiến)
• ​Thung (Tetrameles nudiflora/Đăng, tung, thung, sprung)
• Indochina Dragonplum (Dracontomelum duperreanum/Sấu)
• ​Cluster fig (Ficus racemosa/Sung)

Ethnicity:

• Tay: 57%
• H'mong: 37%
• Dao and Kinh as minority