[Photos] Tràng An: Getting To Know Vietnam’s Newest UNESCO Site

Highlighted by the ancient capital of Hoa Lư, rich wildlife and the heavenly Tam Cốc – Bích Động and Bái Đính temple complex (the largest of its kind in South East Asia), Tràng An is Vietnam’s newest UNESCO’s site.

Rowing on the clear Ngô Đồng River in harvest season, one will marvel at the yellow fields and picturesque landscapes that lie along it. A stop at the Bái Đính Temple on Mount Bái Đính allows visitors to take in a panorama of the mountainous landscape.

These rivers and mountains are also home to a diverse ecosystem that includes 500 species of flora, 73 species of birds and 41 species of other animals.

Research shows that hunter and gatherer societies thrived here over 30,000 years ago and, more recently, it was home to Hoa Lư, the capital of feudal Vietnam.

For it’s unique blend of natural and cultural heritage, Tràng An is Vietnam’s first mixed-heritage UNESCO site.