Southern Vietnam Herping Expedition: Snakes, Endemics & Rarities

Day 1: Ho Chi Minh City > Núi Dinh (Vũng Tàu)

We’ll begin the expedition with a pick-up in Ho Chi Minh City after midday and make our way southeast toward Núi Dinh in Vũng Tàu, our first herping destination of the trip. After checking into our accommodation and settling in, we’ll enjoy an early dinner before heading straight into the field for our first night search. Tonight’s expedition takes us deep into the old-growth forests of Núi Dinh, one of southern Vietnam’s least-explored lowland forest habitats and an excellent location for some highly sought-after targets. Key targets for the night include the iconic Malayan Pit Viper, Deuve’s Kukri Snake, Ruby-eyed Pit Viper, Malayan Krait, Annam Wart Frog, Bony-headed Toad, as well as some of the common local targets such as Oriental Whipsnake, Siamese Red-necked Keelback, Common Mock Viper, Round-tongued Floating Frog, Burmese Squat Frog. After a full first night in the field, we’ll return to our accommodation near Núi Dinh for our overnight stay.

Day 2: Núi Dinh > Núi Minh Đạm > Hồ Tràm

After breakfast, we’ll pack up and depart for Hồ Tràm. Along the way, we may make an optional stop at Núi Minh Đạm, where we’ll spend some time searching for diurnal skinks, dragons, snakes and other species. We’ll then continue to Hồ Tràm and check into our accommodation. After some time to rest and escape the afternoon heat, we’ll head back into the field following an early dinner for our second night of herping. Tonight offers excellent opportunities another shot at many of the species we targeted the night before, but with the advantage of a different location. Key targets include Malayan Pit Viper, Golden Tree Snake, Striped Kukri Snake and more Ruby-eyed Pit Viper and the Ngo Van Tri’s Lady Butterfly Lizard (in the afternoon). We will also target Asian Painted Frog, Painted Rice Frog, and we may encounter Nongkhor Asian Tree Frog, and some roosting Vietnamese Blue Crested Lizard and Oriental Garden Lizard. After another productive night session, we’ll return to our accommodation for some rest before continuing inland the following day.

Day 3: Hồ Tràm > Thác Mai

After breakfast, we’ll leave the coast behind and head inland toward Thác Mai around a three-hour drive away, a very different habitat known for excellent amphibian diversity and some highly desirable flying frogs. Following check-in and some downtime during the hotter part of the day, guests can self-explore the surroundings before we prepare for another extensive night session. Tonight’s focus is on some of southern Vietnam’s most exciting arboreal amphibians, especially Helen’s Flying Treefrog and Annam’s Flying Treefrog, both beautiful and highly photogenic species. We’ll also keep an eye out for Indochinese Wolf Snake, Laotian Wolf Snake, roosting Crowned Pricklenape, Striped Sticky Frog, Ma Da Paddy Frog, and additional chances for Ruby-eyed Pit Viper and various kraits. We’ll spend the night at our accommodation near Thác Mai.

Day 4: Thác Mai > Cát Tiên National Park

This morning we transfer to one of Vietnam’s most famous wildlife destinations: Cát Tiên National Park. Known for its exceptional biodiversity, Cát Tiên offers some of the best herping opportunities in the country, especially for snakes, geckos, and nocturnal forest specialists. After checking into park headquarters, we’ll rest through the afternoon before an early dinner and our first night session inside the park. Tonight we begin with trails around HQ and nearby forest roads, searching for species such as the highly reliable Cattien Bent-toed Gecko, Ruby-eyed Pit Viper, Berdmore’s Slug-eating Snake, Banded Krait, Blanford’s Bridle Snake, Vietnamese Bronzeback, Reticulated Python, Striped Sticky Frog, Vietnamese Bug-eyed Frog, Beautiful Pygmy Frog and many more. A few common targets around the headquarters also include Tokay Gecko, Siamese Red-necked Keelback, and Striped Kukri Snake.

Day 5: Cát Tiên National Park

Today offers flexibility depending on everyone’s energy levels and target priorities. Guests may choose an optional early morning excursion to visit to Bàu Sấu (Crocodile Lake) for daytime wildlife and Siamese Crocodile, or simply a slower morning around headquarters with time to rest and enjoy the forest surroundings. A few diurnal targets include Vietnamese Blue Crested Lizard, Oriental Garden Lizard, Clouded Monitor, Spotted Forest Skink, Crowned Pricklenape, Bronze Grass Skink, Indochinese Flying Dragon, Elongated Tortoise, Olive Dasia and Common Mock Viper. After lunch and a break during the hottest hours, we’ll prepare for one of the most exciting nights of the trip. This evening we’ll head deeper into the forest toward Bàu Sấu (Crocodile Lake) and surrounding jeep tracks for late-night herping, focusing on some of the larger and more elusive species of the expedition. This is our best opportunity for Banded Krait, Blue Krait, Reticulated Python, Burmese Python and more encounters with Ruby-eyed Pit Viper and Cattien Bent-toed Gecko.

Day 6: Cát Tiên > Bidoup National Park

After breakfast, we leave the lowland forests behind and begin the scenic drive into the Central Highlands toward Bidoup Núi Bà National Park, one of Vietnam’s finest montane forests and an outstanding location for endemic amphibians and highland snakes. The shift in elevation brings an entirely new herping experience, cooler temperatures, mossy forest, and a completely different species list. We’ll stay inside the park for the next two nights, allowing full access to prime habitat after dark. Following dinner, we begin our first Bidoup night session with targets including Vampire Flying Treefrog, Vietnam Flying Treefrog, Vietnamese Jelly-nest Frog, Langbian Bubble-nest Frog, Taiwan’s Slug Snake and Vogel’s Pit Viper.

Day 7: Bidoup National Park

Today is dedicated entirely to exploring Bidoup. During daylight hours, guests may self-explore nearby trails or join optional hikes to areas such as Thác Thiên Thai and surrounding forest routes, depending on ranger access and local conditions. The daytime here is excellent for photography, habitat exploration, and simply enjoying one of Vietnam’s most beautiful mountain forests. After dinner, we head back into the field for our second and final Bidoup night session, giving us our best chances for the park’s most special species: Bidoup Litter Toad, White-eyed Spadefoot Toad, Vietnam Spadefoot Toad, Belly-spotted Frog, Taiwan’s Slug Snake, Truong’s Wolf Snake, Red Bamboo Snake, and potentially even the elusive Tonkin Mountain Pit Viper.

Day 8: Bidoup > Đà Lạt / Nha Trang / Ho Chi Minh City

After breakfast, we’ll enjoy a relaxed final morning in the park before beginning our departure transfers. Our standard drop-off point is Đà Lạt City, making it the default end point of the expedition. However, if you have other onward travel plans, we’re happy to help arrange alternative drop-off options, including transfer to Nha Trang Airport for domestic connections or return travel toward Ho Chi Minh City.