{"id":27016,"date":"2025-09-06T14:09:42","date_gmt":"2025-09-06T04:09:42","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/nextcontinenttours.com\/?p=27016"},"modified":"2025-09-06T15:04:53","modified_gmt":"2025-09-06T05:04:53","slug":"explore-son-tra-trip-report-august-2025","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/nextcontinenttours.com\/zh\/explore-son-tra-trip-report-august-2025\/","title":{"rendered":"Explore Son Tra \u2013 Trip Report (August 2025)"},"content":{"rendered":"

Date: <\/b>August 31, 2025
\n<\/span>Time:<\/b> Half Day Tour (6:30 AM – 12:00 PM)
\n<\/span>Guide(s): <\/b>Ti\u00ean Nguy\u1ec5n<\/a>
\n<\/span>Car Driver: <\/b>V\u0169
\n<\/span>Group size: <\/b>3x PAX. April, Max and Zeke
\nWhat Tour:<\/strong> Explore Son Tra: Wildlife & Nature Walk (Half Day)<\/a>
\n<\/span>Guide\u2019s Notes:<\/b><\/p>\n

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  1. Wildlife highlights:<\/span> <\/span>Red-shanked Douc Langur, Rhesus Macaque, Pallas\u2019 Squirrel, Oriental Honey Buzzard, White-throated Kingfisher, Puff-throated Babbler,<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>White-crested Laughingthrush, Green-eared Barbet, <\/span>Indochinese Blue Flycatcher,<\/span> Greater Racket-tailed Drongo, large butterfly diversity, and more.<\/span><\/em><\/li>\n
  2. Weather & Conditions:<\/span><\/span> Sunny and pleasant until late morning; birds became less vocal after 10:30 AM when temperatures rose to around 31\u00b0C.\u00a0<\/span><\/em><\/li>\n
  3. Recommendations:<\/span><\/span> During late summer, best birding activity usually occurs before 10:00 AM. This route offers a strong mix of primates, birds, and invertebrates \u2014 ideal for both birders and general wildlife enthusiasts.<\/span><\/em><\/li>\n<\/ol>\n

    Forest and Habitat: <\/b>Located to the northeast of \u0110\u00e0 N\u1eb5ng City, S\u01a1n Tr\u00e0 Peninsula is bordered by \u0110\u00e0 N\u1eb5ng Bay to the northwest, the East Sea to the northeast and southeast, and the mainland to the southwest. Most of the area belongs to the S\u01a1n Tr\u00e0 Nature Reserve, a special-use forest established in 1977.\u00a0<\/span>There are two types of habitats that dominate the peninsula: evergreen broadleaf forest and coastal forest scrub. In general, it offers a healthy diversity of habitats, including towering evergreen canopies, fruiting trees, flowering shrubs, lower scrublands and streams, making S\u01a1n Tr\u00e0 one of central Vietnam\u2019s most important biodiversity hotspots.<\/span><\/p>\n

    Detailed Tour Report:<\/b><\/p>\n

    The day began bright and clear as we set off at 6:30 AM. By the time we reached the S\u01a1n Tr\u00e0 Security Booth (7:10 AM), the sun was soft and perfect for morning photography. As we enjoyed b\u00e1nh m\u00ec and coffee, there was a loud \u201claughing\u201d sound, the short three-syllable call of the White-crested Laughingthrush <\/strong><\/span>echoing from the forest, unfortunately a long distance from where we stood.<\/p>\n

    As we began our drive into the mountain, the first highlight came when we encountered a troop of 15\u201320 Rhesus Macaques<\/strong><\/span> crossing the power lines. It was a great start to watch as the mothers carried their babies tightly clutched to their bellies, juveniles hesitating mid-way before scampering across.<\/p>\n

    From there, we strolled around half a kilometre along the edge of the S\u01a1n Tr\u00e0 Nature Reserve. This short walk was filled with birdsong and butterflies flittering everywhere! Guests (especially our birder April!), were delighted to add some more lifers like the Dark-necked Tailorbird, Stripe-throated Bulbul, Pin-striped Tit-Babbler, Green-eared Barbet, Indochinese Blue Flycatcher, Greater Racket-tailed Drongo<\/span>,<\/strong> and Puff-throated Babbler<\/span>.<\/strong> Meanwhile, Max and Zeke practiced scanning treetops constantly searching for new birds and monkeys. Butterflies were abundant and dazzling: Glassy Tiger, Dark Blue Tiger, Chocolate Tiger, Vagrant, Black and White Helen, Common Rose Swallowtail, Common Archduke<\/span>,<\/strong> and the magnificent Golden Birdwing<\/strong><\/span> among them. Along the walk, our guide also shared about the use of some common medical plants of Vietnam and also how plants like White beggar-ticks and Siam weed have long been used in traditional Vietnamese medicine.<\/p>\n