Tourists to the Dat Mui Commune, Ngoc Hien District, in the southernmost province of Ca Mau, should not only check-in at the Ca Mau Cape national tourism site but also spend time exploring the mangrove forest there, which is one of the largest of its kind in the world.
Covering a total area of over 63,000 hectares, the Ca Mau mangrove forest is the second largest in the world after the Amazonia forest in South America.
According to the latest survey, the forest is home to 22 aluminum and salt tolerance species, including cajuput, sonneratia, mangrove, and date palm. Of which, the most commonly planted tree with the highest socio-economic value is the mangrove.
The mangrove tree, whose scientific name is Rhizophora Apiculata, is in the family of Rhizophoraceaet plants. It is often planted in coastal areas or mangrove plains which have a tropical or subtropical climate.
As the trees are suitable for the hot and humid weather in Vietnam, they are often planted from the central region to Mekong River delta, mostly in Ca Mau Province.
Living in saltwater and mud, the roots of mangrove trees have a very special adaptation to the environmental conditions. Accordingly, the root system is much bigger than the trunk, and it includes both silt roots and lateral roots.
Dubbed as the guards for coastal protection, mangroves trees play an important role in conserving and restoring forests in Ca Mau Province as well as in protecting coastal areas from strong winds, storms, and salinity intrusion.
The mangrove forest is also home to high value species, such as crab, mangrove fish and shrimp. The trees can also produce wood, coal, and tannins for leather making.
Ca Mau mangrove forest stretches six districts in the province, including Dam Doi, Phu Tan, Tran Van Thoi, U Minh, Ngoc Hien, and Nam Can.
Visitors to the province can take a speedboat from Nam Can wharf to enjoy a two-hour ride passing through the lush mangrove forests.
Over recent years, a bridge system has been built inside the mangrove forest at the Ca Mau Cape National Park, allowing tourists to walk across the primary mangrove forest.
Four ecological tours have been put into operation, with expect to offer visitors with exciting excursions into the national park.
Photo credit: Ha Du