Eye to eye with nature's treasures in Asia
You might think of Africa for safari and wildlife, but did you know Asia has just as much to offer? Not just those treasure-stealing monkeys, but everything from lions, tigers, elephants and bears plus some very rare animals you won't find anywhere else. In this blog we'll give you a list of national parks you can't skip on during your next trip to the east!
Yala National Park - Sri Lanka
With Sri Lanka being a fairly small island, you might not expect much here in regards to wildlife, but you're in for a treat in Yala National Park. With the world's highest leopard density this is the best place to see these majestic animals in their natural habitat. Of course it's never a guarantee, but the thrill is in the adventure. During your time here you will also come across elephants, sloth bears, jackals, crocodiles and plenty of birds like hornbills.
Kaziranga National Park - India
In the far northeast of India, squished in between Bangladesh, China and Myanmar, you'll find this amazing stretch of wetlands, grasslands and forests full of flora and fauna to explore. On the floodplains of the Brahmaputra river plenty of animals like elephants and buffaloes come together, and if you're lucky you'll be able to see the Indian one-horned rhinos, and even Ganges River dolphins that live in the waters of the park.
Gunung Leuser National Park - Sumatra, Indonesia
Otherwise known as ''Bukit Lawang'' (the name of the village on the edge of this vast rainforest), this national park makes it very easy to spot orangutans in their natural habitat. Sumatra is actually one of only two places on earth where you can see them in the wild, the other being on the half Malaysian and half Indonesian island of Borneo. In Gunung Leuser there are plenty of other primates, like the cute Thomas's leaf monkey, many elephants and even the occasional Sumatran tiger. Still, those adorable orangutans are the absolute highlight!
Taman Negara National Park - Malaysia
Forget the hypermodern capital of Kuala Lumpur, if you love animals the Taman Negara national park will be your highlight in Malaysia. You need to opt for a guided tour (private or group), as this is required to get into the inner part of the jungle where the most interesting animals have their habitat. If you just visit the self-guided part around the so-called Wildlife HQ you'll probably be disappointed, so we really recommend booking one of the inner jungle packages with overnight camping included. You'll sleep in hides placed at strategic locations making it possible to spot wildlife during the evening and night when the rainforest truly comes to life. Expect animals like tigers, elephants, rhinos, buffaloes, leopards and Indian bisons.
Kanha National Park - India
The reason why India is on this list twice, is because the country is so massive that wildlife is very different in this central part of India compared to the very northeast we talked about before. In Kanha National Park there's a sizable population of both Indian Leopards and Bengal Tigers. The big cats might be hard to find, but additionally you can spot sloth bears, barasingha deer and Indian wild dogs. Fun fact: the children's novel and Disney classic ''Jungle Book'' was partly based on this very jungle! Will you follow in Mowgli's footsteps?
Cardamom mountains - Cambodia
Only partly a protected national park, but definitely an area worth visiting are the Cardamom mountains in northern Cambodia. These are not some bleak, rocky mountain tops but instead some of the most dense and lush rainforest you will ever encounter. All that jungle is interlaced with rivers big and small, so it's the perfect place for a boat safari to try and spot wildlife from the river. the Cardamom mountains are filled with Asian elephants, black bears, Malaysian sun bears, leopards, tigers and much more.
Ba Be National Park - Vietnam
Vietnam has its share of pretty places, but Ba Be national park is not one of those well known highlights. Up in the far north of the country, reachable from Hanoi, you'll find some of the greenery you might expect of Southeast Asia, but without the crowds. The park has plenty of caves, lakes, forests and waterfalls. The wildlife is great too. As pictured below, you can spot Asian black bears, but also civets, different species of langur monkeys and the remarkable pangolins that look like they come straight out of ''Fantastic Beasts And Where To Find Them''. This one should be on your list!
We'll take you there
We hope you found what you're looking for here, with so many different countries, ecosystems and animals we're sure there's something to like here. Whether you want a straightforward safari experience like in Yala National Park or something less ordinary and ''rough'' like the Cardamom mountains, we help you get there. Want to create your perfect itinerary through Asia, get in touch with us and we'll make your travel dreams come to life.
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