Plan Your Perfect Trip to Son Tra Peninsula Nature Reserve, Vietnam

Son Tra Peninsula Nature Reserve, Da Nang

Located northeast of Da Nang City, the Son Tra Peninsula spans 4,370 hectares and was officially designated as a nature reserve in 1977 by Decision No. 41/TTG of the Prime Minister. Often referred to as the “green lung” of Da Nang, this lush peninsula plays a vital role in maintaining the city’s clean air, supplying water resources, and supporting a rich ecosystem of tropical forest and wildlife.

Stretching 13 kilometers in length and varying from 1.5 to 5 kilometers in width, the peninsula lies along an east-west axis and is bordered by the sea on three sides. Its average elevation is 350 meters, with the highest peak, Mount Oc, rising to 696 meters. Other notable high points include the television tower hill (647m) and Ban Co Peak (621m).

The peninsula is mostly covered in evergreen tropical forest, although human activities have gradually reduced its natural coverage. As of 1989, forests made up about 67% of the area. This included 400 hectares of primary forest, 2,610 hectares of regenerating forest, and the remainder consisting of shrubs and grasslands.

Son Tra’s biodiversity is equally impressive. A 2017 survey recorded 366 animal species, including 42 mammals, 162 birds, 55 reptiles, 22 amphibians, and 231 types of insects of which 113 are butterfly species and 29 are beetles. The peninsula is also home to 1,010 species of higher plants, representing 9.37% of Vietnam’s total plant species, with 22 classified as rare or endangered.

Today, Son Tra Peninsula stands as one of Vietnam’s most important natural sanctuaries offering a blend of biodiversity, forested landscapes, and coastal beauty just a short drive from Da Nang.