Story: Dang Vi
Photos: Nick Dale, Thuan Vo, Phuc Nguyen, Le Khac Quyen

British wildlife photographer Nick Dale spares no expense for his wildlife photography expeditions. He typically spends up to USD 1,000 per night for African safaris, where luxury resorts are strategically placed within safari zones to offer guests an upscale experience in the wilderness.

During his 2018 visit to Vietnam, Mr. Dale explored several locations near Ho Chi Minh City, including Long Tan, Can Gio, and Cu Chi. His spending was significantly lower than his usual USD 1,000 benchmark because “it was extremely difficult to spot wildlife in their natural habitat in Vietnam”. The only wildlife Mr. Dale encountered was a troop of monkeys in Can Gio, whereas he seeks opportunities to photograph tigers, lions, or leopards like those in Africa.

An untapped gold mine

Research by the World Tourism Organization (UNWTO) reveals that wildlife tourism generates millions of jobs and makes significant contributions to the GDP of countries with rich ecosystems like Kenya, South Africa, and Indonesia. Popular wildlife tourism models include traditional safaris, ecotourism, marine tourism, polar tourism, and farm tourism.

“Birdwatching, wildlife observation, and nature photography are increasingly popular, especially in Asia, where the middle class is rapidly expanding”, says Dr. Yong Ding Li from the organization BirdLife. The nature-based tourism market is substantial and well-developed in North America, Europe, and partially in Japan. Southeast Asia is quickly catching up, particularly Cambodia, Vietnam, and Indonesia.

Vietnam holds great promise for bird-watching tourism

Mr. Nguyen Hoai Bao from Wildtour, a specialized bird-watching tour operator, notes that wildlife tourists typically spend between USD 3,000 and USD 10,000 per trip. This is a preferred form of luxury tourism, alongside luxury cruise tourism (USD 5,000-USD 20,000 per trip) and golf tourism (USD 3,000-USD 10,000 per trip).

Mr. Bao believes Vietnam has enormous potential for wildlife tourism development, especially bird-watching tours. Thanks to its diverse terrain spanning multiple latitudes, Vietnam boasts rich resources with over 920 bird species, 13 endemic species, and approximately 300 “highly marketable, tourist-attractive” species.

Beyond bird watching, Vietnam could tap into other wildlife tourism markets. According to the Department of Nature Conservation and Biodiversity (Vietnam Environment Administration), Vietnam hosts over 10% of the world’s plant and animal species, concentrated in national parks such as Cuc Phuong, Cat Tien, Phong Nha-Ke Bang, and many others. Despite these advantages, Vietnam’s achievements in this sector remain minimal, with tourism businesses showing little interest in this niche market. Current wildlife tourism in Vietnam is limited to a few popular programs like night forest tours in Cuc Phuong, Phu Quoc safari tours, and turtle watching in Con Dao, with costs ranging from VND 500,000 to about VND 2 million.

Wildtour’s representative hopes for more competition to create a stronger wildlife tourism community, but this seems far from reality. “We only have a few small businesses doing self-promotion, while in many other countries, their Tourism Ministries actively promote these activities,” notes Mr. Bao.

Holding gold but letting it slip away

Wildlife photographer Vu Van Lam says Vietnam has no shortage of “worthwhile” wildlife to observe. He spent two years completing a photo series of the rare golden-headed langur in Cat Ba. Recently, he found a six-day photography tour tracking the endangered snub-nosed monkey in Ha Giang, priced at around USD 4,000 for three people. However, such tours are not readily available online. “Vietnam’s wildlife tourism potential is substantial, but poor promotion leads to missed opportunities,” he notes.

A rare Hon Son pit vipe

Meanwhile, bird photographer Thuan Vo reveals that many professionals willingly spend thousands of dollars on overseas bird photography trips. Within Vietnam, photographers mainly collaborate with locals, paying VND 1-2 million per successful shoot rather than purchasing organized tours, indicating untapped potential. Mr. Thuan also notes that bird-watching operations in Vietnam remain small-scale, with only about 20 groups, individuals, and companies in this sector.

Despite ranking among the world’s top five countries in terms of biodiversity, Vietnam struggles to develop wildlife tourism products. Tourism operations are primarily managed by special-use forest management boards, whose main responsibility is forest protection and management. Complex regulations and procedures make it difficult for businesses to organize wildlife tours, limiting tourist access. Additionally, basic tourism infrastructure at destinations is rudimentary, and staff shortages make wildlife tour operations challenging. For instance, the snub-nosed monkey tour in Ha Giang only provides meals despite its high price point.

Furthermore, local communities often fail to recognize wildlife’s value, continuing hunting practices primarily for commercial purposes. According to a 2022 WWF survey, approximately 90% of illegally hunted wildlife is consumed in urban restaurants and through other distribution channels.

Nguyen Minh Phu, co-founder of Viet Snake Rescuer, identifies the core issue as Vietnamese people’s lack of wildlife conservation awareness, with rampant hunting “causing a severe decline in animal populations”. Currently, Viet Snake Rescuer offers snake-watching tours throughout Vietnam, priced from USD 180-450 per trip, primarily serving foreign tourists and using the proceeds for snake conservation efforts.

According to Mr. Phu, while foreign tourists want to observe wildlife, few animals remain in their natural habitat. Indiscriminate hunting has also led conservation areas to tighten documentation requirements, complicating the organization of wildlife tours.

Snake photography tour guide Hoang Anh reveals that snake trading occurs openly on many Facebook groups. He has seen multiple posts offering Hon Son pit vipers for sale – a species endemic to Hon Son Island, Kien Giang province. If this trend continues on a larger scale, he fears Vietnam might lose this precious species of snake. “Local people are unknowingly throwing away their treasure for short-term gains,” warns Mr. Anh.

A long road ahead

Dr. Le Anh, Head of Event Management at the Faculty of Tourism Studies, University of Social Sciences and Humanities, Vietnam National University Hanoi, went on some wildlife tours in Kenya and was impressed by the close collaboration between government, organizations, businesses, and local communities. The positive attitude of residents, coupled with strong legal frameworks and strict enforcement, has significantly contributed to sustainable wildlife tourism development.

Communities near conservation areas understand wildlife’s value and the economic benefits of tourism, actively participating in conservation and tour guiding, generating stable income and promoting environmental awareness. Kenya has enacted wildlife protection laws with severe penalties for illegal hunting. According to Wildlife Direct in Kenya, law enforcement has been stringent, with conviction rates for violations rising from 4% to 60% over four years.

Beyond Cuc Phuong, Cat Tien, and Phong Nha-Ke Bang, Vietnam has many areas with strong potential for developing wildlife tourism, including Bach Ma National Park, U Minh Thuong, Ca Mau wetlands, and other national parks. However, for wildlife tourism to realize its full potential and deliver proportionate socio-economic benefits, much work remains, from policy development to upgrading tour operators’ business practices.