Hong Kong Geopark
Those looking for an escape from the skyscraper landscape of Hong Kong Island need not travel far. With our guide, cruise out to the Geopark of the Sai Kung Peninsula and paddle along the coastline to explore beaches, sea arches and caves in your kayaks. The north-eastern islands and bays offer peaceful oases, while the eastern coast of Sai Kung Country Park is quite striking, its craggy coastline presenting an excellent adventure playground. Covering an area approximately 50 sq/km and formed by an amalgamation of rocky outcrops, volcanically formed islands, columnar joints, caves and beaches, the stunning scenery awaits every thrill-seeker and inquisitive traveler.
Check out our Geopark Adventure package on the Agent Hub.
Phong Nha-Ke Bang National Park
The remarkable Phong Nha-Ke Bang National Park, declared a UNESCO World Heritage site in 2003, is located 225 kilometers north of Hue and home to the oldest karst mountains in Asia. The park is literally teaming with cave systems, some estimated to be as old as 400 million years. Impressive beyond comparison, many of these underground chambers are mind-bogglingly vast. Spectacular stalagmites, underground rivers and white crystal stalactites resembling glass pillars abound below the surface whilst above ground the scene is equally impressive. The park is set in roughly 900 sq/km of unspoiled forest and tropical jungle that’s home to several species of mammals including elephants and primates, reptiles and many varieties of bird.
Phong Nha-Ke Bang Park is not only worth visiting for its extensive caves, but also the spectacular options of forest trekking, mountain biking and immersive adventures.
Cat Ba National Park in North Vietnam
Cat Ba National Park is an archipelago located off the northern coastline of Vietnam close to Hai Phong. The park is comprised of 170 sq/km of land and 92 sq/km of sea, containing numerous ecosystems including mangrove, limestone forests and coral.
The natural world of Cat Ba archipelago contains over 2,320 fauna and flora species, in which there are 60 especially rare species on the endangered Vietnamese Red List. Here it is possible to spot the golden-headed langur, macaques, deer, civets and squirrels. A selection of excellent hiking trails on the island makes it possible to see many of these animal species up close.
Cat Ba National Park is also renowned as a special site for archeological research, having revealed many relics helping identify residents living on the island up to 2,500 – 2,700 years ago. To truly appreciate all that this fantastic region and park has to offer, we suggest staying in Cat Ba for two to three nights.
Gunung Mulu National Park in Sarawak
Gunung Mulu National Park is one of nature’s most spectacular achievements, covering 544 sq/km of primary rainforest crossed by fast flowing rivers and clear jungle streams. Gunung Mulu is dominated by three mountains – Gunung Mulu (2,376 m), Gunung Api (1,750 m) and Gunung Benarat (1,858 m). Yet many of Mulu’s greatest attractions lie deep below the surface. Hidden underneath the forested slopes of these mountains is one of the largest limestone cave systems in the world.
This system contains a number of record breaking caves. With the world’s largest cave passage (Deer Cave), the world’s largest natural chamber (Sarawak Chamber), and the longest cave in Southeast Asia (Clearwater Cave), it is not surprising that Mulu is now world-famous. Over 200 kilometers of cave passages have been surveyed, but this is thought to represent just 30-40% of the actual total.
Coming from the river-based Berawan tribes of Long Terawan, the locals of Mulu are known as the ‘Orang Ulu’ (the upriver people), and they play an integral part in the affairs of Mulu National Park. The local villages are also made accessible for tourists to visit, specifically to enjoy the local handicraft market and of course to try their hand at the weapon of choice – the blowpipe! The workforce of the park consists of 96% locals and all are proud Sarawakians.
Check out our Gunung Mulu package on the Agent Hub.
Yardang National Goelogical Park
Admire the unique rock formations in the Yardang National Geological Park. About a 180-kilometer drive northwest from Dunhuang, visitors to the region are greeted with a remarkable sight of this “natural museum”. Developed over a period of 700,000 years, the unique rock formations at Yardang were formed by wind and rain erosion. Locals refer to the area as the “Demon City” on account of the eerie howling sounds produced by the wind blowing through the fantastical formations. On the way to the geopark, we stop by some peculiar remnants of the Great Wall dating back to the Han Dynasty almost 2,000 years ago!
Zhangjiajie National Forest Park
Zhangjiajie National Forest Park holds rich biodiversity, peaceful owing streams and towering sandstone pillars amongst swirling mists of cloud. The main highlight in the valley is Hallelujah Mountain, so-named as it was the inspiration behind the floating rocks of Pandora in the film Avatar.
Be transported into a celestial world on the adventure we take to Zhangjiajie. One of the most highly anticipated programs we offer is the excursion to Yuanjiajie and Tianzi Mountain. The sandstone peaks here rise through the mist, each divided by plunging gorges to create a dream-like landscape of its own. At Yuanjiajie, guests are greeted with spectacular scenery and a rigorous hike. Cross the ‘First Bridge Under Heaven’, hike up ‘Hallelujah Mountain’ and enjoy panoramic views of the ‘Lost Souls Platform’. Tianzi Mountain awaits those eager for an even higher vantage point. Known as ‘Emperor Mountain’, it takes the spotlight for the highest peaks in the valley.
Zhangye Danxia National Geological Park
Spread out along the northern slope of Qilian Mountain in West China, Zhangye Danxia National Geological Park in Gansu is an exceptional showcase of China’s colorful Danxia landform (and the largest), with a wide variety of landforms to explore.
Glowing-red ridges, coupled with emphatic multicolored mountains transform the park into an immense ocean of kaleidoscopic orange hues, earning it the reputation of China’s Rainbow Mountains. It is also well documented as one of the ‘Top 10 Geographical Wonders of the World’, as selected by the National Geographic.
Zhangye Danxia Geopark’s geological structure is formed by the stacking of different rock types on one another. After billions of years of weathering and water erosion, the red sandstones, psephites and pelites have shaped into isolated mountains and steep rocks. This is one of the world’s must-visit destinations to experience the masterpieces of nature.