Flooded Meadows & Jungle Swamps of Cát Tiên

Cát Tiên’s lowland rainforest is threaded with streams, ponds, and seasonal marsh — flooded forest edge habitat that makes it one of the richest Odonata sites in Southern Vietnam, and the type locality for several recently described species. Four nights are spent between an in-park ecolodge and a night at Bau Sau (Crocodile Lake) itself, with jungle trekking, wetland tracking, and at least one dedicated night walk for herpetofauna woven through the trip.

Target fauna: Gynacantha cattienensis and Lyriothemis pallidistigma — both dragonflies first described from this exact park, and both without an established common name — alongside Aristocypha (jewelled damselflies), giant Atlas moths (Attacus atlas), and a strong herpetofauna list including Dryophiops rubescens (the Red Whip Snake) and Oligodon ocellatus (the Ocellated Kukri Snake).

Day 1 — Arrival & Ecolodge Orientation

Transfer from Ho Chi Minh City (SGN) to the in-park ecolodge. Afternoon lecture on Cát Tiên’s flooded-forest ecology, followed by an evening orientation walk along the lodge’s forest edge.

Day 2 — Trek to Bau Sau

A full day’s jungle trek toward Bau Sau (Crocodile Lake), tracking stream and pond Odonata along the way — territorial dragonflies over open water, shade-loving damselflies at the forest edge. Overnight at Bau Sau itself, with the lake’s marshland at its most active around dusk and dawn.

Day 3 — Marsh Mornings & the Return Trek

An early start on the Bau Sau marshes before the day heats up, then the return trek to the ecolodge through primary jungle. In the evening, a dedicated night walk for herpetofauna — this is the one night built specifically around reptiles and amphibians rather than Odonata.

Day 4 — Streams, Ponds & Canopy Ecology

A full day exploring the ecolodge’s surrounding stream and pond network — macro-photography of perching dragonflies, canopy butterfly flight paths, and forest-floor insect life.

Day 5 — Morning Flight Windows & Departure

Dawn field session targeting cool-light-active species around the lodge’s ponds, then handover for transfer to the Da Lat Highlands or return to SGN.