Laos’ Hin Nam No national park - transboundary world heritage site
The recognition not only raises awareness of biodiversity conservation but also paves the way for deeper cooperation between Vietnam and Laos in eco-tourism development and sustainable management of nature reserves.
Located in Boualapha district, Khammouane province in central Laos, Hin Nam No borders the renowned Phong Nha–Ke Bang National Park in Vietnam’s central region. (Photo: VNA)
Vientiane (VNA) – At the ongoing 47th session of the World Heritage Committee in Paris, the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation (UNESCO) officially recognised the Hin Nam No National Park in Laos as a transboundary world natural heritage site together with Vietnam’s Phong Nha–Ke Bang National Park.
This marks a historic milestone for Laos, as Hin Nam No becomes its first-ever natural heritage site on the UNESCO list. The designation highlights the country’s significant progress in nature conservation and strengthens its international standing.
Located in Boualapha district, Khammouane province in central Laos, Hin Nam No borders the renowned Phong Nha–Ke Bang National Park in Vietnam’s central region. Covering more than 94,000 ha, the site features a rich forest ecosystem, stunning waterfalls, rare flora and fauna, and an extensive cave system, including the giant limestone cave Sebangfai, one of the world’s largest river caves. Positioned in the heart of the Truong Son Mountain Range, which forms the natural border between Vietnam and Laos, Hin Nam No and Phong Nha–Ke Bang together constitute one of the world's largest contiguous limestone karst landscapes. The region is geologically significant, with the name "Hin Nam No" meaning “mountain crest, spiky as bamboo shoots,” a reference to the area’s sharp limestone formations shaped over 300 million years of geological evolution.
To date, 173 caves and cliffs rising up to 300 metres high have been discovered in the park, creating a safe and unique habitat for diverse wildlife, including species that exhibit distinct evolutionary traits found nowhere else.
Hin Nam No is recognised as one of Southeast Asia’s most ancient and biologically rich natural areas. It is home to many rare species such as the Laotian rock rat and southern white-cheeked gibbon, along with a variety of reptiles and rare plant species.
The recognition not only raises awareness of biodiversity conservation but also paves the way for deeper c🦹ooperation between Vietnam and Laos in eco-tourism development and sustainable management of nature reserves./.
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