Tour Guide, Hue, Vietnam
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The French colonist started the Bach Ma National Park first in 1925, protecting the inhabitants of that area. In 1932, the French stationed their colonial administration center in Hue, building several villas to create a second Dalat in the center of Vietnam. After the French left Vietnam in 1954, this area was soon forgotten, leaving the French colonial villas at the mercy of the Jungle. In the '60s, the Americans took over this area as a strategic base for their military actions controlling the stretch between Hue and Da Nang.
In 1976 the Vietnamese Government started the Bach Ma National Park extending the Park over the years to its current size of almost 40.000 hectares and offering great hiking trails, waterfalls, slightly odd and very basic lodgings, a campsite, and plenty of wildlife.
Up to now, there have been many changes. It was recorded that there had 139 villas built during colonial French but were abandoned due to historical volatility, the war, and the people. Since the late 1990s and early 2000s, 9 villas (motels) with 54 rooms in Bach Ma peak were renovated and restored to serve the resort. But due to low passenger traffic, losses, especially in the "closed" in nearly 4 years (2009-2013), to upgrade and expand the road to this place that businesses had to the mansion after restoration money ruins billion in investments.
The park is home to two types of forest: sub-tropical evergreen monsoon forest above 900 meters and tropical evergreen monsoon forest below that mark. It’s known for its beautiful waterfalls, hiking trails, and decaying French villas dotting the landscape.