Hon Ba nature Reserve is located in the region of four districts: Khanh Vinh, Khanh Son, Cam Lam and Dien Khanh of Khanh Hoa province; away from Nha Trang about 30 km as the crow flies and about 60 kilometers by car.
Hon Ba Reserve (Khanh Hoa)
Hon Ba lies on a relatively high position, more than 1,500 meters above sea level, with a cool climate all year round, considered as second Dalat of the Central, high humidity all year round because of frequent rain yearlong. From 1A Highway to Suoi Cat commune, Cam Lam district, turn into the small road to the foot of the mountain, next to Suoi Dau Lake to begin the journey to conquer Hon Ba. The road is 37 km from Suoi Dau to the top of Hon Ba with elbow bends that will satisfy passion for adventurous people.
Dr. Alexandre Yersin discovered Hon Ba. Since 1915, he built the research camp at 1500 m elevation on the top of Hon Ba, this place had made many experiments, cultivated and used medicinal plants (today still a few traces). Among them, there is quiquina tree (Cinchona ledgeriana) imported from South America. To commemorate Dr. Yersin, the province has restored his house on the old foundation at the top of Hon Ba. In particular, he had found many rare plants in Hon Ba that were honored for several typical species known as heroes: Reevesia yersinii, Hon Ba tea (Thea yersinii).
Da Giang stream is one of the largest streams in Hon Ba Natural Reserve.
Hon Ba Reserve was established by Decision No. 98/2005/QD-UBND, dated
December 15th 2005 of Khanh Hoa provincial People’s Committee with
the following objectives and tasks: Ecosystem Biodiversity Conservation in tropical
forest and subtropical to the genetic resources of rare animals and plants;
Watershed protection, protect and maintain water sources for Suoi Dau;
Contribute to protecting the ecological environment, adjusting climate; Serving
to scientific research on forests, creating an closed complete eco-resort with
sea tourism in Nha Trang city.
The way to the top of Hon Ba.
The reserve has a total area of 20,978.3 ha; including functional zones:
Strict protection zone: 10448.2 ha; Ecological restoration zones: 10530.1 ha;
Administrative Services Division: 15-20 ha. For the buffer zone will survey and
form a separate project.
At the reserve, the functional subdivision, buffer zones; forest protection
and development area; infrastructure building area; research survey programs,
conservation, development, monitoring, surveillance, collection and storage of
information biodiversity, development program of ecotourism, development of
forest environmental services; conservation, protection of cultural and
historical value ... is specifically planned to protect and conserve intact
natural resources together with the development of forests; biodiversity
conservation, protection and development of animal genetic resources and
endemic flora, rare; ensure watershed protection function, protect the
ecological environment; perform scientific research; promote the strength of
natural resources, landscape, culture and history ...
Working house of Dr. Yersin in the Reserve.
According to survey results, floristic composition in Hon Ba can be
classified according to the following types:
Subtropical evergreen average mountain (at an altitude of 1,000-1,600m); in
which closed forest TX mixes broadleaf trees and subtropical coniferous.
Subtropical evergreen low mountain (at an altitude of 500-1,000m)
Moist evergreen tropical (below 500m
elevation)
Secondary tropical forest; including subtype bamboo forest mixed timber,
forest restored after cultivation, grasslands, trees and shrubs scattered...
The flora of Hon Ba shows its clear diversity: The first statistical survey
data, there are about 592 species of vascular plants, belonging to 401 genera
and 120 species; including club-nodding and 73 species of ferns, gymnosperm has
8 species and angiosperm has 511 species. Besides the components of coniferous
trees, at here there is the presence of the species of families which they are
only distributed in tropical climates or temperate as Rhododendron (Ericaceae),
Aceraceae, Lauraceae, cyatheaceae ...
According to preliminary statistical results shows that the forest fauna
includes 255 species belonging to 88 families; in 4 mammals, birds, reptiles
and amphibians. Especially there are the presence of the black shanked and
gibbon.
The scientific value: in the plant list of Hon Ba reserve, there are 43
rare species listed in the Vietnam Red Book, in which significantly as flat
leaf pine (Pinus krempfii), Fokienia hodginsii , Rhodoleia
championii, Afzelia xylocarpa, Dalbergia annamensis, ebony (Diospyros mun),
Dialium cochinchinensis, ...
Diversity of endemic factors: Some species are named as Nha Trang
landmarks, Hon Ba such as Castanopsis nhatrangensis, Diospyros nhatrangensis,
Rhododendron nhatrangensis, Hon Ba oak (Lithocarpus honbaensis), Ilex
honbaensis, Medinilla honbaensis. There are extremely rare genetic resources,
such as Pinus Krempfii which is endemic species of Vietnam, Tabernaemontana
granulosa is narrow endemic species which is only found in Hon Ba and Ninh Hoa
(Khanh Hoa)...
The pharmaceutical values: Hon Ba is a place which has very abundant
natural medicinal resources with high value: Kind of fungus (Ganoderma
lucidum), Amomum (Amomum xanthioides), Aquilaria crassna, Scaphium
lychnophorum, Drynaria fortunei, Schefflera octophylla, Rauwolfia cambodiana,
Litsea cubeba…
Value of wood supply and forest specialties: Hon Ba has many valuable
timber such as “Po mu” wood, false cypress, red wood, sandalwood, ebony, “Son
huyet”, a species of iron wood, “Mat” wood... There are many other forest
products such as rattan...