Dak Nong Global Geopark, located in Vietnam’s Central Highlands province of Dak Nong, has been revalidated as a member of the UNESCO Global Geopark network for another four years from 2024 to 2027.

The UNESCO’s Section on Earth Sciences and Geo-Hazards Risk Reduction has recently issued a notification about the UNESCO’s decision to revalidate the Dak Nong Global Geopark designation.

Professor Nikolas Zouros, president of the Global Geopark Network and member of the UNESCO Global Geoparks Bureau, will present this decision to Dak Nong province at the 8th Asia Pacific Geoparks Network Symposium, scheduled to take place in September this year in the northern province of Cao Bang, according to news site Vietnamnet.

The revalidation reflects Dak Nong’s efforts to protect and promote the values of the geopark and offers an opportunity to attract resources for the province’s sustainable socio-economic development, the Vietnam News Agency (VNA) reported. 

The Dak Nong Geopark was first recognized by UNESCO as a global geopark in July 2020, becoming the third to obtain this title in Vietnam, after Dong Van Karst Plateau Geopark in northern Ha Giang Province and the Non Nuoc Cao Bang Geopark in Cao Bang, also in the northern region.

It covers more than 4,760 square kilometers, stretching through five districts – Krong No, Cu Jut, Dak Mil, Dak Song and Dak G’Long – and Gia Nghia Town, accounting for two-fifths of the province’s total area.

The global geopark covers the Nam Nung Nature Reserve, Ta Dung National Park, Dray Sap special-use forest, and a southern part of Yok Don National Park, which all boast great biodiversity values.  

It has 65 geological and geomorphologic heritage sites, including a system of nearly 50 caves with a total length of more than 10km, along with craters and waterfalls.

The special feature in the geopark is the cave system in basalt rock located in the Dray Sap-Chu R’Luh area, which was discovered in 2007. 

This volcanic cave system has been recognized by the Japan Volcanic Cave Association to set the Southeast Asian record in terms of scale, length and uniqueness. 

These caves contain many mysteries about formation mechanisms, mineral complexes, biodiversity and archaeological sites.

The archaeological findings of prehistoric people in the volcanic cave area of the geopark have attracted the attention of domestic and foreign researchers and visitors.

The global geopark is home to bauxite, antimony, tin placer deposits, puzzolite and precious stone mines, especially semi-precious opal-chalcedon stones in large size.

In addition, it also accommodates a diverse flora and fauna system with many rare species, listed in Vietnam and the world’s red books.

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