Great news for birders, birdwatchers and bird photographers as the first Vietnam Bird Race 2024 is taking place this 10-12 May at the Tràm Chim National Park in Đồng Tháp, Vietnam. The location is also in the middle of both major cities.

Birdwatching and bird photography have expanded rapidly in Vietnam in recent years, especially after the pandemic, just like many other countries, including Malaysia. This has resulted in more awareness, and this unique form of birdwatching tourism or avitourism has contributed significantly to increasing public awareness of nature conservation and environmental protection in Vietnam.

Vietnam Bird Race 2024

According to recent data, it is estimated that there are over 500 birdwatchers (birders and bird photographers) in Vietnam, and this number continues to increase steadily. One of the objectives of this birding event is to create a platform for nature lovers to interact and network with each other while enhancing awareness of nature conservation and promoting nature-based tourism in Vietnam.

The Vietnam Bird Race and Photography Competition will be held with the following objectives:

1.  Strengthen networking among the nature and birdwatching community in Vietnam and globally.
2.  Encourage and promote awareness and interest in bird conservation.
3.  Strengthening sustainable tourism in protected areas such as national parks.

Vietnam Bird Race Information and Rules

• The opening reception and dinner will take place at 6:00 pm on 10 May 2024 at the Senta Restaurant in Wildbird Hotel.
• The race flag-off timing will be at 6:00 am on 11 May 2024 and end at 9:00 am on 12 May 2024.
• Teams will compete to capture as many species as possible with photographs (taken with your own camera) in Tram Chim National Park and the surrounding areas (details will be provided at reception).
• The winning team is the team that has observed or photographed the most species.

Vietnam Bird Race Prizes

• Champion: trophy, medal, 20 million VND and sponsored gifts
• Second prize: medal, 8 million VND and sponsored gifts
• Third prize: medal, 4 million VND and sponsored gifts
• Consolation prize: 2 million VND and sponsored gifts

Additionally, there will be prizes for the following categories;

• Best Photography
• Rare and Threatened Species
• Birds in Action

Team and Registration Information

• Each team should consist of three (3) to no more than four (4) members.
• Participants may register as a team or individuals using a team name of their choice.
• If participants cannot find enough members to form teams, the organisers will support connections with other participants after completing registration.
• You must complete the registration form and pay the registration fee to confirm participation.
• A confirmation email will be sent to you if your registration is successful.
• The registration fee is 500,000 VND/person.
• This includes the costs of the welcome dinner, a race t-shirt and assorted tokens from the organisers.
• Payment is by bank transfer only.

Accommodation Around Tram Chim National Park

• Race participants must arrange their own accommodation in and around Tram Chim National Park.
• Some hotels in Tram Chim town and the surrounding areas include ‘Wildbird’, ‘Truong Hanh’, ‘Bao Linh’, ‘View’, ‘Hoang Gia’, and ‘Anh Kiet’.
• Participants may also stay at homestays such as VietMekong, Hoang Anh, and Hoang Hao or camp at Senta Farm, Wildbird Hotel, and the Tram Chim tourist area.

Transportation to the Bird Race Venue

• Participants are expected to arrange travel and transport to Tram Chim at their own cost.
• The organisers will arrange transportation from your hotel in Tram Chim town to the bird race venue.
• Depending on the request, the organisers can arrange a shared car from Ho Chi Minh City at the cost of 500,000 VND/person for the return journey.
• If you need to arrange transport to HCMC, indicate this in your registration form and pay the transport cost in advance.

Children’s Activities for Vietnam Bird Race

Good news for kids: The organisers have included children’s activities during the bird race. Children may participate in the following activities for free. Parents and schools must register with the organisers in advance.

1. Children Birdwatching Competition

• This is a team birdwatching competition for children between the ages of 10 and 16.
• Each team will have about 5 to 7 members and must have one instructor or guardian (parent or teacher).
• From 6:00 to 9:00 am on 12 May 2024, the children’s teams will compete to observe and identify bird species in Tram Chim National Park.
• The team that finds and observes the most species is the winner.

  Prizes for Children Birdwatching Competition

• Champion: medal and 5 million VND and sponsored gifts
• Second prize: 3 million VND and sponsored gifts
• Third prize: 2 million VND and sponsored gifts
• Consolation prize: 1 million VND and sponsored gifts

2. Bird Art Competition

• The bird art will be held from 3:00–5:00 pm on 11 May 2024.
• The competition is open to participants of all ages and individuals.
• Participants will create artwork of birds found in Tram Chim National Park, and the submitted artwork will be displayed at the event venue and voted on by the audience.

3. Melaleuca Bark Art, Other Games and Activities

•  3:00-5:00 p.m. on 11 May 2024.
• 7:00-9:00 p.m. on 12 May 2024.
• Please check with the organisers about this.

How to go to Tram Chim National Park?

It takes almost four hours to drive from Ho Chi Minh City or Phnom Penh to the Tràm Chim National Park, which is located in the middle of both cities. Therefore, if you choose your flight, you can choose whichever is convenient. You can also use Google Maps to get here if you are self-driving.

Vietnam Bird Race 2024
Venue: Tràm Chim National Park, WildBird Hotel
Date: 10-12 May 2024

Organiser

The Vietnam Bird Race is organised by WildTour, BirdLife International Asia and Tram Chim National Park, with support from Mapletree Arts in the City, Canon Imaging Asia and Lexar.

Conclusion

Birdwatching Asia is a birding media platform based in Malaysia and has been providing birdwatching information to thousands of people since 2018. You can also check out our bird race section on our website for more details.

For those planning to attend the Vietnam Bird Race 2024, please make your travel arrangements early and contact the organisers about your spot and other vital information. This is also one of the highlights of birdwatching in Vietnam.