Paul Carter (paulcarter@pacapix.com)
Posted 2024 Oct 7. Latest minor additions: 2024 Oct 9.
SUMMARY
In July 2024 I saw Red-shanked Douc Langur (Pygathrix nemaeus) on the Son Tra Peninsula on three different days. The best views were in a restricted area with Tuan (a Danang-based guide) after he had shown me Grey-shanked Douc Langur near Nui Thanh in the morning. I later saw Red-shanked Douc Langurs at the Lady Buddha complex and in trees at the road edge about 1.5 km before the Ban Co Peak viewpoint. There were also Rhesus Macaque at the Lady Buddha temple complex.
Contents
a) Mammals
b) Images
c) Logistics
d) References
A. MAMMAL SPECIES
- Red-shanked Douc Langur (Pygathrix nemaeus) on the Son Tra Peninsula. Observations: (1) Northwest peninsula (20 July 2024): seen in a restricted area that Tuan could access by motorbike; we saw about 4 groups during the late afternoon, with good views. (2) Lady Buddha – Linh Ung Pagoda complex (21 July 2024): from the bus parking I saw a few in taller trees (at 16.10126°N / 108.2795°E) at late dusk settling down for the night. (3) road-edge at 16.128542°N 108.261401°E (about 1.5 km northwest of the Ban Co Peak viewpoint): a few were seen briefly. Images below and at iNat post.
- Rhesus Macaque (Macaca mulatta). These are the common macaques on the peninsula. I first saw them on Monkey Pass Road on a foggy day in January 2012 (little else seen that day). In July 2024 I saw them at: (1) Lady Buddha temple complex where the macaques were focused on a garbage area at the northwestern corner of the complex (temple fruit disposed of here); at least one of the younger ones looked like a possible hybrid with Northern Pigtailed Macaque (Macaca leonina). (2) Ghenh Bang at the roadside. Image below and at iNat post.
B. IMAGES
C. LOGISTICS
We stayed at the Nguyen Gia Hotel so as to be close to the Son Tra Peninsula; it was across the road from the beach. I rented a motorbike from the hotel to drive around the peninsula and to the restaurants a few kilometers down the beach; there were no decent restaurants near the hotel.
On the peninsula we went to the eastern side as far as Ghenh Bang area from where I planned to ride along Monkey Pass road but access was blocked. We instead went up the hill from the western side with access from the nondescript road (Lương Hữu Khánh) starting at 16.10796N / 108.26156E; we went as far as Ban Co Peak viewpoint (Dinh Ban Co).
If renting a motorbike here you should get one with gears because automatic motorbikes are not allowed on the hilly central roads of the peninsula; if your brakes fail on the downhill you need the gears. We did pass a dead motorcyclist at a bend on the way up; police and ambulance were on the scene. There is a checkpoint on the way up and you have to be out by sunset.
The Dinh Ban Co viewpoint is at 16.118969°N 108.272031°E.
The Lady Buddha – Linh Ung Pagoda complex (16.099661°N 108.276983°E) with a 67-meter high buddha (completed in around 2010?) is very popular during the day. I stayed after dark one evening hoping for decent forest access but there was none.
Many other mammal-watchers have hired Tuan to view various primates and other mammals in the region. His contact details are:
Bui Van Tuan (Mr. Tuan) – Biological Conservationist, HIVOOC CO. LTD.
Call: +84 (0) 914000940 (Zalo/ WhatsApp).
Address: K39/21 Thanh Vinh 1 Street, Tho Quang Ward, Son Tra District, Da Nang city, Vietnam
Email: Info@hivooc.com. Website: http://www.hivooc.com.
Tuan’s organization contributes towards the community and various conservation projects.
D. REFERENCES
Chapman S (2019). Endemic primate weekend, Central Highlands, Vietnam: 5‐7 October, 2019. A trip report posted at mammalwatching.com.
Schouten A and den Hertog J (2023). (Rare) primates in Vietnam (Febr-March 2023). A trip report posted at mammalwatching.com.
Smith C (2024). Primates of North and Central Viet Nam 2024. A trip report posted at https://www.cokesmithwildlife.com/viet-nam-expedition-2024
My Vietnam page includes links to other reports and notes on logistics.