Cuc Phuong National Park, located 100km south of Hanoi and on the borders of three provinces of Ninh Binh, Hoa Binh and Thanh Hoa, was officially open in 1962 as the first national park in Vietnam.

Cuc Phuong National Park is surrounded by several limestone cliffs, the highest of which is the 656 meter May Bac (meaning "silver cloud peak"). The park is conveniently situated on the route to several tourist attractions, including Bich Dong Pagoda, Hoa Lu, and Sam Son Beach.

The best time to visit Cuc Phuong National Park is during the dry season, from December to April when the heavy forest rain is over.