Founder of Vietnam Birding, Richard has worked in tourism development in Vietnam since the early 1990s, and has travelled and watched birds extensively throughout the country and the wider region during this time. He has contributed to travel guides, journals and other media on ecotourism, conservation and birds in Vietnam for more than 30 years. Richard and Vietnam Birding head guide Le Quy Minh are the authors of the first comprehensive field guide to the birds of Vietnam published in December 2018 by Lynx Edicions and BirdLife International. This work is now the standard reference for all birders in Vietnam.
A well-known figure in the conservation community in Vietnam and one of the most experienced birding guides in the region, Minh has been head guide at Vietnam Birding since 2007. He previously worked at Bach Ma National Park in central Vietnam for 12 years, heading the ecotourism and environmental education departments. Minh is the co-author with Richard of the first comprehensive field guide to birds of Vietnam. Minh’s extensive knowledge of Vietnam’s birds, his charming manner and wicked sense humour ensure that he is always in demand to guide Vietnam Birding clients.
Like his close friend Le Quy Minh, Nhan is a former national park guide at Bach Ma National Park in central Vietnam where he worked for ten years up until 2010. Nowadays Nhan guides Vietnam Birding clients on tours throughout the country enthusiastically sharing his local knowledge of the region’s fauna, flora and culture with them.
Duyen, (pronounced “Zwin”), started working as a forest ranger and guide at Cat Tien National Park in 1994 and knows Cat Tien’s forests better than anyone. Since 2007 Duyen has been guiding Vietnam Birding clients and is the go-to guide for birders visiting this wonderful national park. Duyen’s extensive knowledge of the local fauna and flora, friendly, easy-going manner and his dry sense of humour make him very popular with visiting birders.
Vy (pronounced “Vee”) oversees the operations department at the Vietnam Birding office and is responsible for tour reservations and working with our local service providers. A fluent English speaker, Vy is also a qualified yoga instructor and when she is not making tour arrangements she is busy teaching yoga classes.
After completing his studies at the forestry university in 2001 Bay returned to his home province of Ninh Binh and began working at Cuc Phuong National Park. Taking up birding the following year Bay was soon appointed birding guide at Cuc Phuong Tourism Department where he still works. Bay is the local guide for many Vietnam Birding clients visiting Cuc Phuong and he takes great pleasure in introducing the park’s rich biodiversity to visitors from around the world.
Gioi, (pronounced “Yoy”), is the head of guiding at Yok Don National Park, in the southern Central Highlands of Vietnam. Gioi grew up in nearby Ban Don village, once famous throughout Vietnam for its elephant tamers, but nowadays Gioi’s efforts are focused on conserving the area’s few remaining elephants and their habitat rather than domesticating them. With his expert local knowledge, great organisational skills and cheerful disposition Gioi is Vietnam Birding’s popular local guide at Yok Don.