Phong Nha-Ke Bang trials Czech trail markers on two hiking routes
The botanical garden’s five-kilometre and three-kilometre routes now use painted markings intended to improve navigation and visitor safety.
Vietnam’s Phong Nha-Ke Bang National Park has begun testing a Czech trail-marking method in its botanical garden, management board director Pham Hong Thai said. Czech Tourist Club experts and a supporting team finished marking two routes in mid-October.
The work took place within a 77.1-hectare area and covered routes measuring five kilometres and three kilometres. The club developed the initiative with backing from the Czech Republic’s embassy in Hanoi and the Czech Center Hanoi.
Painted symbols on visible tree trunks and rock surfaces guide walkers, with no more than 250 metres between markers. Each horizontal marking has a central stripe showing the route’s colour, while matching arrows indicate turns at junctions and bends.
Red identifies main trails, including long routes to summits, while blue denotes important links between areas. Green is used for shorter paths, links to larger routes and trails through communities. Yellow indicates shortcuts, secondary paths and connecting routes.
Thai said clearer signs would help visitors stay on permitted paths and avoid restricted areas. The initiative is intended to improve safety and support conservation, while also helping park staff guide visitors, monitor tourism activity and manage access.
Czech Tourist Club chairman Pavel Prilepek said the Czech network dates back nearly 140 years and extends over more than 44,000 kilometres. He stressed that the markers require consistent standards for design, positioning and upkeep.
