[7] It is found in montane evergreen forests at 1470–2004 m.[3] The frog is adapted to arboreal living with webbings of feet that allow it to glide between trees.

The first specimen was discovered in 2008 by Jodi Rowley of the Australian Museum at Sydney, Australia, and her student Le Thi Thuy Duong from Ho Chi Minh City University of Science.

Rhacophorus vampyrus is in the family of Rhacophoridae, found throughout Africa, Southeast Asia, China, Taiwan, Japan, the Greater Sunda Islands, and the Philippines, which has approximately 320 species.

The upper surfaces of the arms and legs are copper brown with diffuse, dark-brown barring.

The upper surfaces of the hands and feet are a copper brown which fades to pinkish-cream or grey at the fingers and toes.

[3] They have been later found in Ta Dung Nature reserve, Dak Glong District.

[2] The species V. vampyrus is known to be separated between two areas geographically, which have low, unsuitable elevations between the locations.

[2] V. vampyrus is a phytotelm breeder and lays its eggs in small water-filled tree holes during the rainy seasons, generally 0.3–1.2 m above the ground.

The species shows an unusual tadpole mouthpart morphology unknown in other anurans, namely presence of a specific serrated horny arch on the upper jaw, and a pair of fang-like horny teeth on the lower jaw.

The two keratinized hooks project forward, and are supported laterally by two similar sized fleshy papillae on the margin of the reduced lower labium.

[16][15] The tadpoles have a large gape in the mouth, which lets them ingest larger objects, such as eggs with a jelly coating still adhered.

[2] V. vampyrus is geographically separated from its two main populations, due to the lower elevation being uninhabitable between these two areas.

Vietnam faces challenges with protecting forests, in order to preserve the ecosystem that is present,[18] including V. vampyrus.

This species is only known to be found in protected areas, which include Bidoup-Nui National Park and Ta Dung Nature Reserve.