8 special experiences make Vietnam Central Highland expedition memorable.
Sight-see: " Eyes of Pleiku"
Sight-see: " Eyes of Pleiku"
One of the most poetic natural lake in Vietnam Central Highland is Bien Ho or T’nung lake. Formed from a crater, Bien Ho is really wide, and people compare it as the pair of eyes of the locals residing in Pleiku city and Gia Lai province.
From the shore looking far away, it is likely to see stunning, immense blue of the lake water. Bien Ho is located on a mountain. Winds from forests and the lake blend together, bringing coolness that can feel when standing on the shore. Cycling over forests is a must do to discover mysterious beauty of this Pleiku’s Eyes.
Watch: Gong performance
From the shore looking far away, it is likely to see stunning, immense blue of the lake water. Bien Ho is located on a mountain. Winds from forests and the lake blend together, bringing coolness that can feel when standing on the shore. Cycling over forests is a must do to discover mysterious beauty of this Pleiku’s Eyes.
Watch: Gong performance
Space of Gong culture of ethnic minorities in in Central Highlands, which was recognized as the Masterpiece of the Intangible Heritage of Humanity, is a very various art form. Gong is an instrument made of copper alloys, sometimes mixed with gold, silver and black bronze. All ceremonies in a year, from ear blowing ceremony for infants to grave leaving rite (erecting new houses or graves for dead people), gutter worship ceremony, new rice celebration festival, warehouse closing ceremony, buffalo stabbing festival, also must have sound of gongs to connect people in a community.
Taste: real coffee
Taste: real coffee
For a long time Buon Ma Thuot city is considered as the hub of coffee in Vietnam, where to contemplate green coffee plantations spreading beyond eyes’ view while enjoy best-flavored coffee. Siting in Trung Nguyen coffee village and sipping a cup of coffee in a rainy afternoon that may be the most memorable cup of coffee you have ever tasted in Vietnam.
Night stargaze: in Mang Den
Night stargaze: in Mang Den
Mang Den (which means Black Bamboo Shoot) is located at an altitude of about 1,200 m above the sea level, belonging to Kon Plong district, Kon Tum province. This area is considered as the central divide between East Annamite range and West Annamite range. Here, the climate is cool year-round and the temperature is usually under 22°C. Primitive jungles covers all around and broaden old pine forests spread along Highway 24. Besides, this area also has a lot of lakes, waterfalls, streams and beautiful scenery.
Specially, Mang Den is estimated as one of the best places to stargaze in Vietnam. If reaching here in dry weather that sky is cloudless and clear, let seek out a grass ground or an airy balcony to sink into marvelous space among a starry sky.
Conquer: Indochina T-junction
Specially, Mang Den is estimated as one of the best places to stargaze in Vietnam. If reaching here in dry weather that sky is cloudless and clear, let seek out a grass ground or an airy balcony to sink into marvelous space among a starry sky.
Conquer: Indochina T-junction
Bo Y frontier gate, where a cock crows that also makes citizens of all three Indochina countries hear together, is a place impossible to miss on the trip to Central Highlands. As the bordering T-junction between Vietnam, Laos and Cambodia, it is one of the most important territory landmark of the country.
Many ways and modes of transport are available to reach Bo Y ward, Ngoc Hoi district, Kon Tum province. From Hanoi, it is able to take a flight to Buon Me Thuot city (Dak Lak province), then catch a bus to Ngoc Hoi. If departing from Ho Chi Minh city or other provinces along Highway 1A like Quang Binh and Quang Tri, getting to Kon Tum by bus is recommended.
After arriving the border gate Bo Y, transferring along an over-10km-road twisty through several hills, keeping on climbing over stairs to reach a granite landmark, which is just Indochina T-junction. It’s based on a mountain summit 1,000m high compared to the sea level, written names of three countries.
Ride elephant: in Yok Don national park
Many ways and modes of transport are available to reach Bo Y ward, Ngoc Hoi district, Kon Tum province. From Hanoi, it is able to take a flight to Buon Me Thuot city (Dak Lak province), then catch a bus to Ngoc Hoi. If departing from Ho Chi Minh city or other provinces along Highway 1A like Quang Binh and Quang Tri, getting to Kon Tum by bus is recommended.
After arriving the border gate Bo Y, transferring along an over-10km-road twisty through several hills, keeping on climbing over stairs to reach a granite landmark, which is just Indochina T-junction. It’s based on a mountain summit 1,000m high compared to the sea level, written names of three countries.
Ride elephant: in Yok Don national park
Located in Krong Na ward, Buon Don district, 40 km to the northwest from Buon Me Thuot city, Yok Don national park is an attractive eco-tourism site. Actually there is a wide selection of activities for nature exploration in Yok Don like elephant riding, trekking and cycling throughout primitive jungles. Particularly, nature lovers possibly witness wild life of animals at night and experience dugout canoe rowing on poetic Serepok river in day-time. To understand life and culture of ethnic groups, let spend some days trekking to secluded villages, where the locals will feast strange guests “ruou can” (wine drunk out of a jar through pipes) and rustic dishes of jungle.
Admire: imposing Dray Sap waterfall
Admire: imposing Dray Sap waterfall
Dray Sap or Chong (or Husband) waterfall stretches more than 500m in width and nearly 20m in length. Annually in the early rainy season, currents of this cataract fall down, roar and produce endless white foam, so E-de people commonly call it as the “waterfall of smokes”. Dray Sap fall is based on the terrain featuring numerous caves, forests with lush trees and interlacing creepers, where all four directions also echo with sounds of jungle. The track leading here is a challenge, as it’s absolutely meandering, bumpy and scattered with numerous stone blocks full of moss.
Contemplate: rubber forests, tree marigold and coffee flowers
Contemplate: rubber forests, tree marigold and coffee flowers
For travelers who care about traditional culture, let travel to Vietnam Central Highlands in December, the time of festivals and also the season of yellow tree marigold flowers blooming blazingly on red basaltic soil.
Early January, entire Central Highlands will transform in leaf color of rubber forests. Contemplate rows of deciduous rubber trees, so easy to realize an extraordinary Central Highland.
Then when March comes, the area booms again by immaculately white of coffee flowers as usual in spring. The blossoms normally blows two to three times in every season till late spring.
Early January, entire Central Highlands will transform in leaf color of rubber forests. Contemplate rows of deciduous rubber trees, so easy to realize an extraordinary Central Highland.
Then when March comes, the area booms again by immaculately white of coffee flowers as usual in spring. The blossoms normally blows two to three times in every season till late spring.