Highland Vietnam

Pleiku - Kontum - Buan Ma Thuat
Lies in the central Tay Nguyen highland, these areas have not little to offer the visitors. The attractions of the areas are visits to ethnic minorities such as Gia Rai, Ba Na (Gia Lai province); Xo Dang, Ba Na, Gie Trieng, Brau, Gia Rai and Ro Mam (Kon Tum province); E De, Gia Rai, M’nong (Dac Lac province). There are many beautiful waterfalls, lakes and other sites, all make the attractive landscapes of the central highland area.
Pleiku, Kon Tum, Buon Ma Thuot are the capitals of Gia Lai, Kon Tum and Dac Lac provinces.

Ba Na Village: The tribal groups of Ba Na include Ba Na Kon Tum, Ba Na Go La, Ba Na Na Ko. Each implies different inhabiting location or the name of a particular occupation of the Ba Na people. The Ba Na’s houses were built on stilt that have deferent shape and sizes, either quadrilateral or square. The staircase leading to a house is made of a tree trunk. Each of steps is meticulously chiselled, which reflects the carving skills of Ba Na men. Ba Na people have own written language, and are famous for their hunting skill. 

Buon Don is closed to Cambodian border, about 50km from Buon Ma Thuot. It is well known as the native land of elephant hunters and trainers throughout Southeast Asia. In the last few years, tourists have more eager to visit this elephant’s home

To Nung Lake is about 10km from Pleiku. It is located on the top of an extinct volcano. From here, one can get a spectacular view of the area including Bien Ho Tea processing farm, Pleiku and Kon Tum towns, Rong houses...

Yaly Waterfalls sites along Po Co River. It is 60m high and is divided into many levels. A hydroelectric power plant with the capacity of 673kW was built at Yaly Waterfalls.

Khai Doan Pagoda was built between 1951 and 1953, in a large area of the town of Buon Ma Thuot. The pagoda was designed in “three” character style, with a tree-entrance gate at the front. Central chamber is in the middle and house for worship is at the back. The sanctum of Quan Am was constructed separately from the main structure, and has six sides featuring cloud and dragon decorated pillars.

Lac Lake is 56km from Buon Ma Thuot is a magnificent site. From here one can get a panoramic view of the valley and the lake. Here once was the palace owned by King Bao Dai, the last Nguyen King (1925-1945). He used to board on the lake whenever he stayed in the palace.


Da Lat
Dalat is the main centre of the Southern Highlands region. This temperate region is a cool and green city, dotted with lakes, waterfalls, evergreen forests and gardens. 

Dalat is famous for its fresh vegetables and flowers as well as being the popular honeymoon spot in Vietnam. You can either reach Dalat from Ho Chi Minh City by air or by land.

Hang Nga Guesthouse & Art Gallery, nicknamed by locals the Crazy House. It’s a counter-cultural gem created by artist and architect Mrs Dang Viet Nga (known as Hang Nga).
The Emperor Bao Dai's Summer Palace is a tan, 25-room villa constructed in 1933. The Palace stuffed with interesting artefacts from decades and governments past.

The Valley of Love, 5km north of the city centre, is a bizarre place where you can see the “Dalat cowboys, who dressed as American cowboys, getting a paddleboat on the lake or renting horses from the cowboys to ride around the lake. Further out, you can visit the villages of some of the hill tribes, such as Lat Village and the Chicken Village (with a huge statue of a chicken).

Xuan Huong Lake was created by a dam in 1919. Xuan Huong is the name of a Vietnamese woman poet, who dared to attack on the hypocrisy of social convention and the foible of scholars, feudal lords and kings by her verses.

Cam Ly Falls: The grassy areas around the 15m-high cascades are the habitat of horses and “Dalat cowboys”.
Dalat Golf Course is one of the best in the Asia. It was once used by former emperor Bao Dai

Lake of sighs (Ho Than Tho) is 6km north-east of the Dalat centre. Legend has it that, a couple met here and fell in love, but the man had to join the army without waiting to tell the girl. Unaware that the man was of fighting and afraid that his absence means that he no longer loved her, the girl sent word for the man to meet her at the lake, but he did not come. The girl sorrowed and threw herself into the lake. Thereafter the lake named the Lake of Sighs.

Lat Village is about 12km from Dalat centre, in the foothills of the Lang Biang Mountains, consists nine hamlets. Five of the hamlets are the residences of the Lat ethnic group and four others are of the Chill, Ma, Koho tribes., each of which speaks a different dialect.

Tuyen Lam lake is an artificial lake created by a dam in 1980. Take a paddleboat or canoe on the lake and enjoy the surroundings of the pine hills. Tuyen Lam Lake is about 7km from Dalat centre.