Exploring the mountainous streets of Pleiku for the first time.

Second visit to sunny Pleiku, shorter stay but still plenty of first-time experiences.

As the third largest city in the Central Highlands, Pleiku is a fascinating destination. With its pleasant climate, picturesque landscapes, unique cuisine, and rich cultural heritage of ethnic minorities such as Jrai and Bahnar, particularly the gong culture. The ideal time to visit Pleiku is during the dry season (from November to April), when the city is adorned with wild sunflowers, coffee flowers, and more!

The land of sunshine, wind, and coffee.

Besides revisiting the familiar experiences in Pleiku like having two bowls of dry pho, visiting Biển Hồ, or enjoying che at Biển Hồ,... on this second trip, we also added some memorable firsts in this mountainous city. You don't need to go far, if you have a day in Pleiku, just wander around to discover the city and its unique culinary culture of the Central Highlands people.

Must-try delicacies

1. Two bowls of pho

Visiting Gia Lai without trying dry pho is like not truly experiencing the charm of the mountainous city. That's what people often say, but in reality: this dish is truly delicious, uniquely tasty! True to its name, 'two bowls of pho' consists of one bowl of pho with various meats (pork, beef,...), raw vegetables, and another bowl of broth. The pho noodles, handmade by Phở Hồng, are thin, firm, and not sticky or mushy. The broth, with its rich and clear flavor, is considered the soul of dry pho alongside the noodles. When enjoying it, feel free to add some hoisin sauce for extra flavor!

Phở Hồng is renowned for its signature dish 'two bowls of pho'

2. Central Highlands Specialties

In addition to trying two bowls of dry pho, we also had a new experience: sampling some Central Highlands specialties such as ant salt, grilled bamboo tube beef/rice, drinking 'can' wine,... in an atmosphere steeped in mountainous charm. Plây Cồng Chiêng boasts traditional stilt house architecture, with sculptures like a boy playing the drum, a mother embracing her child, a man carrying water, a brave warrior,... adorning the courtyard. Inside the restaurant, you'll find various indigenous mountainous instruments on display such as gongs, pottery, and goong lutes,... When you visit this address, don't forget to try these Central Highlands delicacies:

An ambiance rich in Central Highlands culture

Spacious venue with various seating areas

2.1 Grilled Bamboo Tube Beef

Grilled bamboo tube beef is a fusion of jungle vegetables and tender beef. The standout feature of this dish lies in its simple yet unique preparation method: grilling inside bamboo tubes. When served, the staff will split the tubes to reveal the beef. The distinctive flavor of jungle vegetables combined with the sweetness of the beef is sure to leave you craving for more. You can also enjoy grilled beef with bamboo rice.

2.2 Ant Salt Grilled Stone Beef

Just hearing about ant salt makes me curious to try it! I decided to try the ant salt grilled stone beef. The highlight of this dish is the golden ant salt. To prepare golden ants, the chef selects ant nests with many eggs, cleans them thoroughly, blanches them, then fries them until crispy with salt. The ant salt enhances the flavor of the beef even more. The chewy texture, sweet taste of the beef, combined with the salty and spicy flavor of the ant salt, creates the irresistible appeal of this dish.

First time trying grilled bamboo tube beef and ant salt

2.3 Ghe Wine

Food without accompanying drinks always feels incomplete. We decided to try ghe wine (or 'can' wine) to both enjoy and understand more about a cultural aspect of the Central Highlands people. Ghe wine is distinctive not only for its strong aroma of the forest, the unique fermentation process involving over 20 types of leaves, roots... but also for the drinking ritual. The proper way to drink it, according to the locals, is to pour the wine into a jug, uncover it when drinking, pour filtered water to dilute the wine, and after about 30 minutes, insert a 'can' into the jug and drink. As the wine level drops, keep refilling the jug with water until the wine becomes weak.

3. Coffee

When you visit the land of coffee cultivation, you must have a cup of coffee. I sat at my usual spot - Thu Ha Coffee, a place crowded with locals. Ordered a strong cup of iced coffee, savoring the chilly sensation amidst the mountainous town, feeling unexpectedly nostalgic. The cafe boasts a spacious atmosphere, doesn't need elaborate decorations yet still attracts customers with its delicious coffee, cozy ambiance, making you feel as comfortable as being at home.

Spacious, airy ambiance of the cafe

Iced coffee

Experience Location

1. Plei Op Cultural Village

Located in the heart of Pleiku city, the 100-year-old Plei Op village is home to the Gia Rai ethnic people. Plei Op features traditional communal houses amidst grassy fields, with an exhibition area showcasing unique wood carvings of the Gia Rai and Ba Na people,... These structures serve as cultural ambassadors for visitors to understand more about the material and spiritual life of this land. Plei Op is also the first cultural tourism village in Pleiku.

Traditional communal house

Wooden Sculptures

2. Biển Hồ (Lake Sea)

Returning to Biển Hồ on this trip, this renowned location remains as beautiful as they often describe it as 'the eyes of Pleiku full of lake sea.' Located in Biển Hồ commune, about 7km from the city center, Biển Hồ (also known as T’Nưng Lake) is one of the largest and most beautiful natural freshwater lakes in the Central Highlands. The clear water of the lake is surrounded by hills and mountains, with green pine forests along the way,... all creating a picturesque natural landscape. At the end of the scenic spot is the statue of Quan Thế Âm Bodhisattva located at an altitude of over 800m above sea level.

The poetic scenery of Biển Hồ

The path through the pine forest

Resting spot along the way

Path to the statue of Quan Thế Âm Bodhisattva

3. Hundred-year-old Pine Trees

Not far from Biển Hồ, you can visit this famous hundred-year-old pine forest. It's unclear exactly when these pine trees were planted, but they are known to have been planted when the French arrived here, establishing tea plantations in the early 20th century. There's nothing quite like walking through the pine trees, listening to the sound of the wind rustling through the branches, or watching the early morning sun filter through the leaves, casting the first rays of light onto the path. After walking through the pine forest, you can also visit Bửu Minh Pagoda nearby!

The road to the hundred-year-old pine forest offers many beautiful scenes

The hundred-year-old pine forest road after the rain

Also near Biển Hồ, the hundred-year-old pine forest, we also visited Biển Hồ Chè - a place with hills covered in lush green tea plants, stretching as far as the eye can see. When you visit here, aside from taking photos, don't forget to interact with the local farmers tending to the tea gardens.

Refreshing Green Tea Hill

Accommodation Location

Staying overnight in Pleiku, I chose Plei Homestay & Cafe (located in Plei Op village, on Bui Du street, Hoa Lu). A private room for 4 people costs around 520,000 VND per room. The room is clean, airy, with a view overlooking the ancient tree garden. This is a traditional Jrai ethnic house: a five-compartment wooden house. Surrounding the house is the greenery of trees and flowers.

Wooden house in the evening

Inside my room

Green balcony

My short trip to Pleiku left me with many emotions and a lot of first-time experiences. This season, the mountain town is at its most beautiful: not only is it the dry season, but Pleiku is also in the wild sunflower season. If you have the chance, do visit this beautiful city of Gia Lai!

Author: Nguyễn Thị Kim Chi
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