Buzz
While not as famous as Da Lat, Buon Ma Thuot and Gia Lai manage to capture the hearts of many travelers with the raw, untouched beauty of the Tây Nguyên mountains and forests.
In-Depth Exploration of Buon Ma Thuot and Gia Lai Itinerary Review
Honestly, before the trip, I did some research and heard people saying there's nothing in the Central Highlands, why bother going? Oh, but no, Tây Nguyên has many places to explore, and it's quite urban, not just tribal villages as people often assume. I found Tây Nguyên to be perfect for those seeking fresh, pristine air, delightful weather, a city with all necessary services without the hustle and bustle. The locals are genuine, friendly, the food is delicious and affordable, and there are plenty of spots for Instagram-worthy photos.
The best time to visit the Central Highlands is from December to March. I visited in December during the wild sunflower season, and the weather was fantastic. It's slightly cold in the morning and evening (around 17 degrees Celsius), but the daytime is sunny and cool, around 22 degrees Celsius. The weather feels like Hanoi's autumn, which I really enjoyed.
Getting Around
– Flight: We booked round-trip flight tickets from Hanoi to Pleiku and back to Hanoi. The fare was reasonable at 1.8 million VND per person due to the convenient flight times.
– Pleiku to BMT Bus: We caught a bus at Đức Long bus station, where many bus companies operate. I forgot the specific company, but they all look similar; just check the departure times. It's advisable to book tickets in advance, priced at 150,000 VND per person for a 3.5-hour journey.
– Pleiku: We booked Hoai Thuong hotel (on Truong Chinh Street) for 500,000 VND per night for four people, enjoying a 15% discount on Traveloka. The hotel is well-located, near Minh Thanh Pagoda, and fairly close to the city center. It's a new and clean hotel with a fantastic view from our room overlooking the charming city, and the staff are friendly.
– BMT: We chose Lys Hotel, close to Trung Nguyen Coffee Village but not exactly in the city center, at a rate of 380,000 VND per night for four people with a 15% discount on Traveloka. The hotel is decent, rooms are quite new, clean, and the staff is helpful.
– Day 1: BIEN LAKE – KOREAN ROAD – CHE LAKE
BIEN LAKE: We arrived in Pleiku around 10 a.m., had a rest and breakfast until noon, then headed to Bien Lake (approximately 10 km from the city center). We rented a motorbike (180,000 VND/day for scooters, 150,000 VND/day for manual bikes). The entrance fee is 15,000 VND per person. The place resembles Dalat with its pine forest but is more beautiful due to the vast lake. The only downside is the lack of seating areas by the lake. We enjoyed the scenery, took photos, and then had lunch outside.
KOREAN ROAD: This road runs from Bien Lake to Che Tea Lake, absolutely beautiful and tranquil. Since it's quite deserted, feel free to indulge in photography.
CHE TEA LAKE: Resembling Moc Chau's tea hills but on a flat surface, Che Tea Lake is beautiful and refreshing. We explored and took photos until around 5 p.m. before returning to the city.
MINH THANH PAGODA: At 7 p.m., we stopped by Minh Thanh Pagoda, a must-visit spot in Pleiku. The pagoda, designed in a prominent Japanese style, is more stunning in person than in photos. Despite limited time, we managed a quick visit before continuing our journey.
At 8 p.m., we headed to the bus station to catch the bus to Buon Ma Thuot. Since there were no buses at 9-10 a.m., only at 8 a.m. and 11 a.m., we opted for the 8 a.m. departure to stick to our plan. We arrived in Buon Ma Thuot around 11:30 a.m. and took a break for lunch.
COFFEE MUSEUM: Taking a taxi to locations around the city, we visited the Coffee Museum, located 3-4 km from the center. The museum boasts unique and modern architecture with beautiful interior decorations. It's a perfect place for some Instagram-worthy moments. You can also enjoy a cool breeze while sipping coffee. Entrance is free, but there's a fee for the exhibition area.
TRUNG NGUYEN COFFEE VILLAGE: In general, you should try coffee here; even for non-coffee enthusiasts, the coffee is surprisingly good. Besides, you can purchase souvenirs from this charming coffee village.
– Day 3: BAN DON – TROH BU – SAC TU KHAI DOAN
BAN DON: We hired a taxi for the Ban Don – Troh Bu tour (about 50km from the city) for only 600k/5 people, convenient and affordable. Thanks to a fortunate encounter, we had the incredibly friendly and enthusiastic Mr. Tuyen (Mai Linh taxi) as our driver, who patiently waited for us to explore. You can contact him for bookings: 0943045858. In Ban Don, we visited the legendary elephants and tried elephant riding (200k/2 people/3 minutes) and took pictures around. We chose Ban Don over Lake Lak for the ease of including Troh Bu on our route. Entrance fee to Ban Don is 40k/person.
TROH BU ECO-TOURISM AREA (Located on the way to Ban Don): This place is charming with many Instagram-worthy spots. Entrance fee is 30k/person.
SAC TU KHAI DOAN CHURCH (5km from the city center): This spacious and beautiful church is a must-visit spot in Buon Ma Thuot.
On the final day, we continued to book Mr. Tuyen's taxi to Dray Nur Waterfall (about 40km from the city), priced at 400k/4 people. Generally, you only need to visit either Dray Nur or Dray Sap waterfall as they are close and similar. We chose Dray Nur for its perceived beauty. The road is dusty, so it's advisable not to use a motorcycle. The atmosphere here is cool, pleasant, and the waterfall offers many picturesque spots.
Where to Eat?
I find the food here not very distinctive (in the sense of being unique to the Central Highlands), but the dishes we tried were quite good, reasonably priced, with the only downside being a bit too much fat in the meat, haha.
– Grilled chicken – Tơ Nưng restaurant, alternatively, try the famous PleiTieng grilled chicken.
– Crab vermicelli, grilled meat vermicelli, rolled cakes, skewered nem... (Night Market)
– Additionally, there are various types of pho, beef noodle soup, beefsteak...
BUON MA THUOT:
– Beef dipped in tamarind sauce – Cà Te Quán
– Fish hotpot with Snakehead fish – Savor the delectable hotpot at Six Quang Restaurant.
– Veal and Beef – Indulge in the flavors of Bò Tơ 129 (Ly Thai To) for a delightful experience.
– Goat meat – Experience the freshness of goat meat at Fresh Goat 68 (Nguyen Huu Tho).
– Don't miss out on various other dishes; unfortunately, I forgot them all, huhu.
Photo by Bao Ngoc
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Reference: Travel guide from Mytour
MytourMarch 31, 2022
