Buon Ma Thuot
Vietnam's coffee capital, with Central Highlands longhouses, waterfalls on a Mekong tributary and elephant villages — the World Coffee Museum is well worth a visit.
Buon Ma Thuot is the capital of Dak Lak Province in the heart of the Central Highlands, at about 500 m above sea level. It is the most important robusta coffee-growing region in Vietnam and indeed the world, earning it the nickname "coffee capital". It is also home to Ede, M'nong and other Central Highlands ethnic minorities, known for their stilted longhouses, gong culture (UNESCO Intangible Cultural Heritage) and elephant traditions. Sights fall into four areas: in town, the World Coffee Museum, Trung Nguyen Coffee Village, Ako Dhong longhouse village, Dak Lak Museum and historic sites such as Buon Ma Thuot Prison; about 25 km southwest, the Serepok River waterfalls (Dray Nur, Dray Sap and Gia Long); about 45 km northwest, Ban Don elephant village, the suspension bridge eco-area and Yok Don National Park; and about 55 km south, Lak Lake and the M'nong village of Buon Jun. The best time to visit is the Nov–Apr dry season; in March the coffee trees blossom and the Buon Ma Thuot Coffee Festival is often held. The May–Oct rainy season brings the fullest waterfalls but muddy roads. Getting there: Buon Ma Thuot Airport has flights to Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City; it's about 4 hours' drive from Nha Trang and 4–5 hours from Da Lat. Allow 2–3 days; sights are spread out, so hire a car or rent a motorbike. Note: elephant riding is being phased out, so choose elephant-friendly viewing experiences; the longhouse villages are lived in, so be respectful when visiting.
Top sights
- World of Coffee Museum – A coffee-themed museum built by Trung Nguyên, housed in a building shaped like an Ede longhouse. It displays over 10,000 coffee implements…
- Dray Nur Waterfall – A 'wife waterfall' about 250 meters wide on the Serepok River. Walk behind its curtain of water through basalt cliffs and caves. One of the…
- Lak Lake – The largest natural freshwater lake in Đắk Lắk Province, ringed by M'nong longhouse villages. Enjoy dugout canoes, elephant walks, and Empe…
- Yok Don National Park – Vietnam's largest national park, with rare dipterocarp deciduous forest rarely seen in Southeast Asia. Join 'elephant-friendly' encounters…
- Dray Sap Waterfall – The “Smoke Waterfall” on the Serepok River, where spray veils the forest. It sits across the river from Dray Nur Waterfall, within the Dak…
- Gia Long Waterfall – A multi-tier waterfall on a tributary of the Serepok River, said to be where Emperor Gia Long of the Nguyen dynasty bathed. Rock platforms…
- Ban Don Village – A traditional elephant-catching and taming village on the Serepok River, home to Lao and M'nong peoples, with stilt longhouses, the tomb of…
- Buon Don Suspension Bridges – A chain of bamboo and wooden suspension bridges linking islands in the Serepok River, with ancient banyan groves to wander through and bamb…
- Ako Dhong Village – An Ede longhouse village inside the city, with neat stilt longhouses and coffee-tree courtyards. Visitors can experience Central Highlands…
- Trung Nguyen Coffee Village – A park built by Trung Nguyen Coffee in the “Coffee Capital,” combining longhouse-style cafés, coffee gardens and displays of Central Highla…
- Dak Lak Museum & Bao Dai Palace – A museum of Central Highlands ethnic artifacts, gongs and hunting tools, next to the 1940s French-style palace of Emperor Bảo Đại.
- Buon Ma Thuot Exile House – A prison for political detainees built by the French colonial authorities in 1930, which held several Vietnamese revolutionaries; now a nat…
- Buon Ma Thuot Victory Monument – A tank monument on a roundabout in the city center, commemorating the Battle of Buon Ma Thuot in March 1975; a city landmark and a nighttim…
- Khai Doan Pagoda – A royal temple built in 1951 with funds from Empress Dowager Đoan Huy of the Nguyen dynasty, blending Hue palace and Central Highlands long…
- Ea Kao Lake – A large reservoir on the southern outskirts of the city, ringed by pine forests and coffee plantations; a popular spot for locals to watch…
Where to eat
- Thanh Tram Ninh Hoa Nem Nuong – A well-known grilled pork roll restaurant in Buon Ma Thuot since 1997, near the market, recommended by locals and visit…
- Thu's Bún Đỏ – A long-established bún đỏ specialist in Buon Ma Thuot, started as a roadside stall on Phan Dinh Quyet Street and now at…
- Aru Longhouse – A traditional Ê Đê longhouse restaurant in a village within the city, serving Central Highlands dishes, homemade rice w…