Tay Nguyen, or the Central Highlands, has been an autonomous land inhabited by ethnic minorities and has not yet become a complete country. Due to its vast land and sparse population, ethnic minorities here have sometimes become victims of attacks by the Champa kingdom for plunder and capturing slaves. Despite its wild and majestic beauty imbued with its own identity, the people here are known for their kindness, honesty, simplicity, and courage. The Central Highlands has experienced many glorious historical periods.
1. Introduction to the Central Highlands of Vietnam
Tay Nguyen, or the Central Highlands, has been an autonomous land inhabited by ethnic minorities and has not yet become a complete country. Due to its vast land and sparse population, ethnic minorities here have sometimes become victims of attacks by the Champa kingdom for plunder and capturing slaves. Despite its wild and majestic beauty imbued with its own identity, the people here are known for their kindness, honesty, simplicity, and courage. The Central Highlands has experienced many glorious historical periods.
Tay Nguyen is a large area on the plateau encompassing 5 provinces: Gia Lai, Kon Tum, Dak Lak, Lam Dong, and Dak Nong. It borders Quang Nam to the north, Laos and Cambodia to the west, and the central southern coastal provinces to the east. Mentioning the Central Highlands immediately brings to mind the unique gong culture, epic chapters, or special traditional festivals.
2. Best Time to Visit the Central Highlands
The climate of the Central Highlands is divided into two seasons: the rainy season from May to late October and the dry season from November to April, with March and April being the hottest and driest months.
The best time to travel to the Central Highlands is from November to April, with December and late February or early March being the most beautiful times in Tay Nguyen. December is not only the season of wildflowers blooming on the streets of the Central Highlands but also the coffee harvest season.
3. What to Visit in the Central Highlands?
Upon arriving in the Central Highlands, Buon Me Thuot, Kon Tum, or Dak Lak are destinations not to be missed, offering various fascinating tourist attractions:
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Buon Me Thuot: Tourist attractions include the Dak Lak Ethnic Museum, Buon Ma Thuot Prison, Buon Ako Dhong, Sac Tu Khai Doan Pagoda, Dak Lak Water Park, Trung Nguyen Coffee Village, Tay Nguyen Ethnic Museum, World Coffee Museum, Buon Me Thuot Market, etc.
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Pleiku, Gia Lai: Don't miss Bien Ho (To-nung Lake), Ayun Ha Lake, Nine-Storey Waterfall, Ha Tam Pine Hill, Kon Ka Kinh National Park, Kon Ja Rang Nature Reserve, Ham Rong Peak, Yaly Hydroelectric Plant, etc.
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Kon Tum, Dak Lak: Remember Kon Klor Suspension Bridge (Kon Klor Tourist Village), Chu Mom Ray National Park, Yaly Hydroelectric Plant, Kon Tum Historical Site, Kon Tum Wooden Church, etc.
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Waterfall Groups: In the Central Highlands, waterfalls and deep lakes contribute significantly to the greatness of this land, so don't forget to visit Dray Sap, Dray Nur, and Gia Long Waterfalls when traveling to Tay Nguyen.
4. Cuisine of the Central Highlands
Vietnamese have a saying, "Có thực mới vực được đạo," meaning that to reach enlightenment, one must first have good physical strength and health. When visiting a new land, one of the things that interests us is the cuisine of that land, which reveals a part of its culture. In the windy and pristine Central Highlands, the meals are not served on silver and gold plates like in restaurants in other cities. Most dishes are extremely rustic, from the preparation to the serving style. Here are some famous specialties of the Central Highlands:
Grilled village chicken from Don village: It is a native dish of the ethnic minorities of Tay Nguyen. However, today it has become a specialty that tourists must not miss when visiting the Central Highlands. The main ingredient of this dish is chicken, carefully selected, cleaned, marinated with spices, then grilled. This dish is often served with salt and pepper or lemongrass. How wonderful it is to enjoy grilled chicken in the cold mountain climate.
Bagridae fish: One of the dishes not to be missed when visiting the Central Highlands is bagridae fish – caught in the Serepok River, which has sweet and fragrant meat. Especially, grilled bagridae fish with salt is very fragrant, rolled with raw vegetables, green bananas, noodles, fish sauce with lemon and garlic. Additionally, you can enjoy hot pot of bagridae fish served with vegetables such as celery, broccoli, bitter vegetables, and mint.
Lam rice: It is considered the most typical dish of Tay Nguyen cuisine because it is not a common rice dish cooked in a pot. In addition, you can enjoy other equally unique dishes such as leaf salad, stone-grilled meat, deer meat, and drink "rượu cần" (literally "trunk wine" or "tube wine").
5. How to Get to the Central Highlands?
Flying is the easiest and most convenient mode of transportation. There are many domestic flights departing from Tan Son Nhat (Ho Chi Minh City) or Noi Bai (Hanoi) airports to destinations such as Pleiku or Buon Me Thuot airports.
If traveling by car, there are tourist buses to Tay Nguyen from Hanoi, Saigon, Nha Trang, Da Nang, etc. In Hanoi, go to Giap Bat station, while in Saigon, go to Mien Dong bus station. Some reputable bus operators you can choose from include:
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Hanoi: Quan Trung, Hong Hai, Viet Hung, Dak Po, etc.
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Saigon: Co Hai, Nam Phong, Viet Tan Phat, Bao Thinh, etc.
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Da Nang and central provinces: Hong Hai, Thuan Thao, Mai Linh, etc.