Daklak is one of the most favourite destinations in Vietnam. Tourists who travel to Vietnam and once come to Daklak, would never forget this attractive experience: Elephants, waterfalls and Cần (tube) wine. You can wonder why it’s attractive, JUST DO IT. It’s easy to get to from Saigon - eight hours by bus or 40 minutes by plane (Air Mekong or Vietnam Airlines, for around VND1 million one-way) to Buon Ma Thuot, the spacious and relaxed regional capital.

Daklak’s charms are waterfalls, elephants, and the milky fermented drink called “Ruou can” (tube wine). However, the most famous thing in DakLak is coffee. Dak Lak is regarded as “home of Vietnamese coffee” with biggest coffee area and output.  Coffee is planted in tall bushes, not in large fields, but in dense plantations clustered round small farmhouses. Vietnam is now the world’s second largest coffee producer after Brazil. 

DakLak travel, tourists  can find many good places to stay in. For example, The White House (Bach Ma) Hotel or on Nguyen Duc Canh street, Buon Ma Thuot city, DakLak is  a very clean and comfortable  hotel where you can have orange-juice, coffee and fried eggs in the breakfast buffet. The best way to get around is to rent a motorbike for the day, with or without a driver. With  a driver, the cost for all day is normally from VND200,000 to VND300,000. You also can discover by riding a bike, however Daklak is part of Vietnam’s Central Highlands, and the road from Saigon is a gentle but continuous climb. It will take a lot of time and make you very tired. 

Beauty natural waterfalls in Buon Me Thuot 

Dray Sap Waterfall is 27km from Buon Ma Thuot. The name of the waterfall means “Waterfall of Mist” which is just how the fall looks like when you face it. The waterfall can be heard from far away. 

Dray Nur Waterfall is located near Dray Sap Waterfall. Dray Nur is of 250m in length and 30m in height. The waterfall is created by the water of Krong Ana and Krong No Rivers. There's a cave underneath the waterfall that brings exotic experience to the adventure travellers

Gia Long Waterfall is 7km from Dray Sap & Dray Nur. Gia Long Waterfall also offers stunning beauty of nature.

Riding elephants in Ban Don

To get to the elephants, head north to Buon Don, around an hour’s drive away.

Ban Don (Buon Don): The village is 45 km north-west of Buon Ma Thuot straddling the Serepok River, Don Village for long has been famous for domesticating wild elephants. Visiting Ban Don you'll learn a lot about their long tradition of taming wild elephants and legends of the elephant-training King. Adventurous enough, you can get a dug-out canoe and drift along the Serepok River to visit the 7-branched waterfalls. There's also an option of riding elephant through the wild of Yok Don National Park.

Drinking “Ruou Can”

Daklak’s altitude of around 500 meters means that, like Dalat, it’s cold at nights. But during the dry season it’s sunny and crisp by day, so early to bed, and then an early start in the morning, is recommended. Besides, Buon Ma Thuot doesn’t have a lot to offer in the way of nightlife.

But there’s always ruou can. This fermented rice wine is around 20% alcohol per volume, and is drunk communally through long straws from large jars. But water is continually added, so the strength varies and, just when you feel you’ve had enough, more of the watered-down version is offered. Taken in moderation it’s a very congenial drink, with little in the way of unpleasant after-effects. It’s on sale everywhere in Daklak.

Hong Tam