Rough Guide to Vietnam - Jan Dodd [140]
The central highlands |
Through the highlands
North of Da Lat, the yawning plateaux of the central highlands are worth visiting for their scenery and minority peoples. After heading south from Da Lat on Highway 20 for about 20km turn right onto Highway 27, which snakes its way northwards over the hills. First stop is usually Lak Lake, an attractive body of water surrounded by minority villages, about 60km south of Buon Ma Thuot, which can also be approached directly from Ho Chi Minh City on Highway 14, bypassing Da Lat. The town itself is an unlovely place, but it is the gateway to E De longhouses, elephant-back rides and treks into Yok Don National Park.
From Buon Ma Thuot, Highway 14 probes further north to Plei Ku, where it’s possible (with a guide) to visit Jarai villages. From Plei Ku it’s little over an hour’s journey straight north on Highway 14 to the likeable town of Kon Tum, where you don’t need a permit to visit villages of minority groups like the Bahnar, with their towering tribal rong, or communal halls. From Kon Tum you can follow Highway 24 eastwards over a high pass to the coast at Quang Ngai, or get into high-adventure gear and continue north through the highlands along Highway 14, the Ho Chi Minh Highway. A further option is to head into Southern Laos via the new border crossing at Bo Y.
The central highlands | Through the highlands |
Lak Lake
Some 150km north of Da Lat, Highway 27 passes serene LAK LAKE, a charming spot that has become very popular with tourists, aided by the upgrading of the highway between Da Lat and Buon Ma Thuot. Emperor Bao Dai grabbed some of the best sites in southern Vietnam for his many palaces, so it comes as no surprise to learn that he had one here, in a prime spot on a small hill overlooking the lake. The palace is long gone, but the site is now home to a small hotel, the Bao Dai Residence (0500/385 6767; US$21–50), with a few well-equipped rooms enjoying fabulous views over the lake. With intriguing snaps of Vietnam’s last emperor adorning the walls and a decent restaurant, it’s far and away the best place to stay hereabouts. Alternatively, snuggled into a protected bay east of the hill, the Lak Resort (0500/358 6184; US$21–30) consists of smart, brick bungalows with air-conditioning, TV and fridge in the rooms, as well as two longhouses ($5) beneath a grove of tall, shady trees. There’s also a floating restaurant where the food is reasonable and Mnong staff wear traditional dress.
If you’re intent on getting the whole minority village experience, complete with grunting pigs and squawking chickens waking you in the morning, head on round to Jun Village, a thriving Mnong community on the west side of the hill, whose longhouses crowd together near the shore. Dak Lak Tourist (see "Arrival and information") has a branch office here (0500/358 6268) and a longhouse where it’s possible to overnight ($5, $7 including American breakfast); mosquito nets and mattresses are provided, and there are outside toilet facilities. They can also organize a show with gong-playing, dancing and rice-wine tasting ($60 per group); elephant rides around the lake ($30 for two for an hour); a dug-out canoe trip on the lake with one of the locals ($10 per hour for two); and guided treks into the surrounding forested hills.
Although Lak Lake is mostly geared towards organized tour groups, it’s possible to arrive here independently, either by xe om or by the local bus from Buon Ma Thuot. For bookings and enquiries, contact Dak Lak Tourist Office (0500/385 2108).
The central highlands | Through the highlands |
Buon Ma Thuot and around
The town of BUON MA THUOT itself has little to offer, its central sprawl of modern buildings being splayed across a grid of characterless streets. The main incentive to visit is the nearby minority villages and waterfalls, with longhouses and traditional minority communities – of which