Buon Ma Thuot

Buon Ma Thuot is renowned as the "Coffee Capital of Vietnam," offering visitors a unique coffee culture experience amidst scenic coffee plantations. The city also boasts stunning natural beauty, with waterfalls and lush landscapes in the Central Highlands. Its rich cultural heritage and local cuisine make it a must-visit destination for those seeking an authentic Vietnamese experience.

Where is Buon Ma Thuot?

Lies in the middle of the Central Highlands, Buon Ma Thuot is the provincial capital of Dak Lak Province, about 360 km from Ho Chi Minh City. This city is much farther off the beaten track and see far fewer tourist than its neighbor city Da Lat but certainly a great place to discover.

Buon Ma Thuot’s history

Buon Ma Thuot (Buon Me Thuot, Ban Me Thuot, Ban Me) is known as the site of the last major battle that brought the collapse of the South Vietnamese army and paved the way for the victory of the North over the Saigon regime just a month and a half later. The symbol of the Buon Ma Thuot battle and victory – a North Vietnamese Army tank – can now be seen perching in the center of the town.

Buon Ma Thuot’s attractions

But more important than that, Buon Ma Thuot is now the capital of coffee in Vietnam, the second largest coffee exporter after Brazil. By this reason, coffee and café shops are found on every corner of the town and most are just great. Travel to Buon Ma Thuot you will see, apart from original forests, coffee plantations stretch endlessly on undulating hill to the horizon. If the time permits, you can discover the whole process of harvesting, processing and preparation techniques in a coffee plantation.

Buon Ma Thuot is also home to some ethnic minorities such as Jarai, M’nong, Sedang, Ede or Rhade. The highlights of these groups are they retain well their traditions and typical life style. Most of the minority groups around Buon Ma Thuot and Dak Lak province still maintain the matriarchy system in which women hold the highest position in the household.  When reaching the age of consent, the girl will find the man of life she wants to ‘catch’. Dowry is paid for the groom family instead of the bride’s family and the son in law will live with his wife’s family so, a new chamber will be added into the house making it longer. Just look at the house’s window one will know about marital status of the girl. If the window is wide open, she is married. If it is half open, the girl is engaged and if it shut she is a single so a man can come to poke the floor with his stick.

Visiting Buon Ma Thuot means you will have the chance to contact with ‘local montagnard’, learn and experience their typical culture and drink great coffee. Considered the cradle of the Gong Cultural Space, a UNESCO Intangible Cultural Heritage in 2008, Buon Ma Thuot is a ideal place that offers unique Gong music dancing show. Enjoying this show with local wine - "ruou can" will be an unforgettable experience for visitors.

Buon Ma Thuot also makes a great base for hill tribe village trekking and exploring Yok Don National Park – the largest most important natural preserve in Vietnam, Ban Don elephant village and Lak Lake. This is the mother lake of the Central Highlands which is a great place for a few days retreat. Besides, visitors can explore other impressive waterfalls such as Dray Nur, Dray Sap, Draylon, Drayling, Draynor,…

Video introduce Buon Ma Thuot:

Buon Ma Thuot may not be as famous as other destinations in Vietnam, but it’s worth visiting. From Hanoi, Da Nang or Ho Chi Minh city, you can take a direct flight to Buon Ma Thuot airport. Although this airport is small, it’s modern and very near the city center, about 9km. If you are in Nha Trang, it’s easy to get there with a short three-hour drive. This trip promises to give you memorable experiences!

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