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Buon Ma Thuot Travel Guide
This province in Vietnam’s Southern Highlands, is called Dak Lak Province (also Dac Lac), and the provincial capital is Buon Ma Thuot. It has some very interesting natural attractions which include lakes, waterfalls and national parks.
This province also has several ethnic groups; however the relationship of these groups with the central government is tense at best.
The problem goes back to the 16th century when the province was originally part of the Champa Kingdom, and then it was taken over by Vietnam. The population was mostly independent tribal groups, but when the Vietnamese took over, they began a policy of settling ethnic Vietnamese in the area. During this time there was confrontation with the government, and rebellion against the Vietnamese authorities. Then, when large coffee and rubber plantations were established by the French colonial government, the problems persisted.
During the Vietnam War, this province was part of South Vietnam, and there was considerable fighting there during the war. The U.S. military tried to exploit the intense dislike the ethnic tribes had for the Vietnamese government, and enlisted them in the fight against the North Vietnamese. However, at the end of the war the population would pay the price, and the Vietnamese government stepped up the process of assimilation and settlement of ethnic Vietnamese into the territory. Today most ethnic groups can speak Vietnamese, but they still have a very strong sense of their own identity, and there is still much hostility towards the central government.
In 2004 there were large protests in the capital of Buon Ma Thuot against the government, and as a result, western visitors are not permitted to visit some outlying ethnic villages. In spite of this, there are attractions you can explore, and Buon Ma Thuot is a good jumping off place.
What To See & Do
The city of Buon Ma Thuot is a busy town, and the accommodations are respectable. There are some sites that are worthwhile seeing, but the town itself doesn’t really have much to offer. It is mostly visited by those travelers who want to get away from the commercialized tourism of the more popular destinations in the region. And Buon Ma Thuot produces really great coffee.
There are many ethnic villages in the area, but for reasons stated above, the government is not all that enthusiastic to have western tourists traipsing around these villages. You need a permit to visit most of them, and the only villages you can visit without a permit are those close to town.
Weather
While it is usually somewhat warmer than in Da Lat, Buon Ma Thuot can be very windy. It is quite cloudy even in the dry season.
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their own identity, and there is still much hostility towards the central government.