Vietnam travel 33: Discover Cat Ba islands

Cat Ba islands is located in Hai Phong city. It is about 10 km South East of Halong bay. Cat Ba incuded Cat Ba islands and Lan Ha bay where many tourists love to come to trek in to Cat Ba national park or take a cruise to visit Lan Ha bay islets and beaches and floating villages

Cat Ba Islands is in the South of Halong bay world heritage. It consists of 367 islands, off the coast of Hai Phong city and Quang Ninh province, it is far from the center of Hai Phong city about 30 km, from the city of Ha Long about 25 km. Administratively, it is the islands of Cat Hai district, Hai Phong city. It has been recognized as the World Biosphere Reserve.

Cat Ba is the place between the forest and the sea blend , creating a one of a kind landscapes . Come to this beautiful island , visitors are not only bathed in cool blue beaches , but also can discover mysterious nature through primitive forests on the island . Cat Ba National Park is extensive 15,200 ha of tropical forests with system wide 570 ha rich flora and fauna , the species is characteristic white head and Kim Giao trees .

Cat Ba Island is the giant green carpet contains many mysterious and attractive . Worthy of the Cat Ba Biosphere Reserve 3rd Vietnam , is now recognized as a UNESCO biosphere reserve in the world. The total area of ​​the Cat Ba Biosphere Reserve 26,000 ha wide , with 2 core zone ( strict conservation and human impacts ) , 2 buffer ( allowing economic growth combined with limited but conservation ) and two transition zones ( economic development ) . Zone Cat Ba Biosphere Reserve is the full convergence on the tropical rain forest of limestone islands , mangroves , coral reefs , grass beds and especially the cave system . Cat Ba Cai Beo there remains the Halong culture , the way people have lived here 6475 - 4200 year .

With charm bestowed by nature , biological diversity and the tremendous value of the nation's history , Cat Ba has been and will be an attractive destination for domestic and foreign tourists

Over view: 

Cat Ba is the largest island in the Bay and approximately half of its area is covered by a National Park, which is home to the highly endangered Cat Ba Langur. The island has a wide variety of natural ecosystems, both marine and terrestrial, leading to incredibly high rates of biodiversity. Types of natural habitats found on Cat Ba Archipelago include limestone karsts, tropical limestone forests, coral reefs, mangrove and sea grass beds, lagoons, beaches, caves, and willow swamp forests. Cat Ba Island is one of the only populated islands in Ha Long Bay, with roughly 13,000 inhabitants living in six different communes, and 4,000 more inhabitants living on floating fishing villages off the coast. The large majority of the population can be found in Cat Ba Town which is located at the southern tip of the Island (15 km south of the national park) and is the commercial center on the Island. Since 1997, Cat Ba Town has grown rapidly and has become a tourist hub for both the Island and greater Ha Long Bay.

History of Cat Ba Island:

Archeological evidence suggests that people have lived on Cat Ba Island for almost 6,000 years, with the earliest settlements being found on the southeastern tip of the Island close to the area where Ban Beo harbor sits today. In 1938, a group of French archeologists discovered human remains belonging "to the Cai Beo people of the Ha Long culture, which lived between 4,000 and 6,500 years ago… considered to be perhaps the first population group occupying the North-Eastern territorial waters of Vietnam… the Cai Beo people may be an intermediary link between the population strata at the end of the Neolithic Age, some 4,000 years ago". In more recent history, Cat Ba Island was inhabited mostly by Viet-Chinese fisherman and was largely influenced by both the French and American wars. The Island was a strategic look-out point and bombing during the wars often forced local residents to hide among the Island's many caves. Today, the best reminders of the two wars have been turned into tourist attractions. Hospital Cave, which was a secret, bomb-proof hospital during the American War and as a safe house for VC leaders. This three-story feat of engineering was in use until 1975 is only 10 km north of Cat Ba Town. The second attraction, the newly built Cannon Fort, sits on a peak 177 meters high, offering visitors a chance to see old bunkers and helicopter landing stations as well stunning views Cat Ba Island, its coast, and the limestone karsts in Lan Ha Bay offshore.

Cat Ba national park:

At the heart of Cat Ba Island lies a visually stunning and ecologically diverse national park. In 1986, 9,800 [98 km²] hectares (approximately one third of the Island's total land mass) was annexed as Cat Ba National Park, the first decreed protected area in Vietnam to include a marine component (Dawkins 14). It had previously been the site of a timber company. In 2006, the boundaries of the national park were redefined, so the park contained 109 km² of land area and an additional 52 km² of inshore waters and mangrove covered tidal zones (langur website). The park is staffed by 92 people, including over 60 park rangers. In 2004, Cat Ba Archipelago was declared a UNESCO Man and Biosphere Reserve Area in order to protect the multiple terrestrial and aquatic ecosystems as well the diverse plant and animal life that is found on the Island. The UNESCO designation divides the archipelago into three distinct areas, each with certain functions and restrictions that regulates development and conservation measures on the Island

Cat Co Beach, Cat Ba Island

The white-sand Cat Co beaches (simply called Cat Co 1 and Cat Co 2 and 3 ) make a great place to lounge around for the day. They are about 1 km southeast from Cat Ba town over a steep headland; and can be reached on foot or by motorbike or taxi. The two beaches are separated by a small hillock that can be climbed over in about 20 minutes. Most; however; take the easier route along a new; 700m; wooden seaside walkway around the mountain. Cat Co 2 is the less busy and more attractive of the two; and also offers simple accommodation and camping. On weekends the beaches fill up with Vietnamese tourists. The main beaches; apart from those at Cat Ba town itself; are Cai Vieng; Hong Xoai Be and Hong Xoai Lon.

Monkey Island ( Cat Dua island)

Monkey Island stay in the area of Nam Cat, Lan Ha bay. There are 5 sandy beach here and Monkey Island beach is the most beautiful and the biggest one. From Cat Ba town, you have to take a taxi or motobike to Beo harbour where you go by boat to Monkey Island. It takes you about 15 minutes, throught the floating village and many beautiful islets with sea birds flying in group up and down.

In the past, this island was called Cat Dua island ( Pine Apple Sand Beach island) because there is a lot of pine apple trees on the sandy beach. In recent years, there are many tourists come and they found many monkeys on the island then this is called Monkey Island beside the name Cat Dua.

Monkey island is about 5 km round with the front side are 2 sandy beaches and the back side is like rocky mountain. The beaches here are very beautiful with pine apple trees on the beach and many kind of green trees on the mountain.

There are about 20 monkeys on the island. They live on the mountain, in the garden and some time go to the beach for foods given by the tourist. Coming here, you also can enjoy the song of the birds in the garden or see many fishes swimming in the clean water.

Monkey Island is an ideal place for tourist holiday with many activities like play football, volley ball on beach, swimming, snockeling or go fishing. Especially, you can do kayaking around as the water here is calm like in a lake with hundreds of islets around.

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Vietnam travel attractions: Discover a fanciful love legend at Trinh Nu Grotto, Halong

Trinh Nu Cave or Virgin Cave is situated on the island range of Bô Hon in the system comprising the Sung Sôt Grotto, Dong Tiên Lake and Luon Grotto. It is 15 km south of Bai Cháy Beach. For fishermen, the Virgin Grotto is their house, but for young lovers, it is considered as the symbol of truly love, and is the romantic place for taking oath of love.

Entering Trinh Nu Grotto, one finds in the middle of the grotto a stone statue of a lying-girl with her long hair hanging down who is looking to the sea in a vain hope.
Situated opposite to Trinh Nu Grotto, Trong (or Male) Grotto has a stone statue of a boy who turns his face to Trinh Nu Grotto. One still hears his vain scream in tune with the wind blowing into the cliff somewhere.

Legend has it, there once was a beautiful fisherman’s daughter, whose family was so poor that it was in the service of the rich administrator of the fishing zone. He forced the family to give him the girl as a concubine. She already had a lover who at that time was on the high seas catching fish to prepare for their wedding. The administrator, angered by her refusal, exiled her to a wild island where she suffered from hunger and exhaustion. On one frightening night, amidst terrible rain and winds, she turned to stone.

It was also the night that her lover knew of her danger, and he rowed his boat in search of her. On the terrible night, the tempest destroyed his boat and he floated to one of the islands. In a lighting flash he saw his mate in the distance, but his calls were driven away by the wind. He used a stone block to hammer down on the mountain cliffs to announce to her he was nearby. He struck until blood flowed from his hands, and in his final exhaustion, turned to stone (today’s Trong Grotto).
Tourists also find Trinh Nu Grotto attractive partly because of its association with a fanciful love legend: “Once upon a time, there lived a boy and a girl who deeply loved each other. However, they were so poor that they could not be able to get married. The boy decided to go offshore fishing with a hope that he could get enough money for his marriage. And the girl painfully waited in vain for her fiancé. She finally took a small boat and rowed to the sea to look for him. So immense is the sea, and so many are the islands, the boy, therefore could not hear her doleful call, though he was just several canals away. Exhausted, the girl lied in a grotto, looking to the sea and got petrified after the last call. The boy got lost in a grotto nearby, shouting to call the girl in vain. The echo of their call through the cliff was so moving. At last, the boy became exhausted and petrified in the grotto – present-day Trông Grotto.”
Today, whenever passing this place, tourists can still hear his faint call.

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Vietnam travel destination 32: Discover Ba Vi National Park

Ba Vi National Park is one of Vietnam’s most famous areas of outstanding natural beauty, and is centered around a three-peaked mountain jutting steeply out of the landscape.

Come to Ba Vi national park

Ba Vi National Park is centered on Mount Ba Vi - an isolated soil-limestone mountain situated about 50 km west from Hanoi. The mountain located in Hanoi city and shared the border with 2 districts ofHoa Binh Province. Mount Ba Vi has three peaks: the highest is Emperor Peak at 1,296m, followed by Tan Vien at 1,226m and Ngoc Hoa at 1,131m.

The national park offers a great escape from the city with cool fresh mountain air in a mystical atmospheric backdrop of clouds, jungle and tropical rainforest. There is also a spa resort nestled at the foot of the mountain offering a host of natural therapies in an absolutely stunning setting.

The three mountain summits are Dinh Vua which is the highest at 1,296m, Tan Vien which is 1,226m and Ngoc Hoa the smallest at 1,131m. Together they form a three humped crest which is often obscured by clouds at the highest point due to the varied climate at the park. Pilgrims and tourists alike usually make the walk to the summit of the Tan Vien peak where an 11th sacred century shrine stands in memory of the Mountain God.

There are also superb tropical forest views and vistas all the way to Hanoi to be enjoyed from this peak. The fast-flowing Da River is located on one side of the national park; there are also several streams running through the park.

In the middle of mountainside, there are many waterfalls flowing down every day and it forms the attractive places such as Khoang Xanh, Ao Vua, Thac Nga, suoi Ngoc…

Ba Vi National Park has 1,209 species of plants, including 21 rare plant species listed in the Vietnam Red Book as  Bach xanh, Sen mat, Phi ba mui, De tung soc trang, Hoa tien, Rau hum, Kim tuyen…The animal including 63 species of mammals, with many rare species such as: Cay gam, Cu li lon, white pheasants..
In addition to the legend, Nui Ba Vi is the incarnation of the Tan Vien Son Tinh Holy ,. To remember the merits of him, people set up the temple to worship him at the top of Tan Vien, or called Den Thuong. Den Thuong was ranked historic national culture in February, 2008. In addition to the historical value, visitors will have the opportunity to learn more about the culture of Van Lang born 18th Hung King and a deeper feeling of love between Son Tinh and Ngoc Hoa Princess. 

 Ba Vi national park is a primary park with thousands of great and old trees. This primary park is located in the height of above 600 kilometers. This area has kept hundreds of vestiges for more than a century since the French colonist came there. Ba Vi also has a village of Dao people who are one of the minorities in the south. When you get there, it will bring you knowledge about Dao People’s lifestyle and a chance to taste the very delicious dish of bamboo shoot.

Come to Ba Vi country farm

Ba Vi country farm is located 65 km centre from Hanoi on a small hill and lean against Ba Vi mountain range. The country farm is on the west suburb of Hanoi capital which has a very nice and diverse agricultural terrains (forest, lake, pond, spring, lake) which are the symbols for the ancient wet rice cultivation in The Red River Delta.

 From the country farm, tourists can gaze with low-ladder rice field and the back is the stretched green of the primary forest of Ba Vi mountain. Come to Ba Vi country farm, tourists also visit cattle farms as well as agricultural village with nice landscape and taste fresh and special foods in warm atmosphere.

Tourists also have the chance to directly take part in agricultural tourist activities like: growing rice, catching fishes by bamboo tools as well as grow and gather forest vegetables or herbs, roast tea and feed ostriches, goats and etc. Tourists also have the chance to visit tea gardens, learn to make honey and take part in eurhythmy exchanges or bamboo pole dances with art teams of Muong and Dao minorities who live near the farm.

To server for the rest of tourists, the country farm has full of space and facilities with modern equipments as well as professional staff.

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Top VietnamTravel Attractions that You Should Visit at Halong Bay

Are you on vacation? If you are on vacation, then maybe you are looking for a fun thing to do during your free time. After months of hard work and spending long and stressful hours at the office, you should make sure that your vacation will be worthwhile. One of the most popular ways of spending time during vacations is by going on a trip. If you are looking for a place where you can relax and enjoy, then Halong Bay is one of your best options.

Halong Bay is situated at northeastern region of Vietnam. It is 180 km east of Hanoi and can be reached by car for approximately 3-4 hr. drive from there. The Bay is set in Gulf of Tonkin.
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Top Attractions in Halong Bay

If you really want to have an escape form the modern world where cars and sound of machineries are what you see and hear every day, then you must go to Halong Bay. The Bay is included in the list of UNESCO world heritage Site and one of the most popular tourist spot these days. There are many attractions in the Bay which can make your visit worthwhile and here are some of them:

• Cat Ba Island: This is the most popular attraction in Halong Bay and it is always included in the tour packages that are offered by various companies. Cat Ba Island is popular for its caves and it also known that the island is a home for many endangered species such as Cat Ba langur. The island is also filled with restaurants, bars and hotels where you can take a rest after spending a day exploring the island.

• Floating Villages: It may sound unbelievable, but it is true that there is a village in the sea. If you are curious about this village then you should take a tour at Halong Bay and you will see that many locals are living in floating houses. You can also try spending a night at those floating houses since the community offers home- stays for a reasonable price.

  Bon Hon Island’s Virgin Cave: This is one of the most popular caves in Halong Bay. The cave is famous because of its shrine. There are many stories and legends regarding the origins of the shrine. A legend claims that there is a pretty woman who took her own life in the cave because she was being forced to marry an old Mandarin. Her body has never been brought home and as time passed it was turned into a stone. Another legend with a similar story tells that a Mandarin tried to force a girl to marry him because her father couldn’t pay his debt. The girl escaped but a fisherman found the girl’s corpse on the Island. They buried the body in the Island and built a small shrine inside the grotto. This is the reason why the cave is called a Virgin because the girl died a virgin.

 These are some of the most popular attractions in Halong Bay that will give you the solid reasons to visit the place during your vacation. Those attractions will give you a thrilling and unforgettable experience that you can treasure for the rest of your life.

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Vietnam travel destination 31: Discover Bac Ninh attractions

Dong Ho Painting Village (Lang Tranh Dong Ho)

Dong Ho Village with its famous paintings has become an aesthetic symbol in Vietnam culture. Located to the left side of Duong River, Dong Ho stood for centuries making their unique art work. From over 100 families in the 1950s, currently there are only a handful of families still making the traditional craft. Most villagers have now turned to joss paper making, since the regulation has relaxed and again allowed for religious practices that were once deemed “unfit of the revolutionary”. The families of Nguyen Dang Che and Nguyen Huu Sam both run their own galleries and employ a number of workers. To everyone’s relief, the essence still remains and thrives.

Dong Ho paintings are places for artists to reflect their wishes for lucks and their perception of everyday life in the village. Common themes that are found consistently include animals (which has goodluck symbol on them), everyday life (such as Jealous Fight or A Market Day), and folk tales (Saint Giong or The Frog Teacher). The paper used for the painting is made from bark tree so that the texture can retain color for a long time. Each family develops their own mold for the painting. Each mold are then replicated and filled with a separate share of color. The paintings are made by stamping the mold into the paper, one at a time to add more and more color to the picture. 

Dong Ho paintings are simple, meaningful and created for the mass. Patrons use to come from agricultural and low-income families, some of them are illiterate and can not afford other more exquisite art works. But the meaning is the paintings is, by no means, sub-par. It reflects both reality and dream of the people.

Dong Ho these days has also expanded its tradition, and many new products have taken form, among them xyloglyphics and combined-medium works.

Visitor information

A visit to Dong Ho family can take 3-4 hours. For the true art-enthusiasts, skip the amateur Nguyen Dang Che’s tourist-exploiting mill and go sit down and have a talk to the famous but elusive Nguyen Huu Sam or his son Nguyen Huu Qua, who are both masters of their trade. 

Viem Xa Village

Travelers coming to Bac Ninh might hear local people tell them that if they do not visit Viem Xa Village, they miss half of Bac Ninh. The village is not just a rural residential area located in Yen Phong, Bac Ninh, but most importantly, it is the original birthplace of Quan Ho folk singing, one of the most fascinating cultural activities that has allured numerous generations of Vietnamese people for a thousand years. No one knows exactly when Quan Ho was invented, but it has become an indispensable part of daily lives of local residents.

Most researchers agree that Viem Xa village has been established for more than 2,000 years with various historical relics that have been conserved until today. One of them is Cung Temple including Cung Shrine and Tien Well (Fairy Well) that is situated at the front of the village and right on the foot of Kim Son Mountain. However, the most attractive and famous relics at Viem Xa Village is Vua Ba Temple where Duc Vua Ba, the creator of Quan Ho, is worshipped. This is actually not a charming place with giant structure, but still a cultural center of the village where numerous traditional activities of not only Viem Xa but also the whole Quan Ho’ area around are organized.

On February 6th and 7th annually (Lunar Calendar), local residents at Viem Xa Village excitedly hold a special festival at Vua Ba Temple. The event is meant to worship and recall the merit of Duc Vua Ba as well as to create an interesting and joyful time for local people before difficult year ahead. An easy-recognizable point is that all activities at this festival are related to Quan Ho such as singing Quan Ho competition, Quan Ho performance or rites to creator of this singing genre. It can be said that Duc Vua Ba Temple festival is the biggest and most uproarious event dedicated to Quan Ho in Vietnam.

Dau Pagoda

Location

Dau Pagoda, located in Thuan Thanh district, Bac Ninh province, is considered the oldest Buddhist pagoda in Vietnam according to researchers. The pagoda is about 1 hour away from Hanoi Old Quarter, making it easy for a morning trip off the city noise.

History

In the past, the region where Dau Pagoda was built today was the capital of Giao Chi district, the political, economic and cultural center of Vietnam. About 1,800 years ago, the Indian monk named Khau Da La came to this area to do the missionary work and founded the first Buddhism center in Vietnam called Luy Lau. There were many pagodas, citadels and market built in the area at that time and Dau Pagoda was among them.

As Dau Pagoda was the biggest pagoda in the Buddhist center region, many monks from either India or China came there to do research and spread Buddhism to the local residents.

This ancient pagoda has undergone many restorations and expansion, with the largest construction undertaken under the Ly and Tran dynasty. Going through the fluctuation of history, although many structures in the region were destroyed, the pagoda still exists and preserves the traditional oriental architecture style especially the wood block aged about 1752 years old and two bronzes' Xa Loi bodies of Vu Khac Minh and Vu Khac Truong monk.

Architecture

The yard in front of the pagoda hosts a three stories tower name Hoa Phong. The tower originally had six stories but it was partly destroyed. Inside the tower, there are a number of valuable artifacts such as a large bell dating back in Canh Thinh Dynasty (1793), a big bronze gong casted in Ming Mang Dynasty (1817) and several statues of Gods in Buddhist legends.

Visitor Information

Since its inception, Dau Pagoda has hosted the annual Dau Pagoda Festival on April 8th in lunar calendar. This is also the biggest Buddhism festival of the northern region of Vietnam. In 2012, the festival will fall on April 28^th.

The oriental architecture style and the antiques at the pagoda will absolutely impress any visitor. Moreover, it is also a great chance for those who want to discover and experience the traditional culture of Vietnam, and a must visit for Buddhists.

The best way to get to Chua Dau is to rent a car with a driver, who already knows the way and will take care of parking issues. You can also ride a motorbike, by following highway 5 and turning to Highway 1B. Chua Dau is about 35km from Hanoi downtown.

Phu Lang Pottery Village (Phu Lang)

Phu Lang has become a brand name like Bat Trang in terms of pottery and ceramics products. However, thanks to its distance from the urban centre, much of the pristine scenery as well as traditional production have moved forward for centuries without being over-commercialized. Through times, there are only a few families left who continued their tradition. The yard is packed with firewood and clay. Indoors, there are a large collection of pottery wares, from flower vases to tea pots. Bat Trang is special by its simplicity: from the decorative style to the natural brown color of clay. Villagers are very friendly: they will take you in and give you a quick tour to see how their every activities unfold.

Dinh Bang Village Temple

Dinh Bang village is best known to be the birthplace of Ly Cong Uan- the Great King who first chose Hanoi as the capital in 1010. Dinh Bang village nowadays still retains much of a country side feel, with relics from Ly dynasty. The temple of the village occupies a central position both physically and spiritually in villagers’ mind. Its architecture reflects typical model of Northern Vietnam pagoda, with Lim wood being used as the main material and no color is added. The temple honours God of Land, God of Water and God of Farm. It is a place where village residents come to show their respect to these Gods, as well as praying for a new fruitful crop.

Do Temple (Den Do)

Do Temple is located in Dinh Bang village, an area known for its religious and cultural traditions. The temple was established to commemorate the 8 kings of Ly Dynasty: Ly Cong Uan, Ly Thai To, Ly Thai Tong, Ly Thanh Tong, Ly Nhan Tong, Ly Than Tong, Ly anh Tong, Ly Cao Tong and Ly Hue Tong. Surrounding the typical Northern pagoda architecture is a green area covered in trees and fresh air. At the front of the temple, like most other pagodas, there is a pond to keep the wood from drying out the feel.

Do Temple can easily be combined into a day trip with other attractions in Bac Ninh such as Dinh Bang Temple, Dong Ho Village. You can reach the temple either by riding your own bike or arranging a tour with a taxi company, which should not cost more than $60.

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Vietnam travel destination 30: Discover Dak Lak attractions

Elephant Racing Festival in Dak Lak

The racing track of the festival has a length of about 400- 500m and a width which allows 30 elephants to stand side-by-side. Before the race starts, people give a series of horn sounds in different pitches.  Following the orders of the organizers, the elephants form a line in front of the judges. Each of the intelligent elephants knees down to greet the judges and the audience.  After that, each group of elephant comes to the starting line.

As one of the most frequently-visited attractions in Dak Lak, Buon Don is famous for its unique culture which has been described in literature and music for years. However, even though many people come to Buon Don to ride the elephants, a lot of them fail to witness the most important and interesting event of the village in a year: the Elephant Racing Festival, which is organized every March. Yes, you should not be one of them, because this is one of the many things that make your trip to Tay Nguyen unforgettable.

Right after the signal, as if they are made of spring, the elephants dart ahead while the sound of drums, gongs and the crowd spread all over the forests and mountains. The elephants compete for many rounds until one of them wins. This “winner” is then awarded with a laurel wreath. It raises its tusk to thank the audience; its ears wiggle and its eyes are half-closed when receiving the cheer of people, as well as their gifts: banana and sugarcane!

Even when the racing would have already left a deep impression on the audience, the other competitions of the festival are so interesting that they attract everyone who has been already filled with joy after the race. One of them is the swimming competition in which elephants swim across Serepok River.  In addition, there are a plethora of games such as tug of war or soccer. Not surprisingly, the elephants are again the competitors!

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The Elephant Racing Festival in Dak Lak will surely mesmerize you with the bubbly feeling of a feast and the echoing sounds of gongs and drums. Witnessing the spectacular performances of the smart elephants in Buon Don for yourself, and you will understand why this event intrigues thousands of people coming to this region every March. It is indubitably the biggest cultural festival in Tay Nguyen, honoring the brave spirit of the M’Nong Ethnic people, who are the pioneers in hunting and taming the wild elephants of this land.

Ea Kao Lake

Located only 12km to the Southeast of Buon Ma Thuot City, Ea Kao Lake is a tourism site constructed in a large scale. Full of unique and exhilarating features, Ea Kao Lake is a modern sight full of the traditional essences.  

Ea Kao Lake Tourism Site has an area of 120 ha. The topography is really diverse, including many hills, slopes, streams, etc. Besides, the weather there is wonderful: cool and beautiful with an average annual temperature of 20.7oC and an average annual precipitation of 2.155mm. Without a doubt, this type of weather creates diverse scenery that is perfectly suitable for tourism development.

The site is built in a natural space full of green plants and colorful flowers. Besides enjoying the scenery, tourists can also participate in a bunch of different cultural events and entertaining activities. In more details, the site is divided into many smaller sections such as: amusement park, hotels, flower gardens, restaurants, botanic, playing ground for children, camping sites, natural preservation site, etc., all of which are arranged logically and attractively in an order which best benefit the visitors.

Surprisingly, the Ea Kao Lake Tourism Site is not only an attraction with beautiful natural scenery full of tranquil lakes; it also contributes to the region’s effort to preserve the environment and the precious cultural values of the ethnic minorities. Coming to the Ea Kao Lake Tourism Site, you will surely enjoy each moment relaxing within the fresh and invigorating atmosphere of Central Highlands.

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Ben Nuoc Ceremony of the E-de ethnic group

One of the oldest customs of the E-de ethnic group is the Ben Nuoc Ceremony. This traditional event is held every year after the harvest to wish for a peaceful weather, bountiful harvests, and a well-off life. It is also a meaningful part of the spiritual life of the E-de people and an occasion for the community to get together.

Ben Nuoc Ceremony usually takes place as a festival of the village. After a long harmony of gongs which brings us to the holly, spiritual world, the ceremony starts with the worshiping procedure. People worship and inform their ancestors about the presence of all the children in their family. After that, another harmony of gongs spread all over the space as the Yang (the sun) Ceremony begins. The last part of the ceremony is the performance of the girls in traditional costumes. They dance, sing and march from the center to the gate of the village.

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The holly ceremony is always organized carefully in a solemn way. The leader of ceremony reads the wishes of the villagers. On behalf of them, he asks the God of Water to bring water, the most important source of life to the village. After the ceremony, the fresh and cool bowls of water are carried by the children of the village with alacrity. Everyone gathers together and savor the taste of Can Wine while the sound of Tay Nguyen gongs and drums keeps echoing forever.

Yang Prong Cham Tower

The only Cham Tower in Central Highlands (Tay Nguyen), Yang Prong Tower is situated in Ea Sup District, 100km away from Buon Ma Thuot. It was built at the end of the 13th century to worship the God Siva (also called Mukhalinga) to wish for a peaceful and happy life. As we can see nowadays by the Ea Hleo River, Yang Prong Tower is an architectural construction of red ceramic bricks resting on a foundation made of blue marble stones. 

The tower is 9m high with a square-shaped base. Even though it looks like there are four entrances, in fact, the tower has only one gate facing the East, which is referred to as the kingdom of the Gods. The other three “doors” are located in the three other sides of the towers and they are all artificial. Unlike the designs of many other Cham towers in Middle Vietnam, the upper part of Yang Prong is expanded into a giant cone-shaped roof, from which visitors can freely stretch their view over the wondrous scenery of Central Highlands.

Coming to Yang Prong Tower, you will experience a unique and rare feeling of being in another world. Today, this is one of the magnet of Vietnam Tourism, attracting a plethora of researchers and visitors from everywhere in the world.

Buon Ma Thuot City

Located at a height of 536 m, Buon Ma Thuot is the capital of Dak Lak Province and also the biggest city in Central Highlands (Tay Nguyen). The city has a calm, cool weather during the year, with an average temperature of 23oC. In the language of the E-de ethnic people, Buon Ma Thuot (or Buon Ama Y Thuot) means the village of father Thuot, the man who built the first village on the bank of the Ea Tam Stream.  

Buon Ma Thuot used to be the most important part of Central Highlands. With the biggest population, the most luxurious markets, the city was the administrative, cultural, and economic center of the whole region. Buon Ma Thuot is the center where all the roads connecting different provinces in Tay Nguyen converge. The roads also do a great job linking Dak Lak with Dalat City (through National Road 27), Khanh Hoa, Ninh Hoa (through National Road 26) and Ho Chi Minh City (through National Road 14), etc.

Buon Ma Thuot is famous for many types of fruits, vegetables and especially coffee! Buon Ma Thuot coffee has been monopolized Vietnam Market for a long time; and not surprisingly, it has yet to find any rival.

Tourists coming to Buon Ma Thuot can visit the spectacular waterfalls: Dray Sap, Dray Anour, Dray H’ling – to name just a few. They can totally enjoy the trips to the villages of the E-de and M’nong ethnic groups to experience the essences of the Gong Festival, ride the elephant during a hunt in the mysterious forests, or simply sit still on a piragua and breath in the air of the Asian wilderness.

Besides the ancient constructions most of which are carefully built wood houses, local people find it essential to build more modern and creative building. Thus, when you visit Buon Ma Thuat nowadays, you can see the wide roads decorated with green trees and beautiful flowers and a lot of newly constructed residential complexes. However, the most important thing to do in Buon Ma Thuot is nothing else but drinking coffee! Dak Lak’s Basalt empowers the city to grow Robusta Coffee better than anywhere else in the world. Buon Ma Thuot Coffee has been mesmerizing consumers from both inside and outside the country for decades

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