Central Highlands Vietnam: A Gia Lai Travel Guide With Kon Tum and Buon Ma Thuot

The Central Highlands Vietnam region, known locally as Tay Nguyen, is a plateau of volcanic soil, coffee hills and minority villages far from the usual coastal route. This guide from our Vietnam travel blog covers its three main bases, Pleiku in Gia Lai, Kon Tum and Buon Ma Thuot, plus the best season, getting there and the region's gong and coffee culture.

This Gia Lai travel guide grew from our earlier article on the province, now widened to the whole highlands. The region is reached by domestic flights or by road from the coast; if you need a visa for Vietnam, apply for a Vietnam e-visa online first.

The Central Highlands at a glance:

Central Highlands Vietnam: why visit

The highlands offer a different Vietnam: cooler air, red volcanic earth, coffee and pepper farms, and Jarai, Bahnar and Ede communities with their own houses and festivals. Few foreign tourists come, so towns feel local.

It suits travelers who have done the main route and want something slower. Distances are long, so plan a loop of four or five days rather than trying to see everything.

Gia Lai and Pleiku

Pleiku is the main town of Gia Lai and the base for its volcanic landscapes. Bien Ho, a crater lake fringed by pine trees, is the best-known sight, quiet in the early morning.

Chu Dang Ya, a dormant volcano covered in farms, turns yellow with wild sunflowers in late autumn and draws many Vietnamese visitors then. Kon Ka Kinh national park, to the north, has forest trails. Since the 2025 provincial merger, Gia Lai also includes the coast around Quy Nhon, covered in our Quy Nhon guide.

Kon Tum

Kon Tum, an hour or two north of Pleiku, is a small, relaxed town known for its wooden cathedral, built by French missionaries and still in use. Bahnar villages around town have tall-roofed Rong communal houses.

Walk or cycle to the villages near the Dak Bla river, and visit respectfully: the Rong house is a community space, so ask before entering. Kon Tum is the quietest of the three bases.

Dak Lak and Buon Ma Thuot

Buon Ma Thuot, the main town of Dak Lak, calls itself Vietnam's coffee capital, with plantations, roasters and a coffee museum. It is the largest and liveliest town in the highlands.

Nearby, Lak lake has Mnong villages and boat trips, and Yok Don national park protects dry forest along the Cambodian border. Ede long houses, built on stilts, can be seen in villages close to town.

Best time and getting there

November to April is the best time to visit the Central Highlands, in the dry season, with sunny days and clear views. Coffee flowers bloom white around February and March.

May to October is the rainy season, with heavy afternoon rain and muddy rural roads. Pleiku and Buon Ma Thuot have airports with domestic flights from Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City, and roads link the highlands to Quy Nhon and Nha Trang on the coast. Two cultural threads tie the region together: gongs and coffee.

Highlands culture

The highlands' culture shows in its music and its farms. Here is what to look for.

Gong culture

Gong culture is central to life in the highlands: sets of bronze gongs are played at festivals, harvests and village ceremonies, and UNESCO recognizes the Space of Gong Culture of the Central Highlands as intangible heritage. Ask your hotel about performances, especially in the dry-season festival period. Our guide to ethnic minorities in Vietnam explains the groups.

Coffee country

Most of Vietnam's coffee comes from the highlands, especially robusta from Dak Lak and Gia Lai. Visit a farm in harvest season, around November to January, or taste at roasteries in Buon Ma Thuot; our guide to Vietnamese coffee culture explains the drinks.

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