Vietnam’s Central Highlands: Unveiling the Untamed Beauty Beyond Dalat

💰 Click here to see Vietnam Budget Breakdown

💰 Prices updated: November, 2026. Budget figures are estimates — always verify before travel.

Exchange Rate: $1 USD = ₫25,797.29

Daily Budget (per person)

Shoestring: ₫700,000 – ₫1,100,000 ($27.13 – $42.64)

Mid-range: ₫1,500,000 – ₫2,800,000 ($58.15 – $108.54)

Comfortable: ₫3,000,000 – ₫5,500,000 ($116.29 – $213.20)

Accommodation (per night)

Hostel/guesthouse: ₫120,000 – ₫470,000 ($4.65 – $18.22)

Mid-range hotel: ₫700,000 – ₫1,800,000 ($27.13 – $69.77)

Food (per meal)

Budget meal: ₫40,000.00 ($1.55)

Mid-range meal: ₫150,000.00 ($5.81)

Upscale meal: ₫1,000,000.00 ($38.76)

Transport

Single metro/bus trip: ₫10,000.00 ($0.39)

Monthly transport pass: ₫500,000.00 ($19.38)

Dalat has become so popular that weekend traffic, crowded cafés and rising hotel prices have pushed many travellers to look for something quieter in 2026. The answer is a few hours North and west. The Central Highlands beyond Dalat have red-soil coffee farms, volcanic lakes, timber churches and villages where gong music is still part of daily life. They also have almost no tour buses.

Why the Highlands Feel Different in 2026

The Central Highlands cover a wide plateau across Lam Dong, Dak Lak, Gia Lai and Kon Tum. The landscape is rolling and open, with basalt soil that looks almost orange after rain. It is home to the Ede, Bahnar, Jarai, M’nong and other ethnic groups, whose gong culture is recognised by UNESCO.

One thing has changed since 2024. Vietnam merged many provinces in mid-2025, so old maps and booking sites can confuse you. Gia Lai now includes the coastal Quy Nhon area, Dak Lak includes Tuy Hoa, and Lam Dong stretches from Dalat to Dak Nong and Binh Thuan. Kon Tum is now part of Quang Ngai province. Towns and attractions are in the same places, but you may see new province names on signs and apps. Search by town name, such as Buon Ma Thuot, Pleiku or Kon Tum, and you will get better results.

Buon Ma Thuot and Dak Lak: Coffee, Waterfalls and Lak Lake

Buon Ma Thuot is the capital of Vietnamese robusta. In the early morning, the smell of roasting beans drifts across the city from small roasteries, and the air in the surrounding hills smells sweet in coffee-flowering season. The World Coffee Museum is a good first stop. It explains how coffee is grown, processed and brewed, and it is more engaging than you might expect.

Outside the city, the Dray Nur and Dray Sap waterfalls are about 25 to 30 km away. Dray Nur is wide and powerful in the rainy season, and Dray Sap has a dramatic misty drop. In the dry months the flow is gentler, but the walks are easier and the crowds smaller.

Lak Lake, roughly 55 km south, is the region’s largest natural freshwater lake. Mist sits on the water at dawn, and you can stay in M’nong longhouses near the shore. The nearby Buon Don area is known for elephants. Dak Lak has moved away from elephant riding, so choose operators that offer observation only, and skip any that offer rides.

Kon Tum: Wooden Churches and Bahnar Rong Houses

Kon Tum is calm and green, and it feels like a different country from the coast. Its centrepiece is the Wooden Church, built in French colonial days with local timber in a Bahnar-influenced style. Inside, the dark wood and carved details are cool and quiet, and you can still smell polish and old timber. The church sits near the river in the middle of town, so you can walk to it.

The real draw is the surrounding villages. Kon Ko Tu and nearby Bahnar hamlets have tall communal rong houses with steep thatched roofs that can rise more than 15 metres. Go with a local guide if you can, because many villages ask for polite introductions and some ceremonies are private. Mang Den, about 60 km north-east, is a cool pine-covered plateau known as a smaller, quieter alternative to Dalat. Mornings can be around 15°C in winter.

Pleiku and Gia Lai: Volcano Craters, Lakes and Sunflowers

Pleiku is a working highland city and a useful base. Its best-known sight is Bien Ho (T’Nung Lake), a crater lake about 7 km from the centre, surrounded by pine trees and tea fields. It is peaceful and good for a sunrise walk.

Further out, the Chu Dang Ya volcano crater is the main landscape attraction. From November to December, wild sunflowers bloom across the slopes and turn the hills yellow, which draws photographers from across the country. Go on a weekday morning to avoid the busiest hours.

Gia Lai is also where Highlands history meets the coast. The old Highway 19 runs down from Pleiku to Quy Nhon through Mang Yang Pass, with long views over the plateau.

Where to Eat: Dishes and Areas Worth Your Appetite

Highland food is smoky, simple and generous. In Pleiku, order pho kho, “dry” pho served with noodles, sauce and herbs, and a small bowl of broth on the side. It is a local signature and cheap. You will find it at breakfast stalls around the city centre.

In Kon Tum, look for grilled chicken with com lam (rice cooked in bamboo). The charcoal smoke and bamboo smell hit before you see the stall. Riverside areas along the Dak Bla and small restaurants on the main roads serve it with salt, chilli and lime. In Buon Ma Thuot, try bun do, a red-tinted noodle soup, and the local avocado shakes. For coffee, skip the big chains and try small family roasters with a phin filter. A glass of ca phe sua da on a plastic stool beside a coffee farm is hard to beat.

Getting There and Getting Around

By air: Buon Ma Thuot (BMV) and Pleiku (PXU) have flights from Hanoi, Ho Chi Minh City and Da Nang. This is the fastest way in. Kon Tum has no airport, so fly into Pleiku and take a bus or taxi (about 50 km, one hour).

By train: There is no railway in the Highlands. The nearest stations are Nha Trang, Tuy Hoa and Dieu Tri (Quy Nhon). From there, buses to Buon Ma Thuot or Pleiku take four to five hours.

By bus: Sleeper buses run daily from Ho Chi Minh City to Buon Ma Thuot (about 7 to 8 hours) and from Dalat to Buon Ma Thuot (about 4 to 5 hours). Highway upgrades are ongoing, including the planned Khanh Hoa to Buon Ma Thuot expressway, but do not plan around its opening date.

Around the region: Distances are long. The most flexible option is a car with a driver. Experienced riders can rent a motorbike, but mountain passes, trucks and sudden rain make it demanding.

Day Trip or Overnight?

Most Highlands destinations need overnight stays. Buon Ma Thuot is 4 to 5 hours from Dalat, so a day trip would mean most of your day spent in a vehicle. Plan at least two nights in Buon Ma Thuot to see the waterfalls, Lak Lake and coffee farms without rushing.

Day trips work well once you are based in a city. From Buon Ma Thuot, Dray Nur and Dray Sap are an easy half day, and Lak Lake or Buon Don works as a full day. From Pleiku, Bien Ho takes a morning, and Kon Tum fits into one long day, though staying a night is better for the villages.

A good loop is five to seven days: Dalat, Lak Lake, Buon Ma Thuot, Pleiku, Kon Tum, then on to Quy Nhon or Da Nang.

2026 Budget Reality

Prices are noticeably lower than in Dalat, Hoi An or Nha Trang. These are typical 2026 figures, using about 26,000 VND per USD.

• Budget: guesthouse or hostel 250,000–400,000 VND ($10–15); noodle or rice meal 35,000–50,000 VND ($1.50–2); coffee 20,000–30,000 VND ($0.80–1.15); total about 600,000–900,000 VND ($23–35) per day.
• Mid-range: hotel with breakfast 600,000–1,200,000 VND ($23–46); restaurant meals 80,000–200,000 VND ($3–8); waterfall or attraction entry 40,000–100,000 VND ($1.50–4); total about 1,500,000–2,500,000 VND ($58–96) per day.
• Comfortable: resort or lakeside lodge 1,800,000–3,500,000 VND ($70–135); car with driver 1,500,000–2,500,000 VND ($58–96) per day; guided village visit 400,000–800,000 VND ($15–31); total about 4,000,000–6,500,000 VND ($154–250) per day.

A manual or semi-automatic motorbike rental costs roughly 150,000–200,000 VND ($6–8) per day, and flights between cities often cost 900,000–1,800,000 VND ($35–70) depending on the booking window.

Best Time to Go and Practical Tips

The dry season, November to April, is the best window for road trips. Wild sunflowers bloom in November and December, coffee harvest runs from about November to January, and white coffee blossom appears around February and March. From July to October the waterfalls are at their fullest, but afternoon rain can make trails slippery.

Days are warm, around 25–30°C, but mornings and nights can drop to 15–18°C, so bring a light jacket. Carry cash, since small villages and roadside stalls often do not take cards, and keep your passport with you for hotel check-ins. Ask before photographing people or entering a rong house, and dress modestly at churches and village ceremonies.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is the Central Highlands worth visiting after Dalat?

Yes, if you want fewer crowds and more culture. Dalat is cool and polished, while Dak Lak, Gia Lai and Kon Tum offer working coffee farms, ethnic minority villages, volcanic landscapes and quiet roads. You trade easy tourist infrastructure for authenticity and lower prices.

How many days do you need in the Central Highlands?

Plan five to seven days for a proper loop from Dalat through Buon Ma Thuot, Pleiku and Kon Tum. With only three days, pick Buon Ma Thuot and Lak Lake. Distances are long and roads wind through hills, so ten hours of driving spread over several days feels comfortable.

Can I travel to the Central Highlands by train?

No trains run into the Highlands. The nearest stations are Nha Trang, Tuy Hoa and Dieu Tri near Quy Nhon, and you continue by bus or car for four to five hours. Flying into Buon Ma Thuot or Pleiku saves the most time.

What is the best time to visit the Central Highlands?

November to April is dry and best for road trips, with wild sunflowers in November and December and coffee blossom around February and March. July to October brings full waterfalls but heavy afternoon rain and muddy trails. Pack a light jacket for chilly mornings year-round.

Is the Central Highlands safe, and do I need a permit?

Yes, the main towns and attractions are safe and need no permit. Carry your passport for hotel check-ins and police checkpoints. Roads are the real risk: mountain passes are steep, trucks are heavy, and fog or rain can reduce visibility, so avoid driving after dark.

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📷 Featured image by Giles Freeman on Unsplash.