The region is home to a number of ethnic minorities,
including the Rhade and Jarai groups. The area also boasts some impressive
waterfalls. Buon Ma Thuot has the distinction of being the site of the last
major battle between the North Vietnamese Army and South Vietnamese troops
during March 1975. As a testament to that battle, the first North Vietnamese
Army tank to enter the city is perched in the center of town as a monument to
Buon Ma Thuot"s "liberation." There has been talk of moving the
tank into a museum, and indeed, some travel publications say it already has,
but the tank still has it"s turret pointed skyward, looking still quite capable
of spitting out a 120mm shell.
Buon Ma Thout makes a great base for trekking to ethnic villages. The longhouses of the Rhade and M"nong groups are particularly impressive - try to spend a night or two. A popular stop is at the Rhade
The local minority villages are also great for elephant rides. Elephants can also be found in the wild at nearby
Surrounding waterfalls worth a visit include Drai Sap, Draylon, Drayling and Draynor Waterfalls. The best are found at Drai Sap. The fodder of picture postcards, these are the falls you see on most Vietnamese calendars. About 12 km from Buon Ma Thuot, the falls aren"t particularly tall but are expansive and dramatic. It"s tempting to swim in the river pools formed at the base of these falls - and many folks do take the plunge - but the surrounding and submerged rocks are jagged and treacherous. It"s easy to get yourself quite cut up. There"s also a disappointing amount of litter, but Dac Lac officials seem to be cleaning the place up. The Drai Sap falls are accessible by hired car or minivan, followed by a moderately strenuous half-kilometer hike.
Though located about 200 km farther north than Dalat, Buon Ma Thuot is at a lower elevation and is warmer year-round. Neither does it possess Dalat"s over commercialization (nor Dalat"s beauty, on the other hand). Coffee is the major cash crop here, however, this mountainous region is heavily deforested, the hillsides bald and brown during the winter months. Much of the region"s wildlife has been driven away by deforestation or through the misfortune of getting stuffed by wannabe taxidermists. The best time to visit Buon Ma Thuot is during the dry season, between November and May. Though the scenery isn"t as lush as it is during the rainy season, it"s a lot easier to get around!