Visiting the Central Highlands at the same time means that you can’t miss Gia

Lai as one of your destinations. Talking of Gia Lai we talk about the blue Sea
Lake in Pleiku which has been compared to the eyes of a young girl many
times; about the scent of a highland coffee cup; and cultural festivals of
highland ethnic minorities….
As in the name of this province, “Gia Lai” or in the original language of Gia Lai
ethnic – Jarai – is “the land of Gia Rai/Gia Lai (Jarai) people”. Gia Lai is
located on Kon Tum Plateau in northern central highlands, right next to Kon
Tum province with an average height from 700m-800m above the sea. Gia Lai
is distinctive with 3 terrain forms: mountain, plateau, and valley. The province
has a highland monsoon climate, high rainfall, 2 seasons – wet and dry.

You should visit Gia Lai in November and December because it’s dry and has
a cool temperature. This is also the time for flowers to boom and festivals to
take place. Gia Lai is famous partly for its unique festivals such as buffalo
stabbing, leaving the tomb, harvest celebration, gongs festival…

 
How to get there
From Hanoi, Ho Chi Minh or Da Nang, you can catch a straight flight to Pleiku
airport. Or if you choose to go by coach, it’s also possible since there are
abundant brands like Mai Linh, Hong Hai, Tan Phat… having coaches running
to Gia Lai every day from all big cities from north to south. Price for a one-way
ticket from Ho Chi Minh City to Gia Lai is 200,000-300,000VND.
Pleiku Airport
Get around in Gia Lai, Peilku
You can catch buses to go around Pleiku for only 10,000-35,000VND. If you
prefer riding a motorbike, the rental price is around 200,000VND per day, no
fuel cost included. Most of the hotels in Gia Lai offer motorbike rental service
so it’s easy to rent one. Ask and confirm the price before you make a deal to
avoid paying for additional costs.

Attractions
Pleiku City: are the capital of Gia Lai province and one of the three biggest
cities in the central highland region. Pleiku Airport is just 4km away from the
city centre. The common price for a standard room is 250,000VND, quite
reasonable. There are also three-star and four-star hotels in Pleiku if you
prefer luxury facilities. You should spend a day in Pleiku city because you are
not going to waste your time here. Ham Rong Mountain (Dragon’s Jaw) is a
great place for those who love climbing. The end of the year is time for wild
sunflowers to the boom on the path that leads to the mountain’s peak. The
most famous site in Pleiku which appeared in a popular Vietnamese song
is Sea Lake, original name – T’Nung Lake, located in Bien Ho Commune.
This lake is actually an oval-shaped crater of a dead volcano, covers an area
of 250ha, and 18m of depth. Local people call this lake “Pleiku’s eyes”
because of the blue and clear water. There are some legends of the lake, the
famous one is a story of a village where people lived happily together but was
destroyed by a volcano eruption; then the lake was formed by the tears of
ones who survived cried for their lost ones. You will be surprised by the
peaceful landscape of the pine trees on a winding road, green terraced rice
fields on the banks to the turquoise colour of seawater. Boating on the lake
under moonlight would be a very special experience for you. Although this site
is great for sightseeing, the tourist service here is developing.

Minh Thanh pagoda: is located at Nguyen Viet Xuan Street, Pleiku city, built-
in 1964. This pagoda is known for its Taiwanese architecture which appears
quite rare in Vietnam. The pagoda has a Chedi tower that is 40m high, a
presbytery with the height of 16m which resembles a blooming lotus, a bell
house, many statues, and a lake garden. All buildings of Minh Thanh pagoda
are roofed with light green titles. The complex of this pagoda is well-designed
and beautiful, a wonderful site to visit.
Ya Ly Lake: travel farther to the north near Kon Tum you will reach Ya Ly
Lake which has been famous for a long time. Ya Ly Hydroelectric Dam is the
second biggest dam in Vietnam. Ya Ly lake with its beautiful scenery has
attracted many tourists and travellers. Entrance ticket is only 30,000VND.
Phu Cuong Waterfall: is another famous site of Gia Lai, located 40km away
Pleiku city, in Phu Cuong Waterfall Ecotourism Area. In the wet season, the
white water pours down from the top of the fall so powerfully, but in the dry
season, the waterfall is just like a thin white silk scarf hanging down the
mountain. The height of the fall reaches to 45m, one of the highest fall in Gia
Lai. In the foot of the fall, sometimes you will see a rainbow. The water of the
fall flows to Auyn Ha Hydroelectric Dam, this location is an ecotourism area
too. Auyn Ha Lake is 25km away from Phu Cuong Waterfall, 20km long
running along with many villages of ethnic minorities such as Ba Na and Gia
Rai people. There are many other beautiful waterfalls in Gia Lai we can name
as Xung Khoeng or Le Kim waterfalls. These falls are also high, has many
levels with great scenery.
Ha Tam Pine Hill: if you go in large number, Ha Tam Pine Hill is a wonderful
site for camping. This hill is only 5km from Pleiku city, on an average height of
1150m above the sea. You can enjoy a quiet atmosphere and romantic views
of the hill.
Kon Ka Kinh National Park: attracts travellers who love to adventure. The
national park is in the northeast of Gia Lai, 50km away from Pleiku, in
Commune of Ayun, Mang Yang District. This park is honourably listed on the
ASEAN Heritage Park with other three parks of Vietnam – Ba Be, Chu Mom
Ray, and Hoang Lien. On an altitude varies from 570m to 1748m with the
highest point is Kon Ka Kinh peak. This park has a wide range of diversity of
fauna and flora: 687 flora species of 459 genera and 140 families including 24
precious and rare species; 428 animal species of which 223 species are of
vertebrates living on land and 205 species Invertebrates. You can visit places
as river system, streams, waterfalls, naturally beautiful whirlpools as Dak
Pooc waterfall, Knia streams, Dak Ko Bung fall, etc. Climbing on Kon Ka Kinh
paek you will experience the majestic scenery of the Truong Son range: the
high mountains covered with clouds, the endless sight of forests, and white
waterfalls….
Another sight is Mt. Chu Dang Ya
Festivals 
Buffalo Stabbing Festival of Ba Na People: this festival is dedicated to village
founders, ancestors, harvest celebration, or other important events. This
festival is often taking place on a wide and flat ground, or in front of Rong
house (communal house of Ba Na people) or longhouse (traditional house of
Ede people). In the middle of the ground, villagers prepare a tall bamboo pole
and decorate it with flowers and leaves, colourful flags, banners and rattles
made by bamboo. On top of the pole is a phoenix often made by bamboo or
wood, and carefully decorated. This pole is just like the New Year tree (Cay
Neu) of Kinh people. The village patriarch will choose a buffalo of Langbiang
breed, clean and feed it, then tie it by a rope around the neck. The first day is
for worshipping ceremony, on the next day morning, the buffalo stabbing
ceremony officially starts. Healthy men from the village who are chosen before
will use long darts to stab the buffalo. The buffalo meat will be shared with
each family of the village.
Leaving Tomb Festival of Gia Rai People: according to Gia Rai people, when
a man dies, his life is not over yet. His soul will remain with his family
members for some time. The soul just joins with his family in all activities, the
family members even “talk” to the soul every night. Only after the leaving tomb
festival takes place, the soul would be gone. This festival is held in March and
April every year, long after the harvest. The people prepare for this festival
many weeks beforehand. They go into forests and choose the best woods to
make wooden statues to place around the tomb-houses. Besides, foods must
be sufficient for 3 days of the festival. The villagers will dance and sing and
drink in these three days as a send-off. After that, they consider that they will
have no connection with the dead.
There are also many other unique festivals of ethnic minorities in central
highland you should experience.

Foods
Dry Noodle (Dried Pho): this dish at the same time is similar to both kinds of
noodle in the north and south Vietnam. Dry noodle is served in 2 bowls – one
for noodles and other for both. The stock is carefully made of knucklebones
with many spices. You shouldn’t miss this dish when you have the chance to
come to Gia Lai.
Noodle with crab sauce with bamboo shoots: not that everyone can eat this
dish because of its strong smell. But if you can, you won’t be able to forget the
taste of this special dish. The crab sauce must be kept for one day until it
smells. Then bamboo shoots, pork, spices will be put into the sauce. Pour the
sauce on noodles, put lemon, mix all together and you can enjoy.
 Beware of the
strong smell
Bep leave soup: the Bep leave isn’t known widely because it only can be
found in the forests of central highland. This leave has a distinctive sweet
taste. It’s very simple to cook soup with this leave. You only have to put the
leaves and slat in water, then boil. Nowadays, local people invented many
new ways to make this dish more interesting.
Golden Ant Salt: to make this salt, local people have to go deep into the
woods to find golden ants then stir fry them then pound them with spicy
chillies, leaves, salt. This often salt is used with dried beef.
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