Buon Ma Thuot

Introducing Buon Ma Thuot

The caffeine capital of Vietnam, the biggest buzz you’ll get in Buon Ma Thuot (also known as Ban Me Thuot) is from the beans. There’s not a lot to do here, but it makes for a good base to explore Yok Don National Park and several stunning waterfalls in the vicinity. Before WWII, this was a centre for big-game hunting, but the animals have all but disappeared – along with most of the region’s rainforest.

The capital of Dac Lac province, the city has grown exponentially over the last few years, with the coffee industry largely responsible for its improving fortunes. The major approach roads are currently being upgraded to cope with the extra traffic, but it can still be a crawl in and out of town.

A large percentage of the area’s population is made up of Montagnards. The government’s policy of assimilation has been effective: nearly all of the Montagnards now speak Vietnamese fluently. Not a lot of English is spoken here though, and you won’t see too many Western tourists.

The rainy season around Buon Ma Thuot lasts from May to October, though downpours are usually short. Because of its lower elevation, Buon Ma Thuot is warmer and more humid than Dalat; it is also very windy.

Last updated: Feb 17, 2009