© Lonely Planet Publications 316 Central Highlands The beauty of the central highlands is that there’s plenty of space to disappear into. The undulating landscape that once sheltered VC soldiers down the Ho Chi Minh Trail now of- fers an intriguing refuge for travellers. There’s a rugged charm to its villages and valleys, waterfalls and winding roads, and except at the former French hill station of Dalat, foreigners are still quite a rarity. Most people come here to visit Montagnard (hill-tribe) villages; the further off the beaten track you travel, the more unspoiled an existence you’ll find. Likewise the natural attractions in the vicinity are simple, rustic affairs. Most don’t rate as must-sees, just pleasant pit stops CENTRAL HIGHLANDS if you’re roving about on your own. In 2001 and 2004 protests erupted in Buon Ma Thuot, Pleiku and other parts of the highlands, objecting to the government’s resettlement and land policies and alleged dis- crimination against Montagnards. While things seem quiet now, international human-rights groups continue to report instances of ill-treatment of ethnic minorities. As for the natural landscape, it’s beautiful but in some places marred – first by Agent Orange in the American War, then by slash-and-burn agriculture, now by expanding farms and dams. Despite its fraught history, the central highlands are safe and easy to travel. Dalat is perfect for a weekend’s respite from the heat, the rest of the highlands for a week-long immersion in a life far from the madding crowd. HIGHLIGHTS Learn about the Montagnard way of life in the villages around Kon Tum ( p339 ) Ho Chi Minh Trail Kon Tum Enjoy the fresh air and French flair of Dalat ( opposite ), Vietnam’s mountain resort Hop on a motorbike and hit the twists and turns of the Ho Chi Minh Trail ( p334 ) Challenge your heart rate with an adventure trip in the hills around Dalat ( p320 ) Dray Sap & Dray Nur Falls Get foggy as you approach the thundering Dray Sap and Dray Nur Falls ( p333 ) Dalat ELEVATION: 200–2598M BEST TIME TO VISIT: NOV–MAR lonelyplanet.com CENTRAL HIGHLANDS •• Dalat 317 CENTRAL HIGHLANDS Getting There & Away 0 50 km The region has airports at Dalat, Buon Ma 0 30 miles Thuot and Pleiku; all have flights from To Hoi An (70km); HCMC, Hanoi and Danang. There are no Phuoc Danang (100km) Son trains servicing this region. LAOS Tra QUANG NAM My Tra Bong By road you can access Dalat via Hwy 20 from HCMC or Phan Rang. Hwy 14 is the Dak Glei main north–south route, passing through Son Ha QUANG 14 NGAI Buon Ma Thuot, Pleiku and Kon Tum. Pleiku is connected to the coast by Hwy 19, which CENTRAL HIGHLANDS M o u n t a i n s T r u o n g S o n hits Hwy 1A near Quy Nhon. Similarly, Buon Bo Y KON TUM Ma Thuot can be reached from Ninh Hoa, just Dak To north of Nha Trang, by Hwy 26. There are To Attapeu Tan Canh Kon Plong (119km); Pakse frequent buses on all these routes, but only (309km) 14 Dalat is served by open-tour buses. Sa Thay Kon Tum DALAT %063 / pop 189,523 / elev 1475m Yaly You could call Dalat Bizarro Vietnam – it’s Falls Sea To Quy Lake Nhon spring-like cool instead of tropical hot, the (65km) town is dotted with elegant French-colonial Pleiku Mang 19 Chu Pah Yang villas instead of squat socialist architecture, and the farms around are thick with strawber- Le Duc Co 19 GIA LAI Thanh ries and flowers, not rice. As a highland resort To Banlung Chu Se CAMBODIA (64km) it’s been welcoming tourists for a century, and it has all the attractions – natural and tricked- 7 out – to prove it. 14 A Yun Pa The French came first, fleeing the heat of Saigon. They left behind not only their holiday homes but also the vibe of a European town Ea H'Leo and the local bohemian artists’ predilection for swanning around in berets. The Vietnamese DAC LAC Ya Liao couldn’t resist adding little touches to, shall we Ban Serepok Don National Krong Buk say, enhance Dalat’s natural beauty. Whether Park To Nha Trang Yok Don Entrance (110km) it’s the Eiffel Tower–shaped radio tower, the National Krong 26 Park River Ako Pach horse-drawn carriages or the zealously colour- Dhong Buon Ma ful heart-shaped cut-outs at the Valley of Love, Thuot Dray Sap & Tur Krong this is a town that takes romance very seri- Dray Nur Falls Bong Dong Tam Ana ously – yea, unto the full extent of kitsch. Gia Long Falls Krong Krong Lak Lake But don’t let the Disneyfied feel stop you Dak A Na Lak Lien from enjoying the very pretty scenery and Mil Son 27 utterly charming town. This used to be hunt- Lang Bian Linh Phuoc ing territory too, described in the 1950s as 14 Mountain Pagoda Tiger To Ho Chi Krong No Ankroët ‘abounding in deer, roe, peacocks, pheasants, Minh City Falls Falls (220km) Nam Lat wild boar, black bear, wild caws, panthers, Dak Nong Ban Dalat Dan tigers, gaurs and elephants’. Unfortunately Tuyen Lam Trai Nhim Lake Lake Lang Dinh An Mat hunters were so efficient that only taxi- (Chicken Village) Ngoan Duc Trong Muc Pass dermied specimens remain, in the local Cat Tien LAM DONG Lien Khuong museum. Cat Tien Dambri Airport National NINH Falls Di Linh Pongour Gougah Dalat is a big draw for domestic tourists – Park Falls Falls THUAN Bao Loc Da Teh it’s Le Petit Paris, the honeymoon capital and Da 20 Bo Bla the City of Eternal Spring (daily temperatures Waterfall Huoai hover between 15°C and 24°C) all rolled into BINH one. They tend to come in summer, while the To Ho Chi Minh THUAN City (140km) dry season (December to March) is the best .