From "green" experiences to a series of festivals

By unlocking the potential of pristine nature and the depth of local culture, ecotourism models, festivals, and "journeys to the heritage region" have been creating a new face for the tourism industry of Dak Lak province.

Green experiences

Dak Lak's tourism industry is proactively transforming itself, abandoning crude exploitation methods to move towards professional, environmentally friendly services and creating sustainable values.

A prime example of this transformation is the elephant-friendly tourism model at Yok Don National Park. Instead of the traditional elephant riding tour, since July 2018, the park has collaborated with Animals Asia (AAF) to switch to a model of releasing elephants back into the forest. Mr. Vu Duc Gioi, Deputy Director of the Center for Environmental Education and Services (Yok Don National Park), shared: "This humane change initially faced many challenges due to tourists' habits, but it has now attracted great interest, especially from international tourists. Currently, 95% of visitors to the park choose to participate in this elephant-friendly tour. Tourism revenue from the park from the beginning of the year to date has reached over 1 billion VND, the highest level ever, five times higher than when the model was first changed."

Foreign tourists experience ecotourism at Yok Don National Park. Photo: L. Anh

Besides friendly elephant tours, Yok Don National Park also diversifies other "green" experiences such as hiking in the forest, mountain biking, bird watching in the dry season, or cooking classes to learn traditional dishes with the people in the buffer zone.

Coastal community-based ecotourism models are also undergoing a strong transformation, creating a complete experiential ecosystem. Ms. Nguyen Thi Phan, Director of Hon Yen Tourism Cooperative (O Loan commune), said: “Our tourism activities focus on taking visitors on sightseeing tours by basket boat, then connecting them to experience livelihood models linked to resources such as bird's nest processing facilities or traditional fish sauce factories. This model not only preserves the peaceful and pristine ecological space of Hon Yen but also provides the most authentic and intimate nature experiences for tourists…”

"To the land of heritage"

Dak Lak possesses a rich cultural heritage with many unique values. Prominent among them are the Central Highlands Gong Culture Space and the Central Vietnam Bài Chòi Art – two intangible cultural heritage sites recognized by UNESCO. These two heritage sites not only hold profound historical and cultural value but also offer enormous potential for sustainable tourism development, contributing to promoting the local image and improving community life.

In particular, gongs are closely associated with important rituals such as the new rice harvest festival, the water source worship ceremony, and the funeral rites of the Ede, M'nong, and Bana people. Each gong sound is not simply an audio signal but also carries spiritual meaning, expressing the connection between humans, deities, and nature. This uniqueness creates a special attraction for tourists. Gong performances, traditional festivals, and experiences of life in the villages are becoming attractive tourism products.

Numerous locals and tourists participate in cultural activities at the Hang Po Festival in Ea Drong commune. Photo: H. Thuy

In addition, 11 national intangible cultural heritage sites such as the Khan epic of the Ede people, the longevity celebration of the M'nong people, traditional pottery making, the fishing festival, the fish sauce making craft in the eastern part of the province, or the knowledge of coffee cultivation and processing… are "soft resources" for building attractive tourism products.

In particular, the Buon Ma Thuot Coffee Festival is an event of national and international significance. Held every two years, the festival is not only a celebration of coffee beans but also a gathering place for culture, art, and commerce. Visitors can participate in a range of attractive activities. As a result, the number of tourists visiting the area has increased significantly with each festival, leading to the development of accommodation, food, and transportation services.

Or the folk cultural festivals of the ethnic communities from the North who migrated (Hang Po Festival in Ea Drong commune, Viet Bac Folk Culture Festival in Ea Ning commune, Long Tong Festival in Ea Kly commune...) with their unique cultural characteristics are also a highlight that attracts many tourists to Dak Lak.

Lan Anh - Hong Thuy

Source: https://baodaklak.vn/tin-moi/202605/tu-trai-nghiem-xanh-den-chuoi-le-hoi-68b5c47/