Local Interest
are necessary : Fifty per cent of the province is covered in forest , but natural resources and wildlife are rapidly disappearing due to excessive exploitation of timber and human degradation . Doing a trek or other park activity shows the locals , in a small way , that there is an alternative sustainable economy from tourism .
Dak Lak will host the 6th Coffee & Central Highlands Gong Festivals in March 8 – 13 , 2017
The opening ceremony will be held on March 10 while the closing event on March 13 . A wide range of well-prepared special programs are scheduled during the festivals , offering visitors opportunities to enjoy Buon Ma Thuot coffee and experience the region ’ s gong culture . Apart from the festivals , there will be a trade promotion conference where domestic and foreign investors can seek partners and expand their markets in the Central Highlands region of Vietnam . An exhibition on coffee , a street festival and game challenges are spotlights of the coffee festival , which aims to promote the trademark of Buon Me Thuot coffee and serve as a venue for coffee firms and related businesses to boost cooperation . Meanwhile , the gong event , focusing on identities in an integrated world , will feature gong performances , ritual re-enactment and a wooden sculpturing competition , among others . It is also expected to raise public awareness of introducing and preserving cultures of ethnic groups in the Central Highlands , especially the value of the UNESCO intangible cultural heritage of the Space of Gong Culture .
Locals
Who are the locals ? If there is one great narrative that would explain present day Dak Lak , it would be the story of immigration . Several waves of immigration have shaped the region and resulted in the province having more than 40 ethnic groups , with immigrants forming 79.5 % of Dak Lak ’ s population . There are three indigenous people : the Ede ( 298,534 ), Mnong ( 40,344 ) and Jarai ( 16,129 ). Each group has its own characteristics but they all have a matriarchal structure , with large families traditionally living within one longhouse . Their cultural identity is expressed through their language , architecture , funeral rites , gong music , pottery and dependence on nature . A visit to the Ethnographic Museum gives an essential primer to these tribes , and Lak Lake is a good place to see it first hand . Not only is the lake beautiful , a homestay in one of the Mnong villages that dot the shore provides a window into their world .
Lak Lake
Vast , tranquil and fringed by rolling hills , Lak Lake is the Central Highland ’ s largest natural freshwater lake . It is home to the Mnong , a tribe that relies on the lake for their livelihood and they can be seen fishing in traditional dugout canoes . Fifty-two kilometres south of Buon Ma Thuot , on the road to Da Lat , Lak Lake is a fantastic daytrip but the peaceful atmosphere and homestay opportunities make a case to linger . The drive there , through idyllic rural scenery , is stunning to boot .
Fed by the Krong Ana River and runoff from the surrounding mountains , Lak Lake is a peaceful respite . The surface reflects like a mirror on calm days and fortunately , it remains relatively undeveloped and there are no tourist swan boats for hire – a rarity in Vietnam . Lak Lake is beautiful and venturing to the water ’ s edge at Lak Resort is a great spot to take it all in . It ’ s free to park and walk down . Mnong villages are located on the southern and western banks but anywhere on the water you ’ ll find men in wooden boats fishing with baskets and nets , and women and children on the shore knee deep collecting snails , crayfishes , crabs and small fish .
The MAG Vung Tau 7