Local Interest
Ethnographic Museum
The museum is an essential primer about the region and it will give you insight to what you will most likely see in the villages . The museum also preserves special traditions and rituals that are fading fast .
Three exhibitions tell an important narrative about what shaped Dak Lak province : people and immigration , biodiversity , and history , from prehistoric to present day . Though the focus is Dak Lak and its three indigenous people , the Ede , Mnong and Jarai , the information is relevant to the entire region , as immigration has resulted in many of the ethnic minorities sharing characteristics and beliefs . Signs explain everything from funeral rituals , to the significance of jars , rice wine , gongs and house architecture . There ’ s even archival video of a water buffalo sacrifice , a ritual that is rarely held these days .
The information , professionally presented in three languages – English , French and Vietnamese – is concise and well written
( although there is slight bias in word choice when it comes to war history and modern politics ). Facts and figures given are relatively recent data from 2009 . The one-hour investment here illuminated our jaunts through villages around Buon Ma Thuot , Pleiku and especially Kon Tum , where rules about exploring independently are far more relaxed .
As a footnote , located on the same grounds across from the museum is Biet dien Bao Dai or Bao Dai ’ s holiday villa , one of the last emperor ’ s many , many holiday homes in the Central Highlands . It initially served as the French headquarters for the Central Highlands and later , Bao Dai used it when he came to Dak Lak for hunting before he self-exiled to France in 1954 . The building is empty except for black and white photos with captions in Vietnamese . Save 20,000 dong and skip it .
Everyday house hold items of a stilt house
8 The MAG Vung Tau