Vietnam - The Rough Guide to Southeast Asia on a Budget - page 888

hole brings you to Trinh Nu Falls, smaller
than the other two but quite pretty
nonetheless. To get there, turn left off the
road to Dray Sap at the sign for “Trinh
Nu” and continue along a dirt track for
about 2km.

350,000VND return). Hourly local buses
also run here from Ly huong Kiet in
Buon Ma huot (25,000VND).
Both the Ban Don Tourist Centre (daily
7am-5pm; T 0500 3783082), in the centre
of the village, and the Yok Don park HQ
(see above) can organize an overnight stay
in a nearby longhouse ($10).
ARRIVAL AND DEPARTURE
By plane The airport is 8km east of town; a taxi costs
around 140,000VND.
Destinations Da Nang (4 weekly; 1hr 10min); Hanoi
(daily; 1hr 40min); HCMC (3 daily; 55min).
By bus Buon Ma Thuot's bus station is 4km north of town
at 71 Nguyen Tat Thanh. Regular local buses run to
elsewhere in the Highlands, Nha Trang and HCMC. Buses to
and from Lak Lake and Dray Sap Falls stop near the Victory
Monument in the centre of town.
Destinations

Yok Don National Park
he entrance to Vietnam's largest wildlife
reserve - the 1155-square-kilometre
Yok Don National Park ( W yokdonnational
park.vn) - lies 45km west of Buon Ma
huot. More than sixty species of
animals, including tigers, leopards and
red wolves, and around two hundred
types of birds, from peacocks to hornbills,
populate the park, but many are
visitor-shy; you're likely to spot some
monkeys, though. Four minority villages,
populated by the Mnong, Lao and Ede
people, are found within the park
boundaries; the Mnong are renowned for
their skill at capturing wild elephants.
One-day walking tours, overnight
safaris, elephant rides (240,000VND per
hour) and boat tours down the Serepok
River are available, as are longer tours
penetrating deeper into the forest. he
park is best visited in the dry season
(Aug-March) when wildlife is more
visible. For enquiries, check the park
website, or arrange through a tour
operator (see below), who can organize
transport and combined day-tours to
visit the park and Ban Don. here's also
a range of basic accommodation available
by the park entrance (doubles
200,000VND), and it's possible to stay
overnight in the park at the forest stations
(basic wooden huts; $5).

11

Da Lat (4hr); Da Nang (12hr); Kon Tum (5hr);
Lak Lake (1hr 30min); HCMC (9hr); Nha Trang (5hr).

INFORMATION
Travel agents Dak Lak Tourist, 51 Ly Thuong Kiet
( T 0500 3858243, W daklaktourist.com.vn), and Vietnam
Highland Travel, 24 Ly Thuong Kiet ( T 0500 3855009,
W vietnamhighlandtravel.com), can arrange tours and
treks in the surrounding hills and jungles.
Services Agribank is at 37 Phan Boi Chau.

ACCOMMODATION
Ngoc Mai Guesthouse 14B Dien Bien Phu T 0500
3853406. The owner at this pleasant, centrally located
guesthouse speaks both English and French and is happy
to share his knowledge of the area. Rooms come with firm
beds and ba lconies; wi-fi comes and goes. Double
280,000VND
Thanh Binh 24 Ly Thuong Kiet T 0500 3853812. Rooms
are basic and a little worn, but clean. The rooms in the
centre of the building are cheaper but smaller and
windowless; all come with a/c. Double 260,000VND
Tuan Vu Hotel 135/1 Tan An T 0500 6252252, W tuanvu
hotel.com.vn. This hotel is good value, and while its decor
is nothing out of the ordinary, rooms are co mfortable, sta ff
are friendly and the food is decent. Double 300,000VND

Ban Don
he three sub-hamlets that comprise the
much-visited village of BAN DON lie 2km
beyond Yok Don's Park HQ on the bank
of the crocodile-infested Serepok River.
Khmer, hai, Lao, Jarai and Mnong live
in the vicinity, as do the E De , who adhere
to a matriarchal social system and build
their houses on stilts. As you explore, you
may be invited to share tea or rice wine.
he two Buon Ma huot travel agents
(see below) arrange tours here, but you
could just as well hire a xe om (around

EATING AND DRINKING
A popular local dish on offer in the street kitchens
lining the western end of Ly Thuong Kiet is com tam
(broken rice) served with barbecued pork or chicken and
fresh vegetables.
An Thai Café 18 Hai Ba Trung. Pleasant and popular café,
where you can sample the region's finest brew (12,000VND)
on a leafy terrace. Daily noon-10pm.