A new perspective on the beautiful Central Highlands.

The Central Highlands are like a magnificent oil painting, with towering mountains, vast forests, and babbling rivers. Visiting the Central Highlands, tourists not only get to immerse themselves in pristine nature but also have the opportunity to discover the unique cultures of the ethnic minority communities.

Where nature and humanity blend together.

Cao Nhu Thuy still vividly remembers the story of the baby elephant in Buon Don from his textbooks. Since then, the Central Highlands has always been a land of dreams in his heart. Later, when he had the opportunity to visit, he truly appreciated the pristine beauty and the warmth of the people there.

For him, the Central Highlands is like a miniature Vietnam, a place where almost all 54 ethnic groups converge, each with its own unique culture, from clothing and festivals to oral traditions. The image of stilt houses nestled amidst the green forest, the vibrant gong dances, and the fragrant local specialties are unforgettable.

Cao Nhu Thuy recounts that the Central Highlands is one of the most challenging regions in Vietnam, with its predominantly mountainous terrain and extremely difficult transportation conditions. Therefore, charitable organizations from Saigon often prioritize supporting this area. This has given him the opportunity to connect with the region through volunteer trips. These trips have helped him develop a special affection for the people, especially the children. The look in their eyes always moves him deeply.

Before embarking on this photoshoot, he had participated in at least four volunteer trips with three different organizations in Saigon. When his photography group planned the trip to the Central Highlands, he immediately offered his support. He still remembers those previous volunteer trips, when they had to travel by tractor to reach remote villages.

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To make their trip to the Central Highlands truly meaningful, the group spent time researching the region's unique culture through the internet and social media. Fortunately, they connected with a local photographer. With his experience and deep understanding of Central Highlands culture, he helped the group create a detailed plan, recommended the most beautiful photography locations, and assisted them in contacting tourist attractions beforehand.

During this exploration trip, the group chose many interesting destinations. They visited the home of an elderly Ede gong player, learned about elephants and the lives of the people at Lak Lake, and watched a gong performance at the Lonely Tree in Dak Lak. Next, they participated in gong playing and traditional dances at a communal house in Kon Tum and learned about the Ca Rang - Cang Tai culture from the elders, the traditional bathing culture, and photographed everyday life such as rice pounding and carving. In Pleiku, the group learned about the Ma Bun custom during the Po Thi festival of the Gia Rai people, took photos at the centuries-old pine trees, and trekked to K50 Waterfall, also in Gia Lai.

"I enjoyed the cool, pleasant weather and was a little surprised to see these huge elephants wandering around the streets without any control from any agency or government, just like pets," Cao Nhu Thuy said humorously.

The image of the giant elephants standing majestically by Lake Lak is forever etched in Cao Nhu Thuy's mind. Their large, round eyes, rough skin, and long trunks captivated him. Standing beside them, he felt the strength and majesty of these animals. In particular, the story of sawing off their tusks to protect the elephants deeply moved him.

“I had the chance to stand close to them and take pictures. I felt both excited and scared, because standing next to an elephant weighing about 5 tons, I felt so small. Although the elephant was very cute and lovable, its enormous size also made me feel a little anxious,” he confided.

According to Cao Nhu Thuy, the most memorable moment of the trip was probably the trekking journey to K50 Waterfall at 3 AM. The whole group had to wake up very early, carrying heavy backpacks filled with all kinds of equipment such as cameras, drones, tripods, etc. They followed a narrow trail, crossing slippery rocks to reach the waterfall before sunrise. The feeling of nervousness, anxiety mixed with excitement was indescribable. Fortunately, they managed to capture some beautiful photos and videos there. Although there was a slight mishap when the drone unexpectedly got "bathed" in the cool water, everyone was very happy and excited.

“The Central Highlands is a fascinating region with many unique traditional cultures that you can't find anywhere else in Vietnam. Here, you can see and even touch giant elephants, take photos with spacious communal houses, participate in Xoang dances, and enjoy gong dances. You also have the chance to taste rice wine, enjoy local specialties, drink coffee in Buon Ma Thuot, the coffee capital, and eat Gia Lai dry pho. Especially, you'll enjoy the cool air, just like in Da Lat,” he shared.

Phuong Mai is a reporter for Travellive Magazine in Hanoi.

Phuong Mai