VI
EN
I was born and raised in Buon Ma Thuot, a place long known as the "City of Eternal Sadness," because for many, there's nothing joyful about that land of red basalt soil. In fact, wherever I went, I would jokingly tell my friends from all over: "In Buon Ma Thuot, we ride elephants to school! We dress formally for school, but at home, we only wear loincloths." And everyone believed me completely.
Like many of my peers, I also left Buon Ma Thuot to study at university in Saigon. Only after leaving and returning did I realize how new and interesting my little city truly is. It's no longer "eternally dreary," but a truly fascinating city to explore.
Specialty coffee & sunset by the World Coffee Museum
I consider myself fortunate to have been born in what is known as the "coffee capital" of Vietnam, having the opportunity to be close to coffee plants and the distinctive Robusta coffee beans of this region, and to have grown up witnessing the changes brought about by different waves of coffee trends. These changes ranged from...coffee consumptionOf the first wave, I'm now more interested in:enjoy coffeeIn the third wave of coffee, when I sip thick, dark coffee with a bitter aftertaste, or even a glass of iced milk coffee made from low-quality beans, I no longer find them as delicious as they once were. My pleasure now is savoring each sip from high-quality beans, meticulously brewed by hand. They call it by a fancy name: Specialty Coffee.
I'm fascinated by specialty coffee because it always offers me unique and exciting experiences; no two cups are ever the same. From the type of coffee bean, the soil, the altitude at which it's grown, the processing methods, the roasting techniques, and the extraction process, each cup of coffee has a different flavor: floral notes, tropical fruit notes, orange notes, chocolate notes, jackfruit notes, and more… And even when…doorWith coffee, even slight changes in water temperature, flow, or pouring time can result in completely different taste experiences: a harsh or mild flavor, an acidic or subtly citrusy sourness, a smooth or gritty taste in the throat... So, if enjoying specialty coffee is an art, then the person who creates that cup of coffee deserves to be called an artist, right?
To comfortably indulge in my "artist" persona, I also equipped myself with a set of "tools" so I could set out and pour coffee whenever I liked. I often invite a few other coffee connoisseurs to gather in the open space opposite the World Coffee Museum to pour coffee together, enjoy it, and watch the sunset right in front of us. We all love this location because it's close to the city center, because of the airy surroundings, because we enjoy watching the reeds swaying in the gentle, cool evening breeze, and because of the sound of kites soaring in the air... Everything blends together, making each sip of coffee taste even more delicious and smooth.
Picnic watching the sunset at Eakao Lake
For someone like me, who left Buon Ma Thuot to live in Saigon, Eakao Lake was a place to enjoy the breeze, drink sugarcane juice, and eat the area's famous fried bananas; a place to bring friends from school and work to Buon Ma Thuot to enjoy the cool, fresh air; and sometimes a place to meet (and say goodbye to) a girl (or two girls) back then. That was in the past, though. Now, for me, Eakao Lake has changed a lot. It's just become more interesting!
On this return to Eakao Lake, I ventured a little deeper into the Lam Vien area on the other side of the lake to have a picnic with friends. We found a spacious open area, spread out a tarp, and divided up the task of gathering dry firewood to build a fire, preparing to grill marinated meats; we poured coffee and enjoyed it until mealtime; or we pulled out our stand-up paddleboards (SUPs), inflated them, launched them into the lake, and paddled out to enjoy the vastness of the artificial lake...
And as the sun gradually set over Lake Eakao, cool breezes blew in, blending with the giggling of our friends, making everything so poetic, peaceful, and rustic.
Camping in Buon Don
When talking about tourism in Buon Ma Thuot, it's impossible not to mention Buon Don. A place so famous for stories about the elephant-hunting king, the Seven Branches rapids, the suspension bridges, and the delicious and unique local cuisine. But Buon Don is also becoming a destination for those who enjoy camping, who like to enjoy moments without phones, and who like to immerse themselves in nature amidst the characteristic dipterocarp forests of the area.
If you want to wake up on an island remaining from the time when the elephant-hunting king Y Thu Knul sought new land for his villagers, then come to Elephant King Island. Currently, only one M'Nong family lives on this island, earning their living from raising livestock and poultry, farming, fishing, and operating motorboats to take tourists to explore the rapids on the Serepok River and the Seven Branches Waterfall.
Elephant King Island is quite spacious and airy, surrounded by streams, making it very picturesque. Another highlight is that from the island, you can see the sunset behind the tall, bare trees, or even the sunrise over the nearby Serepok River. You can use a SUP board to paddle out onto the river and enjoy the pristine beauty of Elephant King Island in the gentle sunlight. What could be better than camping with such a view?
Around 7-8 am the following morning, you might witness the elephant handler bringing the elephants from the forest back to the village – so that tourists can admire them, take pictures, or even bathe them. This experience is not something you can find everywhere!
If you enjoy immersing yourself in nature amidst the characteristic dipterocarp forests of Buon Don, head to the Dak Minh Lake area, especially during the leaf-changing season, when the dipterocarp forest takes on an even more dreamy beauty. This camping spot is most beautiful from sunset until sunrise, when the sun rises with its scorching rays. I absolutely love the atmosphere here at sunrise; the lake in the early morning is tranquil, becoming hazy with mist drifting gently in the soft sunlight. It's a very pleasant and peaceful feeling.
That's my Buon Ma Thuot; every time I return from Saigon, I see Buon Ma Thuot changing, albeit slowly, like the way the people here enjoy their coffee, but always interesting and new – just like the flavor of their specialty coffee.
