Pleiku is a town in central Vietnam, located in that nation's central highland region. It is the capital of the Gia Lai Province. Many years ago, it was inhabited primarily by the Bahnar and Jarai ethnic groups, sometimes known as the Montagnards or Degar. But now, it is inhabited primarily by Kinh ethnic group. The town is the centre of the urban district of Pleiku which covers an area of 261 km².
The town sits at the junction of several national roads—National Road 14 to Kon Tum in the north and Buon Ma Thuot in the south and National Road 19 to Stœng Treng in Cambodia in the west (via Ratanakiri Province) and to Binh Dinh Province in the east. The city is home to the Hoang Anh Gia Lai football club. Pleiku is served by Pleiku Airport in the near outskirts of the city.
Pleiku does not receive a lot of tourists. Tourists who arrive in this town quickly discover that there are not many attractions, one of them is the Bien Ho (Sea Lake). The Sea Lake locates about six kilometres north of Pleiku. It is created by flooding a crater of an old volcano. The view of this Lake is magnificent. To get the best out of this attraction, you should do a little boat ride. You can also see the mountain range cover in clouds. To get to this lake, visitors should head north on Pham Van Dong and turn right at Ton Duc Thang to get the most beautiful view along the way with a tree-lined path that descends to the crater. There is a jetty with a gazebo, from which visitors can enjoy the best views.
Another attraction is the Dong Xanh Park, or the Fossil Tree Water Park. It is about 10 kilometres outside of Pleiku, this tourist spot has fossilised trees on display, however all the trees here are originally imported from different place. The best time to fully enjoy this park is at the weekends when the waterslides, zoo and crocodile pond are open.
Other places are The Gia Lai and Ho Chi Minh Museums, Yaly Falls, Minh Thanh Pagoda and Phu Cuong Waterfall.
Tourists who enjoy the drinking and party scene at night may be disappointed with what Pleiku has to offer for its nightlife as it is hard to find bars, pubs and nightclubs. The best place to go if you are seeking nightlife’s party is the HAGL (Hoang Anh Gia Lai) Hotel in Phu Dong. The HAGL Hotel can be considered a nightlife destination because it houses a nightclub and a karaoke lounge.
Almost all streets in this city are lined with shops that sell wholesale merchandise. Pleiku is also one of only two cities (the other is Buon Ma Thuat) that sells authentic Central Highlands hill tribe handicrafts. Visitors who are fortunate enough to reach this area in Vietnam can get really unique souvenirs.
Unfortunately, the shopping scene is Pleiku also fuelled by poaching with many stores that sell products from endangered species. For instance, leopards and marbled cats are often killed to be stuffed and sold, the teeth and claws of Asian black bears and moon bears are also extracted and made into lucky charms and souvenirs. Two of the most shocking pieces sold in the city are rhino skin and dried forest cow stomach; the former is taken from the Javan Rhino, one of the rarest mammals in the world, while the latter is from the endangered Gayal or Gaur.
Pleiku is a rather a sleepy town, which is why it is not frequently visited by many visitors. The best thing to do while in the city is sightseeing, since the area does have picturesque views and the best way to explore Pleiku is to go on a tour.
There are many tour options that visitors can choose from such as tours of the Banhar and Jarai ethnic minority villages that last half a day; there are also day-long tribal village hiking excursions, which prove to be the most exciting. Meanwhile, there are boat tours that involve a visit to Bat Cave Island, among others. Tours which feature elephant rides and folk shows are highly recommended.
There are three Vietnam Airlines flights to Pleiku every week both from Ho Chi Minh City and Danang. The airport is five kilometres from town and easily accessible by taxi or xe om and there are many buses that get to and around the city. Pleiku's Ben Xe Duc Long Gia Lai, which is about 2.5 kilometres southeast of town, is one of the nicest looking bus stations.
There also is an express bus service from Ho Chi Minh City to Pleiku, but the trip takes 15 hours. It’s better to travel via minibuses or rental cars from Danang or Ho Chi Minh City. There is no railway service in the Central Highlands.
The best time to visit Pleiku is between November and April. During these months, there are lesser chances of rain. It is not practical to visit the city during the wet season from May to October.
You will need a permit to visit Gia Lai Province and will be required to hire a guide.
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