To many visitors to the Central Highlands of Dac Lac, riding an elephant in Don Village is one of the highlights.

Located some 50km north-west of Buon Ma Thuot, the capital of Dac Lac, the village is the only place in the country where it is legal to ride these mighty beasts in the Central Highlands. Don Village, home to the Mo Nong, Gia Rai, Ede, Lao, and Thai ethnic groups, is also the centre of elephant hunting and taming in Viet Nam.

The annual elephant riding festival in Don Village features a number of fun events like racing, elephant football, and wading in water.

Tourists can ride elephants through the forests and rivers to explore splendid scenery after getting some valuable advice from their mahouts.

One can hire an elephant to cross the Serepok River and walk across the 100m long Don Village bamboo bridge under the shade of banyan trees. Tourists are advised to buy sugarcanes or fruit for the animals.-VNS