Buon Don Village

Buon Don Village, also called Ban Don, is a traditional settlement on the Srepok River in Buon Don District, about 40 km northwest of Buon Ma Thuot in Dak Lak Province. It is notable as the historic center of elephant hunting and taming in the Central Highlands and for the culture of the M'Nong, Ede and Lao communities. The village features traditional long houses, suspension bridges and proximity to Yok Don National Park.

Visitors can expect a riverside village setting on the Srepok River with traditional long houses on stilts, a bamboo suspension bridge, exhibits related to elephant taming history, and cultural displays of the M'Nong and Ede ethnic groups. The area includes open village paths, river views, small museums and tombs, and access to boat trips and guided walks. The surroundings are rural with forest and river landscapes near Yok Don National Park.

Buon Don is historically known as the capital of elephant hunting and domestication in Vietnam, associated with the legendary hunter Khun Yu Nop (Ama Kong) who captured and tamed hundreds of wild elephants in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. The village developed as a settlement of M'Nong, Ede and Lao people along the Srepok River and preserves tombs and artifacts related to this elephant tradition.

The village is culturally significant for the M'Nong, Ede and Lao ethnic communities, showcasing traditional long house architecture, gong culture, and customs related to elephants and river life. It reflects the intangible heritage of the Central Highlands and serves as a center for preserving local crafts, music and community traditions.