Buon Don — Land of Elephants

History & story.

Buon Don sits on the bank of the mighty Serepok River, 50 km northwest of Buon Ma Thuot. The name 'Buon Don' in Lao means 'island village' — a settlement on a spit of land between two branches of the Serepok. The first settlers were Laotian communities migrating down from Luang Prabang around the 17th–18th centuries, later joined by M'Nong and Ede families to create a uniquely multi-ethnic community. Buon Don's prosperity was built on the capture and taming of wild elephants — from the 19th century to the early 20th, the village supplied elephants to the Siamese (Thai), Burmese, and Vietnamese courts. The pinnacle was Elephant King Y Thu Knul (1828–1938), who lived to 110 and tamed over 400 elephants across his lifetime.

The tomb of Elephant King Y Thu Knul stands on a raised mound in a quiet garden. The tomb follows a hybrid Lao–M'Nong architectural style with a red brick dome and elephant-carved stone columns. Y Thu Knul was honoured as 'Elephant King' (Khun Yu Nob in Lao) — the only person in Southeast Asian history to capture and tame a rare white elephant, later presented to the Siamese king. Beside the tomb stands a 130-year-old Laotian-style stilt house — one of the few intact ancient stilt houses in Vietnam, with ironwood columns and floor planks 50 centimetres wide.

The bamboo suspension bridge crossing the Serepok stretches over 1 kilometre — one of Southeast Asia's longest bamboo bridges, woven from fresh bamboo and rebuilt after each flood season. Crossing it means swaying gently above the sound of rushing water, looking down at the Serepok's white-capped rapids — the only westward-flowing river in Vietnam, running contrary to every other in the country. Since 2023, elephant-riding tours at Buon Don have been suspended following international elephant welfare standards — visitors can still meet and feed elephants in a semi-natural sanctuary environment.

Each March, Buon Don hosts the Elephant Racing Festival alongside the Buon Ma Thuot Coffee Festival. The elephant festival is the only occasion in the year when elephants compete directly in speed races, river swimming, and log-pulling contests. On ordinary days, entering Buon Tri A village means entering a rare multi-cultural space: Laotian stilt houses beside Ede longhouses, M'Nong wood-spirit shrines beside Lao Buddhist temples, all coexisting within a few hundred square metres.

Highlights not to miss.

How to visit & get there.

Getting There Buon Don is 50 km northwest of Buon Ma Thuot on Provincial Road DT1. **Motorbike** (60–75 minutes) is the best choice — flat road, light traffic. **Day tours** from Buon Ma Thuot hotels typically combine Buon Don and Yok Don National Park in a single day.

Visiting Tips **Arrive before 8 AM** to avoid midday heat and catch elephants drinking at the riverbank. **Wear long trousers and long sleeves** when entering Yok Don forest — mosquitoes increase in the afternoon. **Do not negotiate** entrance fees at the gate — prices are fixed and revenue funds elephant conservation.