Dak Lak, the land of “yellow flowers on green grass”, is an attractive destination with pristine beaches, unique Ganh Da Dia, and a culture imbued with the Central region. Just a short flight from Hanoi, Tuy Hoa – the capital of Dak Lak – offers a wonderful experience with Vung Ro Bay, Xep Beach, and unique cuisine such as tuna eyes, O Loan blood cockles. With 4 days and 3 nights of self-sufficient travel, you will discover the natural beauty, culture, and cuisine of this land.
This article provides detailed 2025 itineraries, practical tips, and cost-saving tips, suitable for beginners, professional travelers , and explorers.
Why choose Dak Lak self-guided tour 4 days 3 nights?
Dak Lak is a perfect combination of blue sea, mountains, and historical relics such as Nhan Tower, O Loan Lagoon. From the beautiful scenes in the movie “I see yellow flowers on green grass” at Bai Xep, to Ganh Da Dia – a unique natural wonder, Dak Lak brings an unforgettable experience.
With 4 days and 3 nights, you have enough time to explore the highlights, enjoy Central cuisine, and immerse yourself in the peaceful atmosphere. Independent travel helps you to be flexible with your time, save costs compared to package tours, and freely experience in your own way. In 2025, with developed tourism infrastructure, Dak Lak is an ideal destination for all tourists.
Is 4 days and 3 nights enough to explore Dak Lak? With a reasonable plan, you will fully experience the nature, culture, and cuisine of this land. Let's explore the detailed schedule below!
Prepare before your self-guided tour to Dak Lak 2025
To make your trip smooth and economical, you need to prepare carefully. Here are the specific steps:
- Best time: March-May (spring, cool weather 20-28°C) and September-November (autumn, less rain) are the best times to swim and explore. Avoid June-August because of storms. Check the 7-day weather forecast with AccuWeather.
- Transportation: From Hanoi, fly to Tuy Hoa airport (800,000-2,000,000 VND/way, Vietjet, Bamboo Airways, 1.5 hours). In Tuy Hoa, rent a motorbike (100,000-150,000 VND/day, contact Mr. Hung 0905.123.456) or taxi (500,000 VND/day) to explore. Motorbikes are a popular choice to go to places like Ganh Da Dia, Bai Xep.
- Finance: Estimated cost 3,000,000-5,000,000 VND/person (airfare, transportation, food, accommodation, sightseeing tickets). Bring 1,000,000 VND in cash/person and a bank card (ATMs are popular in Tuy Hoa).
- Accommodation: Book a homestay (250,000-600,000 VND/night, Sala Tuy Hoa, Coconut Homestay) or a 2-3 star hotel (600,000-1,500,000 VND/room/night, Kaya Hotel, Cendeluxe Hotel) via Booking, Traveloka. Choose an area near Tuy Hoa beach or the ward center for easy travel.
- Luggage: Bring swimsuit, light jacket, sneakers, hat, sunglasses, sunscreen (SPF 50+), folding umbrella, personal medication. Prepare a small backpack with drinking water (2 bottles of 500ml) and snacks (bread, sticky rice, 50,000 VND) to save money.
- Supported applications: Google Maps, Vietmap for location; Traveloka, Klook for booking flights, hotels; Foody for finding restaurants. Download offline map of Dak Lak for use when there is no internet.
Tip: Book your flight early through Vietjet or Bamboo Airways to save 10-20% on the cost. Check the motorbike (brakes, tires, fuel) before renting to ensure safety.
Detailed 4-day, 3-night Dak Lak travel itinerary 2025
The itinerary is designed to explore the highlights of Dak Lak, from Ganh Da Dia, Vung Ro Bay, Bai Xep, to special cuisine such as ocean tuna eyes, O Loan blood cockles. Use a motorbike to optimize the experience. Here is the detailed plan:
Day 1: Hanoi – Tuy Hoa – Tuy Hoa Beach – Nhan Tower
6:00: Depart from Hanoi
Fly from Noi Bai airport to Tuy Hoa airport (800,000-2,000,000 VND/way, 1.5 hours). Arrive in Tuy Hoa around 8:30, take a taxi to the center (100,000 VND). Check in at homestay/hotel (250,000-1,500,000 VND/night). Rent a motorbike (100,000 VND/day).
9:30: Breakfast and visit Tuy Hoa beach
Have breakfast with fish cake noodle soup at Ba Tam restaurant (Le Duan street, 30,000 VND/serving), a Dak Lak specialty. Ride a motorbike to Tuy Hoa beach (2km, free). Swim in the sea, take photos with the white sand and blue waves. Visit time is about 1.5 hours.
12:00: Lunch and visit Nhan tower
Lunch at Cay Dua Restaurant (Nguyen Hue Street) with Tuy Hoa chicken rice, jellyfish salad (80,000 VND/meal). Ride a motorbike to Nhan Tower (2km, free). Learn about the history of the ancient Cham tower, take photos with the unique architecture. Visiting time is about 1 hour.
15:00: Thanh Luong Pagoda
Ride a motorbike to Thanh Luong Pagoda (10km, free). Admire the unique architecture made from coral and coconut shells, enjoy the peaceful atmosphere. Visiting time is about 1 hour.
17:00: Watch the sunset at the beach
Return to Tuy Hoa beach to watch the sunset. Relax on a lounger (VND 20,000/each) or take a walk along the beach.
18:30: Dinner with tuna eyes
Dinner at Little Seafood Restaurant (Le Duan Street) with tuna eye stewed with Chinese herbs (100,000 VND/serving) and grilled seafood (150,000 VND/person). Stroll around Tuy Hoa at night, enjoy coffee at Highlands Coffee (40,000 VND/cup). Overnight in Tuy Hoa.
Day 2: Ganh Da Dia – O Loan Lagoon – Blood cockles
6:30: Have breakfast and depart for Ganh Da Dia
Have breakfast with rice vermicelli and pork intestines at Ba Nam restaurant (Tran Phu street, 40,000 VND/serving). Ride a motorbike to Ganh Da Dia (40km, ticket 20,000 VND/person). Admire the natural wonder with unique hexagonal basalt rocks, take photos with the blue sea. Visiting time is about 1.5 hours.
10:30: Mang Lang Church
Ride a motorbike to Mang Lang Church (10km, free). Explore the oldest church in Dak Lak, where the story of Saint Andrew Dak Lak is kept. Take photos with the ancient Gothic architecture. Visiting time is about 1 hour.
12:30: Lunch at O Loan lagoon
Ride a motorbike to O Loan lagoon (20km, free). Have lunch at O Loan Restaurant with tamarind-fried cockles and king crab (150,000-200,000 VND/person). Enjoy the windy lagoon scenery and take photos with the sunset. Time to visit and eat is about 2 hours.
15:30: Return to Tuy Hoa
Motorbike ride to Tuy Hoa (30km). Rest at homestay or walk around Tuy Hoa beach.
18:30: Dinner and walk around town
Dinner at Dragon Shrimp Seafood Restaurant with seafood hotpot, grilled squid (150,000 VND/person). Stroll around 1/4 Square, enjoy milk tea at TocoToco (40,000 VND/cup). Overnight in Tuy Hoa.
Day 3: Bai Xep – Mui Dien – Vung Ro Bay
6:30: Have breakfast and depart for Xep beach
Have breakfast with wet rice paper and beef sausage at a local restaurant (VND 30,000/meal). Ride a motorbike to Xep beach (15km, free). Admire the “yellow flowers on green grass”, take photos with the grasslands and blue sea. Swim in the sea if you want. Visit time is about 1.5 hours.
9:30: Mui Dien - Dai Lanh Lighthouse
Ride a motorbike to Mui Dien (30km, ticket 20,000 VND/person). Climb Dai Lanh lighthouse - the place to welcome the first sunrise in Vietnam. Watch the blue sea and take panoramic photos. Visiting time is about 1.5 hours.
12:00: Lunch at Vung Ro Bay
Motorbike ride to Vung Ro Bay (10km, free). Lunch at Vung Ro Restaurant with grilled lobster, steamed grouper (200,000 VND/person). Swimming or SUP (100,000 VND/hour). Time to visit and eat about 2 hours.
15:30: Return to Tuy Hoa
Motorbike ride to Tuy Hoa (40km). Rest at homestay or walk on the beach.
18:30: Dinner and explore street food
Dinner at Tuy Hoa night market with banh beo, seafood banh xeo (30,000-50,000 VND/serving). Enjoy coffee at Sea View Coffee (40,000 VND/cup) with sea view. Overnight in Tuy Hoa.
Day 4: Tuy Hoa Market – Shopping for specialties – Return to Hanoi
7:00: Breakfast and visit Tuy Hoa market
Have breakfast with beef noodle soup at a local restaurant (40,000 VND/portion). Ride a motorbike to Tuy Hoa market (2km, free). Buy specialties such as squid with tamarind sauce (150,000 VND/package), Dak Lak fish sauce (100,000 VND/liter), fish cake (200,000 VND/kg). Negotiate the price to reduce 10-15%. Visit time is about 1 hour.
9:30: Relax at Tuy Hoa beach
Return to Tuy Hoa beach to relax, take photos, or swim. Rent a lounge chair (VND 20,000/chair) if needed.
11:30: Lunch and check out
Lunch at Bien Xanh Restaurant with seafood fried rice, anchovy salad (100,000 VND/meal). Check out of homestay/hotel.
13:00: Depart for Hanoi
Take a taxi to Tuy Hoa airport (100,000 VND). Fly back to Hanoi (800,000-2,000,000 VND/way). Arrive at Noi Bai around 4:30 p.m., end of trip.
Compare independent travel and package tours
To choose the right form, below is a comparison table between independent travel and package tours:
Criteria | Independent travel | Package tour |
---|---|---|
Expense | 3,000,000-5,000,000 VND/person (airfare, transportation, food, accommodation, tickets) | 4,500,000-7,000,000 VND/person (including airfare, car, food, accommodation, tickets) |
Flexible | High, free to arrange schedule | Low, fixed schedule |
Experience | Authentic, close to nature and local cuisine | Convenient, with tour guide to share knowledge |
Suitable for | Young, experienced, love to explore | Newbies, families, large groups |
Tips: Self-guided tours are ideal for those who love to explore and want to flexibly experience Ganh Da Dia and Bai Xep. Package tours are suitable for beginners or businesses organizing team building (for example: Vietravel, prices from 4,500,000 VND/person). Book a tour through a reputable company to ensure quality.
Tips to save money when traveling independently to Dak Lak 2025
To optimize costs, apply the following tips:
- Book early: Book flights and homestays 1-2 months in advance through Traveloka or Klook to save 10-20% on costs.
- Choose a reasonable restaurant: Eat at a cheap restaurant like Ba Tam, Be Nho (30,000-100,000 VND/meal) instead of a high-class restaurant. Buy snacks at the market to save money.
- Group travel: Share homestay and motorbike costs to reduce 20-30% of personal expenses.
- Smart shopping: Negotiate prices for specialties at Tuy Hoa market, buy early in the morning to get fresh products and good prices (10-15% discount).
- Free priority points: Visit Xep beach, O Loan lagoon, Nhan tower to save on ticket costs.
Note: Bring sunscreen and swimsuit for swimming. Check the weather to avoid storms, contact Tuy Hoa airport (0257.382.5555) if you need assistance.
Experience unique cuisine in Dak Lak
Dak Lak is famous for its rich Central cuisine. Here are some dishes not to be missed:
- Tuna eyes: Stewed with Chinese herbs, rich and fatty, price 100,000 VND/serving (Be Nho restaurant).
- O Loan blood cockles: Fried with tamarind or grilled, price 150,000 VND/kg (O Loan restaurant).
- Fish cake noodle soup: Sweet and clear broth, price 30,000 VND/serving (Ba Tam restaurant).
- Tuy Hoa chicken rice: Shredded chicken, price 80,000 VND/serving (Cay Dua restaurant).
- Rice vermicelli with pork offal: Served with raw vegetables, price 40,000 VND/serving (Ba Nam restaurant).
Tip: Go in groups of 4-6 to order a seafood combo, save 20%. Ask for the price before ordering to avoid miscalculation.
Fun activities in Dak Lak
Besides sightseeing, Dak Lak has many interesting activities:
- Swimming: Swimming at Xep beach, Tuy Hoa beach, or Vung Ro bay.
- Check-in for virtual life: Ganh Da Dia, Bai Xep, Mui Dien, and O Loan lagoon are beautiful photo spots.
- Cultural discovery: Learn about the history of Nhan tower and Mang Lang church.
- SUP: Try SUP at Vung Ro Bay (100,000 VND/hour).
Tip: Bring spare batteries to take photos comfortably. Respect local culture, do not litter at tourist attractions.
Frequently asked questions when traveling to Dak Lak
1. What is special about Dak Lak?
Dak Lak is famous for Ganh Da Dia, Bai Xep, Vung Ro Bay, and cuisine such as tuna eyes and O Loan blood cockles.
2. Is 4 days and 3 nights enough to explore?
Enough to visit the main spots such as Ganh Da Dia, Bai Xep, Mui Dien, and enjoy the cuisine with a reasonable schedule.
3. How much does the trip cost?
Self-sufficient about 3,000,000-5,000,000 VND/person, package tour from 4,500,000-7,000,000 VND/person.
4. Are there any special preparations required?
Bring swimsuit, sunscreen, light jacket. Book flight and homestay early, check weather before trip.
5. What to do if it rains?
Check the weather forecast 7 days in advance. If it rains, visit Nhan Tower, Mang Lang Church, or stay at a cafe in Tuy Hoa.
Dak Lak self-guided tour for 4 days and 3 nights is a great opportunity to explore "yellow flowers on green grass", enjoy the wild nature, and enjoy Central cuisine.
With detailed itineraries, practical tips, and cost-saving tips for 2025, you are ready to start this adventure. Pack your bags, book your flights, and explore Dak Lak today!
Source: https://baonghean.vn/tour-du-lich-4n3d-tu-ha-noi-kham-pha-mien-bien-nam-trung-bo-10303158.html
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