The golden wild sunflower season has transformed the slopes of Chu Dang Ya volcano in Gia Lai province, attracting visitors eager to experience the region's landscapes, culture and distinctive culinary traditions.
In November, Chư Đang Ya (Ia Gri village, Biển Hồ commune, Gia Lai province) enters its most beautiful season of the year as the golden wild sunflowers gradually blanket the mountain slopes. Amidst the vast green highlands, swathes of yellow flowers stretch along the hillsides, adding a vibrant yet pristine beauty to the Central Highlands landscape. The blooming season also marks the time when Chư Đang Ya welcomes a large influx of visitors coming to admire the scenery. Photo: Hoàng Hoài
Beneath the golden hue of the flowers lies the remnant of a volcano that ceased activity millions of years ago. Viewed from above, Chư Đang Ya resembles a giant overturned bowl, its crater opening wide amidst gently sloping hills. After countless seasons of rain and sun, this area has become a fertile land for cultivation, closely tied to generations of the Jrai people. In 2018, Chư Đang Ya was named by the UK's Daily Mail as one of the 10 most beautiful volcanic craters in the world. Photo: Nguyễn Dũng The wild sunflower season, together with a series of events celebrating the Gong Festival – Wild Sunflower Week – Chư Đang Ya Volcano 2026, has turned this place into a rendezvous point, attracting crowds of tourists who come to sightsee, take photos, and experience the natural beauty and festive atmosphere of the highlands. Photo: Hoàng Hoài When the wild sunflowers are in full bloom, the roads of Chư Đang Ya become a gathering place for nature lovers. Visitors leisurely stop by clusters of golden flowers, choosing a quiet corner to capture moments amid the sunlight and rolling highland hills. Photo: Chu Hằng
This year's wild sunflower season holds special significance for the Jrai community in Ia Gri village, as residents joyfully celebrate the inauguration of a new communal house (nhà rông) funded by the Gia Lai Provincial People's Committee.
The joy is multiplied during the housewarming ceremony, accompanied by the resonant sounds of gongs and traditional rituals.
This is also an opportunity for visitors to immerse themselves in the village's cultural space, learn about local customs and traditions, and experience the rich spiritual life of the Jrai people.
The housewarming ceremony for the new nhà rông is organized by the Jrai community of Ia Gri village according to traditional rituals, expressing their happiness at having a new communal space and conveying hopes for peace and prosperity. Photo: Nguyễn Dũng In the cultural and spiritual life of the Jrai people, the nhà rông is a symbol of community solidarity, a venue for communal activities, and a repository of customs passed down through generations. Therefore, upon completion of a new nhà rông, villagers hold a ritual to express gratitude to the Yang (deities), praying for peace, bountiful harvests, and prosperity for the village. Photo: Hoàng Hoài
The series of events under the Gong Festival – Wild Sunflower Week – Chư Đang Ya Volcano 2026 at Chư Đang Ya offers a wealth of experiences for visitors.
Sporting activities, culinary spaces, local product showcases, and vibrant gong performances and cultural exchanges create a lively atmosphere, allowing tourists to both enjoy the floral scenery and immerse themselves in the cultural rhythms of the local community.
The sound of gongs echoes through the festive space, connecting artisans, locals, and visitors in lively dances and xoang rhythms. Photo: Chu Hằng OCOP booths, agricultural products, and traditional handicrafts also attract visitors to explore and learn. This is an opportunity for the locality to promote its specialties, showcase the fruits of local labor, and expand market connections for producers. Photo: Hoàng Hoài
Traditional Jrai dishes are introduced and served to visitors at the festival's culinary booths. Photo: Hoàng Hoài
Gia Lai's Dam San Theater is staging eight cultural performances in border and neighboring communes from October 12 to 21, bringing traditional music, dance and the distinctive heritage of the Central Highlands closer to local communities.
Gia Lai Province has reviewed dossiers proposing national heritage status for the Trường Lũy Gia Lai rampart and national treasure recognition for two groups of Champa-era artifacts, as authorities move to strengthen the legal and scientific basis for their protection.
Kép village has been selected to represent Gia Lai province in Vietnam’s 2026 “Best Rural Tourism Destination” competition, as its Jrai community builds tourism around traditional crafts, food and village life.
Schools and youth organisations are expanding opportunities for young people to learn gong music and xoang dance, with regular practice sessions and new clubs helping pass ethnic traditions from one generation to the next.
Two contestants from Gia Lai, Lê Phương Nghi and Trịnh Ngọc Huyền, have secured places in the Miss Vietnam 2026 finals after being named among the top 25 at the national semi-final in Hai Phong on October 10.
Residents of Bahnar and Jrai villages are using smartphones, social media and photography to bring their culture to wider audiences and attract visitors to community tourism destinations.
Gia Lai province will hold cultural performances, exhibitions and hands-on heritage activities throughout November to mark Vietnam Culture Day 2026, with November 24 as the focal point.
A traditional Jrai ceremony celebrating a new communal house will be recreated on the afternoon of October 31 at the foot of Chư Đang Ya volcano, as a highlight of Gia Lai’s International Gong Festival.
Students at Le Loi High School in Gia Lai province have recreated the cultural spaces of Plei Ơp village using 360-degree virtual reality and artificial intelligence, developing a digital tour intended to make its heritage accessible by smartphone.
In the early days of autumn, as the intense Central Vietnamese heat begins to ease and rain becomes more frequent, An Nhơn takes on a gentler character. The Côn River winds through villages, carrying silt and memories of a land that was once an imperial capital.
Two stone lion statues from Mẫm Tower and a collection of Naga serpent reliefs from Dương Long Tower are being documented for nomination as national treasures, as researchers assess their significance to Champa art and culture during the Vijaya period.
Nearly 100 sixth-grade students in Pleiku Ward, Gia Lai Province, took part in a Mid-Autumn Festival program on September 22 combining books, traditional games and activities designed to promote reading.
Gia Lai province will promote the Vietnamese language and the cultural heritage associated with its development, including the destination described as the “birthplace of the romanized Vietnamese script”, under a new program targeting overseas Vietnamese communities from 2026 to 2030.
Gia Lai Province will hold its first province-wide singing contest in October, seeking to discover promising vocal talent and promote cultural and artistic activities across the province.
The first “Hà Thanh Colors - Radiance on Both Banks” Festival has created a new community space along the Hà Thanh River, bringing residents of Quy Nhơn and Quy Nhơn Đông wards together through cultural, sports and recreational activities.
Gia Lai is embracing the Mid-Autumn Festival with colorful lantern displays, lion dance performances and hands-on craft workshops, giving children and families new ways to enjoy the traditional celebration.
A cultural exhibition in Gia Lai is bringing together heritage, traditional crafts, local specialties and artistic performances from across Vietnam, creating a platform to promote destinations and strengthen links between culture and tourism.
An exhibition in Quy Nhon has brought together cultural traditions, heritage and tourism products from 16 provinces and cities, offering visitors a glimpse into Vietnam’s diverse cultural identity.
An art program in Gia Lai on September 7 brought together traditional performances representing different regions of Vietnam, highlighting the country’s cultural diversity and promoting the image of its people and tourism.
Three Bryde’s whales spotted hunting off Vũng Bồi in Gia Lai have highlighted the ecological richness of the Đề Gi estuary while underscoring the fishing communities’ longstanding culture of respecting and protecting the sea.
Dương Kim Thiên An, a second-grade student at Nguyen Van Troi Primary School in Gia Lai Province, has won four national art awards in 2026, marking a promising start to her journey in painting.
Traditional culture is being brought closer to children in Gia Lai through hands-on activities that allow them to experience gong music, xoang dances and hát bội art rather than simply learn about them through lessons.
Bitterness is the defining taste of traditional Jrai cuisine in Phu Tuc, where forest leaves, bitter vegetables and distinctive cooking methods have shaped dishes closely tied to the community’s way of life.
