The first-ever provincial-level Dak Lak Durian Festival is running from August 15 to September 2, 2026, with 17 activities and a new Vietnam record for 102 durian-based dishes. The festival's culinary showcase is held right at EcoPalace Dak Lak, drawing hundreds of booths and crowds of visitors.
The 2026 Dak Lak Durian Festival, themed "Dak Lak Durian – Connecting Further" with the slogan "From the Highlands to the World," officially opened at 8:00 PM on August 15, 2026 at 10-3 Square, Buon Ma Thuot ward, running through September 2, 2026. This is the first time the festival has been held at provincial scale, attended by central and provincial leaders along with delegations from Laos and Cambodia.
A series of 17 activities spans Buon Ma Thuot ward, Krong Pak commune, Tuy Hoa ward, and other durian-growing localities across the province. Highlights include a parade of roughly 500 pickup trucks promoting durian on the morning of August 16, the "Sustainable Durian Ecosystem" production-to-consumption forum gathering around 600 delegates, and a new Vietnam record for the "largest durian-carrying basket in Vietnam."
Notably, the durian culinary festival runs from August 15–23, 2026 right at EcoPalace Dak Lak, featuring around 200 booths showcasing local produce, specialties, and durian-based dishes. There, 20 teams from across the country competed and jointly set a new Vietnam record for "102 distinctive dishes combining Dak Lak durian," with the achievement also submitted for Guinness World Records consideration.
With a target of around 300,000 visitors, the festival is not only promoting the Dak Lak durian brand but also turning central Buon Ma Thuot — home to EcoPalace — into a standout destination on the Central Highlands tourism and culinary map this festival season.