HÀ NỘI — Coffee-aholics could enjoy their favourite drink for free while immersing themselves in coffee-themed festivities by visiting a festival within a festival, in the coffee heartland of Việt Nam.

Everyone is welcome to visit the ninth Buôn Ma Thuột Coffee Festival, which takes place in the city in the central highlands province of Đắk Lắk from March 9-13.

A unique treat, they are also being invited to taste coffee roasted over a wood stove in the stilt house of H'Hen Niê's parents, the Miss Universe Vietnam 2017 winner and a top five finalist at the Miss Universe contest in 2018.

Deputy Chairman of the Đắk Lắk Province People's Committee and Head of the Festival Organising Committee Nguyễn Tuấn Hà said the event commemorates the 50th anniversary of the Victory of Buôn Ma Thuột and the liberation of Đắk Lắk Province (March 10, 1975 - March 10, 2025). It also celebrates the beginning of the general offensive and uprising in the Spring of 1975, leading to the liberation of the South and the reunification of the country.

But exciting coffee fans will be all the elements to promote the special Buôn Ma Thuột coffee brand, with organisers aiming to make the destination the number one 'Coffee City of the World'. The festival will spill over into enhancing the position of the Vietnamese coffee industry on the international stage, while also boosting socio-economic development and tourism of Đắk Lắk Province.

The festivities within the festival will honour coffee growers, processors and businesses, he said, adding that they would showcase tourism, while also promoting investment in the coffee sector and other agricultural products.

It will also introduce and promote the unique traditional culture of the various ethnic groups in the region, particularly the 'Cultural Space of Tây Nguyên Gongs' – a masterpiece of oral heritage and an intangible cultural heritage of humanity, he said.

According to Deputy Director of the Department of Culture, Sports, and Tourism of Đắk Lắk Province Lại Đức Đại, the ninth Buôn Ma Thuột Coffee Festival 2025 will include 15 activities, namely the opening and closing ceremonies, a specialised coffee and OCOP product exhibition fair, an international trade conference, a street festival, Lắk wooden boat racing and the Buôn Đôn Elephant Festival. 

The opening ceremony of the festival, themed 'Buôn Ma Thuột – The Destination of World Coffee' will take place on March 10 at the 10/3 Square. It will highlight not only the culture, essence, people and nature of the Central Highlands but also international elements for integration with the world.

Notably, Executive Director of the International Coffee Organisation (ICO) Vanúsia Nogueira will attend and present a speech.

The new highlights of this year’s event will be a digital content creation competition to promote the festival online, the groundbreaking ceremony for the Trung Nguyên Legend Coffee Energy Factory and a coffee camp titled 'Companion and Share' at the CADA historical and cultural site in Krông Pắc District.

Miss Universe Vietnam 2017 and top five finalist at the 2018 Miss Universe competition, H’Hen Niê, and Miss Vietnam Tourism Ambassador 2024 Đinh Thị Hoa, both of whom are from Đắk Lắk, are media ambassadors for this year's festival. 

“This is the third year I have taken over the position as an ambassador for Buôn Ma Thuột Coffee Festival. I’m filled with emotions, happiness and proud”, said H’Hen Niê. “I hope to spread the love of coffee to everyone.”

“As an ambassador of Buôn Ma Thuột Coffee Festival this year, I would love to invite you all to enjoy and come to my hometown Buôn Ma Thuột City to enjoy the most yummy delicious coffee in the world,” said Hoa.

“I believe that you not only experience the best coffee, but also get a lot of business opportunities from our coffee beans as well as enjoy cultural performances during the festival this March.”

More information about the festival can be found on its official website lehoicaphe.vn and fanpage facebook.com/lehoicaphevn.

Buôn Ma Thuột boasts the country's largest coffee farming area, with about 210,000 hectares dedicated to coffee cultivation. The annual harvest exceeds 520,000 tonnes, accounting for over 30 per cent of the national output. — VNS