In the mountains of Quang Ngai Province in central Vietnam, there's a grassland you'd hardly imagine existed until you're right up next to it by car: the Bui Hui Plateau (Bui Hui). On August 8-9, 2026, an estimated 8,500 people gathered on this 100-hectare grassland for the "Plateau Festival." Alongside travelers from Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City, local residents pitched tents, flew kites, and watched the sea of clouds in the morning. While many Japanese visitors travel to Da Nang and Hoi An every year, few yet know the name of this grassland, just a few hours south by car.
This article draws on reporting from the local paper Tuoi Tre News and tourism information to lay out what happened at the festival, then rounds up practical information on access, timing, and highlights for Japanese travelers visiting the Bui Hui Plateau.
8,500 People on 100 Hectares of Grassland: What Happened Over Two Days in Quang Ngai
The festival's official name was the "2026 Bui Hui Plateau Festival." It was held in Dang Thuy Tram Commune, Quang Ngai Province, under the theme "Touching the Clouds, Touching Memory, Touching the Future." The plateau that hosted it spans roughly 100 hectares, of which about 20 hectares is a hillside covered in rose myrtle shrubs (sim, a close relative of Japan's tennika).
Simple pleasures took center stage over the two days: tents scattered across the grassland, colorful kites drifting in the sky, trekking, time spent watching the clouds, and views of distant mountains and forests through telescopes. At night, a program of songs and dances inspired by the mountains, the forest, and Hre culture took the stage. Rather than flashy attractions, a design built around simply enjoying the high-altitude grassland itself is what drew a crowd of 8,500.
It's also worth noting that the festival was timed to mark the first anniversary of Dang Thuy Tram Commune's founding. The commune is named after Dang Thuy Tram, a doctor from Hanoi who died on the battlefield in 1970. The debut of a new local administrative unit and the launch of a grassland that had never before appeared on the tourist map came together in a single festival.
Figures we could verify
| Item | Figures and details | Sources |
|---|---|---|
| Attendance | Estimated: approx. 8,500 people | Tuoi Tre News（2026-08-09） |
| Area of the grassland | About 100 hectares (including approx. 20ha of sim-covered hillside) | Tuoi Tre News |
| Dates | August 8-9, 2026 | Tuoi Tre News |
| Distance from Quang Ngai City | About 60km to the southwest | Tuoi Tre News / VietnamNet |
| Elevation | Nearly 700 meters | VietnamNet |
Note: admission fees, vendor prices, accommodation costs, and other such figures were not given in the primary source, so this article doesn't address them. Only figures that could be confirmed are included.
About 60km from Quang Ngai City, a one-hour climb up winding mountain roads
The Bui Hui Plateau lies about 60 kilometers southwest of Quang Ngai's provincial capital. After the administrative reorganization it now falls under Dang Thuy Tram Commune, but geographically it sits in the mountainous area formerly known as Ba To (Ba Tơ) District. According to VietnamNet, the trip from the city takes "about an hour," climbing a road that winds through the hills and is rough in places.
For Japanese travelers, the realistic entry point is to fly into Da Nang or Ho Chi Minh City first, then head for Quang Ngai. Since Quang Ngai sits on the north-south railway line and National Highway 1, it's accessible by train or bus heading south from Da Nang. Public transport thins out between the provincial capital and the plateau, so a chartered car or motorbike is essentially a given. Since the road isn't fully paved, it's safer to avoid the rainy season and arrange a driver experienced with the route.
At an elevation of nearly 700 meters, the air is colder than in lowland Quang Ngai. Temperatures drop at night, and it gets windy. If you're camping or chasing the morning sea of clouds, bring light warm clothing and shoes that can handle damp grass.
Hre Gong Music and a "Cloud Market" Lined with Wild Greens
What sets the Bui Hui Plateau apart from just another grassland is the presence of the Hre people, who live at its foot. Songs and dances from this land filled the festival's night stage. The gong performances that are a traditional Hre art form are listed as a Vietnamese National Intangible Cultural Heritage. The lives of people who have terraced the hillsides and built red-roofed hamlets in the valley add depth to the grassland scenery. Being able to walk through both minority culture and stunning scenery in one place echoes the appeal ofSapa tourism— in the north.
At the "Bui Hui Cloud Market," held alongside the festival, locals sold the bounty of the mountains: wild greens, mountain specialties, and sim fruit, which is fast becoming synonymous with the plateau. The sim's purple flowers bloom in May and June, and the fruit that ripens afterward is eaten fresh or used in fruit wine and processed goods. A "something you can only get here" souvenir is taking shape for visitors to bring home.
Unlike Sapa or Quy Nhon, a Central Vietnam Grassland Not Yet on the Tourist Map
Mention "grassland, ethnic minorities, stunning scenery" in Vietnam, and most people picture Sapa in the north. Sitting at an elevation of about 1,600 meters, Sapa is already a world-famous destination with well-established routes through Hmong and Dao villages. The Bui Hui Plateau is its opposite. The elevation is roughly half that, the infrastructure and roads are still a work in progress, and in exchange it still has an uncrowded grassland and a festival that hasn't yet been shaped by tourism.
On the central coast, Quy Nhon was the only place in Vietnam chosen for Lonely Planet's 2026 "Best in Travel" list of 25 destinations worldwide. As a haven for travelers looking to avoid the crowds of Da Nang and Hoi An, the search for central Vietnam's "next move" is gaining momentum.why Quy Nhon made Lonely Planet's Best in Travel 25— it seems natural to read the push behind the Bui Hui Plateau in the same light, as a mountain counterpart. The seeds of central Vietnam's two-pronged draw — Quy Nhon by the sea, Bui Hui in the mountains — are starting to sprout.
Approaching the region through food is another way in. Mi Quang, the yellow noodle dish that originates in Quang Nam Province just north of Quang Ngai, is known as a local specialty whose flavor changes from place to place across central Vietnam.a food-walk guide to Mi Quang— take it with you as you explore around Quang Ngai, and you can connect the plateau's grassland with the lowland's food culture in a single trip.
If Japanese Travelers Visit the Bui Hui Plateau Now
The best window for a visit is summer through autumn, when the festival is held. VietnamNet points to the sim's blooming season in May and June as a highlight; go then if you're after the purple flowers, or choose the dry season if you want to enjoy the sea of clouds and camping. Nights on the plateau are cold, so packing with the heat of daytime Quang Ngai in mind will leave you regretting it.
It's not a fully developed tourist destination, so it's wise to move on the assumption that you'll bring your own water, food, warm clothing, and light. Don't expect permanent facilities like toilets or showers. On the flip side, skip the day the 8,500-strong festival is held, and you get the luxury of having a 100-hectare grassland almost entirely to yourself. For repeat visitors tired of the bustle of Da Nang and Hoi An, Quang Ngai's Bui Hui Plateau is one of the few options for walking through a corner of central Vietnam that Japanese travelers haven't photographed yet.
Sources
- Tuoi Tre News「Central Vietnam’s Bui Hui Plateau Festival lures thousands with vast grasslands, distinctive H’re culture」（2026-08-09）Read the article here
- VietnamNet「Bui Hui Plateau – A hidden gem for nature lovers」Read the article here
