Dak Lak is in the centre of the Central Highlands consisting of four other provinces namely Gia Lai, Kon Tum, Lam Dong, and Dak Nong. To the north, the province is neighboring Gia Lai, which is on the National Highway 14 running to Da Nang Economic Centre, Dung Quat Industrial Zone, and Chu Lai Open Economic Zone (in Quang Nam and Quang Ngai). Along the National Highway 26 to the east, the province is next to Khanh Hoa province – a nationally significant centre for tourism with the seaport favourable for foreign trading. To the South of the Province, the National Highway 14 runs across Dak Nong, Binh Phuoc, Binh Duong on to Ho CHi Minh City – the key economic centre in Southern Vietnam. To the west of the province, across Dak Rue border gate lies Cambodia Kingdom.
It is supposed that the convenience in transportation amidst the area will surely provide favourable condition for the development of service and commerce. In parallel with the restoration of Ho Chi Minh Trail budgeted by the Government, a series of projects have been invested in order to exploiting the advantages of this route. Typically, the construction of Bo Y Border Gate and the roads forming branches of the Trans-Asia road which runs from Con Minh (China) to Myanmar, Laos, and Thailand will result in the establishment of the international relationship between North-Eastern provinces of Thailand, Southern provinces of Laos and those in the Central Highlands, Coastal and South-Eastern areas of Vietnam. This will also attract foreign visitors to the Central Highlands and Dak Lak as well as tourists from Dak Lak to travel abroad.
The investment into further construction and improvement of the current province’s internal traffic will apparently facilitate the trading with Cambodia.
With such advantages, Dak Lak is assumed to be the centre for commodity exchange among areas, which in return paves the way for developing tourism and services in the coming years.
It is estimated that the total number of kilometres of the national highway in the province is 397.5 of which:
– 126 kilometres counting from the border with Gia Lai to that with Dak Nong is of the National Highway 14
– 119 kilometres counting form the border with Khanh Hoa to Buon Ma Thuot city is of the National Highway 26
– 84 kilometres counting from Buon Ma Thuot city to the border with Lam Dong is of the National Highway 27
– 68.5 kilometres counting from the border with Gia Lai to that with Dak Nong is of the National Highway 14C.
Airway: Daily flights on medium-sized airplane A320 from Buon Ma Thuot to Hanoi, Ho Chi Minh City, and Da Nang and vice versa are always available.
Buon Ma Thuot Airport is curently invested to improve its facilities which will meet the demand for transportation in the future.
Bus transport: At present, bus lines are available to various places in Buon Ma Thuot City and from Buon Ma Thuot City to the centres of almost all the districts, both meeting the demand for travelling and reducing the traffic accidents.
Scheme for road traffic from 2010 to 2020
From now to the year 2020, as planned, the current road traffic is supposed to be restored and improved. Furthermore, constructions of new roads which are of great significance for ensuring the density of road network of over 0.6 kilometre per square kilometre will also be carried out with an attempt to have 100 percent of the province and districts’ urban roads covered by asphalt or concrete and 50 percent of the communes’ roads stiffened.
It is anticipated that the scheme of road network construction in Dak Lak Province will be as follows:
– Improve the four National Highways running across the province and all of current roads around the province
– Embark on the construction of new national highway from Dak Lak to Phu Yen and Truong Son Dong highway, upgrade the current district-level roads to provincial level.
– Restore and improve the system of district-level, urban, surburban roads and roads for agricultural and forestry purposes.
– Establish a relatively complete network of roads connecting with the national road network and the routes within the delta of Vietnam, Laos and Cambodia.
Scheme for construction of fixed traffic buildings:
– Build up a stopover at Ha Lan Pass in Krong Buk District on Ho Chi Minh Trail.
– Plan to construct 3 long-distance bus stations in Buon Ma Thuot city and 1 bus station in the centre of the city; establish a network of bus stops inside and outside the city; build up 3 parking areas for cars, lorries, and tourist buses in tourist attractions, trade centres, and market. As scheduled,there will be 1 to 2 long-distance bus stations in every district
– It is anticipated that one Driving Test Centre and a network of Centres for Vehicle Inspection and Register in Buon Ma Thuot, Eakar and Krong Buk districts will be constructed.
Airway At present, Buon Ma Thuot Airport with a capacity of receiving 150,000 passengers per year is of grade 4E which only meets the safety requirements for A321 airplane to take off and land. By the year 2010, it is estimated that the airport has received 300,000 passengers per year. It is anticipated that the number of passengers and freights will be 800,000 and 3,000 tons per year in 2020 respectively.
Railway: According to the traffic scheme, the railway route from Tuy Hoa to Buon Ma Thuot is supposed to be 160 kilometres in length, 85 kilometres of which is in Dak Lak territory. There will be 8 stations along the route, 5 of which are in Dak Lak territory.