Dong Xanh Park, Pleiku: ward, what's inside, with kids

If you want a place close to town where the whole family can walk for half a day and meet Central Highlands culture, Dong Xanh Park (Cong vien Dong Xanh) is worth considering. Before you set off you need two things: the ward’s current name, so you can ask directions, and a phone number, so you can ask about tickets. For more places to go, see things to do around Pleiku.

Where Dong Xanh Park is and which ward it belongs to now

The park is a cultural space of the northern Central Highlands, built by the Gia Lai Culture and Tourism Joint Stock Company and located in xa An Phu, Pleiku city. That is the administrative name from before 1 July 2025, so you need one more step: Resolution 1664/NQ-UBTVQH15 merges the whole area and population of phuong Thang Loi, xa Chu A and xa An Phu into one new ward called phuong An Phu (clause 123). Put the two together and the old xa An Phu is now inside phuong An Phu.

The park’s own Facebook page gives its address as To 12, phuong An Phu, and the Gia Lai tourism portal also says phuong An Phu. So when you ask a driver or a local, say “cong vien Dong Xanh, phuong An Phu”; “xa An Phu” is the name you will still meet on older travel pages. We recommend setting the park’s name as your destination on the map rather than typing an address.

Getting there from central Pleiku

From the middle of town, follow Highway 19 for about 10 km and you reach Dong Xanh. That is the distance only, not the time spent at traffic lights or parking, so leave a little slack if you have something booked afterwards.

It is one straight road, which suits a motorbike, taxi or Grab. If you have no wheels yet, read how to rent a motorbike in Pleiku before you fix the day. Arrange a pick-up time with your driver for the way back, because the park is on the edge of the city, not in the middle of it.

What is inside the park

The park covers about 8 ha, laid out on a paddy field of about 14 ha, so there is room to walk slowly and stop for photos. The core is Central Highlands architecture: rong houses (communal houses), long houses, stilt houses and grave houses, plus a water T’rung xylophone and a set of gongs. If you want to know why gong music matters here, the page on Gia Lai gongs tells the story.

The most solemn spot is the temple of the national ancestor, the Hung Kings, with 18 statues of the kings in front, each 6 m tall. Beside it stand the fossilised trunk of a giant tree, more than 1 m across, and a copy of the One Pillar Pagoda built like the original in Ha Noi. Two stone elephants stand for the culture of hunting and taming elephants, while the Water King and Fire King statues are two key symbols of the natural beliefs of the Central Highlands peoples. The park also shows the largest bronze gong in Viet Nam, recorded in the Guinness Viet Nam book of records.

On the water you can take a boat ride, pedal a swan boat or fish. The park also hosts a gong festival, a statue-carving contest and spring festivals every year, so if you are visiting around a festival, ask beforehand what is on.

Is it good with small children?

Yes, if you want an easy walk where the child still has something to look at. Families often choose Dong Xanh for a weekend outing because there is a children’s play area and a food area. You may bring light snacks as long as you keep the park clean, so packing biscuits and water for your child breaks no rule.

For small children, the wooden statues, long houses and rong houses are the easiest places to tell a story. Show your child a wooden grave-house-style figure and ask what shape they see, and the trip becomes a small lesson in culture. If you would rather eat there, the food area serves com lam, ruou can, ruou ghe and grilled game meat. We recommend asking the price before you order, and choosing separate dishes for small children, because grilled meat and ruou can are food for adults.

If what you want is a real village with people living their everyday lives, a park cannot replace it. In that case see Plei Op village.

Tickets, opening hours and parking: who to ask

Ticket prices and opening hours can change with the season and on holidays, so the surest way is to call the park on 0985 029 569 before you go. Ask four things: adult and child ticket prices, opening and closing time, where to park and the parking fee, and whether any event is on that day. One short call saves the family from standing at the gate without knowing what they will pay.

On parking, a Bao Gia Lai report of 31 January 2025 says that over Tet (Lunar New Year) the parking fee at Dong Xanh rose to three times the usual rate, to 15,000 dong per motorbike and 30,000 dong per car. That is the Tet 2025 price, not a year-round one. We recommend expecting crowds and higher parking if you go over Tet, and asking for the current fee when you call.

What to pair it with for the day

The park is about 10 km from the centre, close enough for a morning visit and lunch back in town. If you want a second stop, see weekend trips near Pleiku, where places are lined up by distance from town.

The trip is more relaxed if you make Dong Xanh the main stop, spend about half a day there, and only then think about another place. The rong houses, long houses and temple are in the same grounds, so you do not have to travel much between them. Go early while it is cool, and if you come by car, ask about parking and the fee in advance.