Wild sunflower season in Pleiku

Worried you will arrive too early for the sunflowers, or too late? The season is short. Below: when they bloom, where to see them near town, and when the festival week falls.

When wild sunflowers bloom in Pleiku, and for how long

Torn between late October and mid-November? Aim for late October into early November: that is when the flowers usually open, and full bloom lasts only about two to three weeks. Chư Đăng Ya volcano is covered in yellow in the dry season, with the peak at the same time.

Locals read the bloom as the start of the Central Highlands dry season, the season of festivals. The flowers follow each year’s weather, so dates can slip: in 2022 the slopes turned yellow in mid-November, from the foot of the hill to the crater rim. Miss the peak and you still have chances, because from October to December flowers light up roads and hillsides across the Central Highlands.

Full bloom is short, so a few days before you travel, ask someone in Pleiku whether the flowers are yellow yet before you book transport.

The flower goes by several names, such as sơn quỳ, wild daisy and wild sunflower, so any news article using one of them is about the same plant.

Where to see wild sunflowers around Pleiku

Only half a day? Wild sunflowers grow along roads, hillsides and valleys all over Gia Lai, but the best display is at the foot of Chư Đăng Ya volcano, in Biển Hồ commune, about 30 km north-east of central Pleiku. Give it a whole morning. Directions, tickets and the mountain’s other flower seasons are in our Chư Đăng Ya volcano guide.

The climb to the crater is about 400 m, steep and hard going, so wear shoes with grip and go before the sun is strong. The volcano is open daily from 4:30 am to 6 pm, so you can start at sunrise.

Just want to look from the car? Take National Road 14 from Pleiku toward Buôn Ma Thuột and you pass the foot of Hàm Rồng Mountain, where wild sunflowers spread a golden carpet over a wide area. It is a direction to try, not a promise that it is yellow every year.

Wild Sunflower and Chư Đăng Ya Volcano Week through the years

The festival dates move from year to year. These are the years with clear dates:

The week has been an annual event, shifting by about three days around mid-November; in 2024 it ran 6 to 12 November, with most events packed into 8 to 10 November. In 2026 it is different: it merges with the gong festival into a ten-day run.

Specifically, from 30 October to 1 November the events are centred on Ia Gri village in Biển Hồ commune; the peak period, 6 to 8 November, is held at Great Unity Square (Đại Đoàn Kết), the Pleiku museum and some central streets. The international gong night is planned for the evening of 7 November at Great Unity Square. In 2024 Ia Gri belonged to Chư Đăng Ya commune, Chư Păh district (old name), while in 2026 it is in Biển Hồ commune, so do not worry if you see two names for one place.

The event has also been adjusted from an international focus to a national one, though some still call it the international festival. Go by date and place, and remember the 2026 dates are planned.

The 2024 week included a re-enactment of the Jrai new-rice ceremony, weaving and brocade contests and a balloon release, plus a half marathon around the hundred-year-old pine row. For the whole year of festivals in Gia Lai, see our Gia Lai festival calendar or the seasons and festivals section. The flower week usually runs alongside the gong festival, so if you want to hear gongs, read our Gia Lai gongs guide.

To combine flowers on the mountain with the festival nights, split it in two: Ia Gri village early in the week, then the evening of 7 November at Great Unity Square.

Going in festival week: what to prepare

Festival week means busier roads and parking, so work out where to leave your ride ahead of time. The province has asked for parking, power, water and toilets to be sorted around the volcano and Ia Gri village, with a plan for electric shuttles during the event. Check details with the organisers close to your dates, and against the People’s Representative newspaper, the Biển Hồ commune site and the Culture newspaper.

If your dates fall in the rainy season, do not mourn the sunflowers: the mountain turns red with canna flowers, which usually bloom from July to October each year. And for somewhere to rest after a sunny morning, pick a spot from our Pleiku coffee guide.