Second durian festival in Vietnam's Dak Lak features street parade, culinary activities

Themed "Krong Pak durian - development and integration", the festival will comprise 12 main activities including a race for public health, a street festival, an ethnic cultural - culinary festival, among others.

Visitors to the event can join tours and taste durian in local gardens.

A highlight of this year’s event will be the appearance of a fabric dragon with a length of 120 meters printed with durian images. Krong Pak District has registered to set a record for the dragon as the longest of its kind in Vietnam.

Durian at a garden in Vietnam's Central Highlands. Photo by VnExpress/Thi Ha

The district, which houses 7,157 hectares of durian, is considered the durian capital of Dak Lak Province.

The festival is an important event for both locality and farmers as it is expected to promote the sustainable development of the durian industry, associated with tourism development and cultural preservation, according to Ngo Thi Minh Trinh, vice chairman of the district People's Committee.

The first edition of the durian festival was held in 2022, attracting 60,000 domestic and foreign visitors.

Durian, nicknamed the king of fruits, is renowned for its unique flavor and aroma and is a popular delicacy in Southeast Asian countries including Vietnam.

Malaysia's tourism industry recently unveiled 62 new durian tour packages with prices costing up to US$960, allowing tourists to visit durian orchards and experience other entertainment, such as glamping or jungle trekking.