Treasure in the middle of the jungle

Recently, Lam Dong province held a ceremony to announce the Decision to recognize the Dak Son lithophone as a national treasure, receive the National Monument Ranking Certificate for the C3-C4, C7-C8 Caves, and announce the list of National Intangible Cultural Heritage for the Tam Blang M'prang Bon Festival. The event marked an important milestone, both affirming the value of cultural and natural heritage and opening up opportunities for sustainable tourism development for the locality.

Unique lithophone and cave

The national treasure Dak Son lithophone was discovered in 2014 in Dak Son village, Nam Xuan commune, Krong No district (formerly Dak Nong ). Scientists have identified the lithophone as one of the oldest musical instruments in Vietnam.

Immediately after the discovery, the Dak Nong Provincial Museum (formerly) surveyed the site, coordinated with the Southern Institute of Social Sciences (HCMC) to conduct archaeological appraisal, measure sound frequency (2016), and excavated to clarify the connection with the Dak Son relic (2017). The instrument was made from rhyolite, a typical stone in the Central Highlands and Southeast.

Dak Son lithophone set

The set is 3,500-3,000 years old, consisting of 16 bars (11 intact bars, 5 broken bars that can be reassembled), rectangular and waist-shaped. Each bar is on average 57cm long, 12.4cm wide, 3cm thick, weighs about 3.9kg, with a pitch ranging from 191.9Hz to 4,500Hz.

The C3-C4, C7, and C8 cave clusters have also just been ranked as National Monuments. These caves were formed 200,000 to 600,000 years ago from the lava flow of the Nam B'Lang volcano.

Cave C3-C4 is nearly 1km long, located in Buon Choah commune and Nam Da commune, Krong No district, former Dak Nong province (now Lam Dong province), is considered one of the most beautiful and unique caves of Dak Nong UNESCO Global Geopark. The Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism ranked this cave cluster as a National Monument in Decision No. 1014/QD-BVHTTDL dated April 14, 2025.

Cave 7 has just been recognized as a national scenic relic.

Caves C7 and C8 are located in Nam Da commune, Buon Choah commune and Dak Sor commune, Krong No district, old Dak Nong province. These are two typical caves in the Krong No volcanic system. In particular, Cave C7 is 1,200m long, recognized by UNESCO as the longest lava cave in Southeast Asia. On September 9, 2025, the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism recognized C7 and C8 as National Monuments under Decision No. 3245/QD-BVHTTDL and 3246/QD-BVHTTDL.

“The Dak Son lithophone has special historical, archaeological and cultural value, affirming that this is a unique indigenous product of the prehistoric Central Highlands. From the sound of the lithophone, we seem to hear the sounds of thousands of years ago resonating to this day and forever in the future.”

Associate Professor, Dr. Bui Van Liem, Permanent Vice President and General Secretary of the Vietnam Archaeological Association

The Tam Blang M'prang Bon Festival (tree planting ceremony) of the M'Nong people in Nam Nung commune (Lam Dong province) has also been recognized as a National Intangible Cultural Heritage. The festival is usually held every 3-5 years in the dry season (January-March every year), attracting the participation of many hamlets (villages). This is an occasion for the community to rest after the farming season, have fun together, thank the gods, pray for health, bountiful crops, and peace for the village.

The festival is imbued with the identity of the M'Nong ethnic group, not only preserving long-standing traditions but also creating a cohesive cultural space, where the community meets, shares and strengthens solidarity. Through that, we pray for good health, peace in life as well as favorable conditions in agricultural production.

Expectations for a breakthrough in cultural tourism

Lam Dong province currently has 144 historical-cultural relics and scenic spots ranked by the State; 3 national treasures; 10 intangible cultural heritages recognized as national heritages and 7 heritages listed by UNESCO.

At the ceremony to recognize three national heritages, Mr. Nguyen Van Loc, Director of the Department of Culture, Sports and Tourism of Lam Dong province, emphasized: “The simultaneous recognition of three heritages not only recognizes the special value of archaeology, geology and culture, but also marks an important turning point in the work of preserving and promoting the value of local cultural heritage. This will be the foundation for Lam Dong to open up many opportunities for sustainable socio-economic development, especially in the field of cultural tourism.”

Mr. Loc said that in the coming time, the Department will advise the Provincial People's Committee to deploy many specific solutions: strengthen propaganda and promotion of heritage; build cultural and experiential tours associated with treasures and scenic spots; organize exhibitions and thematic events; and at the same time combine the development of accommodation and culinary services to attract domestic and foreign visitors.

The Dak Son lithophone can become the soul of performing arts programs, associated with experiential tourism at the museum. The Tam Blang M'prang Bon Festival will be held annually, opening up opportunities for tourists to immerse themselves in the life of the M'Nong community.

The C3-C4, C7, C8 volcanic cave system will be a specialized exploration tour, adding to the adventure ecotourism map. “We are committed to preserving and spreading the heritage value to become a common asset of the community, while contributing to tourism development and promoting the image of the province,” Mr. Loc affirmed.

Meanwhile, Vice Chairman of Lam Dong Provincial People's Committee Dinh Van Tuan said that with its strategic location connecting the Central Highlands, South Central Coast and Southeast regions and diverse terrain from the plateau to the sea, Lam Dong has a solid foundation for developing a multi-sector, sustainable and unique economy.

“In the new period, the province identifies three pillars of culture, tourism and trade as both spearhead economic sectors and a space for convergence of intelligence, identity and technology, opening up a breakthrough for Lam Dong to converge and shine.

With the attention of the Central Government, the province has promoted the preservation, conservation and promotion of the value of tangible and intangible cultural heritage," said Mr. Tuan.

Source: https://tienphong.vn/kho-bau-giua-dai-ngan-post1781024.amp