Found this on a Vietnam Adventures travel site. Thought it was pretty interesting considering the first time I started looking into this, the Central Highlands were pretty much off limits. This reads like it is now fairly open access....
Shoofly, looks like by the time we actually get the ball rolling on our trip, we'll be able to hike anywhere we want...
------------------------------
Overview
------------------------------
Pleiku is off most tourists' itineraries, and that's good news for those who love getting off the travel guidebook ant trail. Tucked deep into the Central Highlands, but at an elevation (780 meters) that doesn't make it particularly a mountain retreat from the heat of the lowlands - such as Dalat - Pleiku's biggest draws are its sheer remoteness and proximity to hilltribes that haven't yet commercialized themselves to Western tourism. Pleiku is the heart and soul of the Central Highlands, essentially untouristed save for the occasional backpacker and those seeking to explore virgin hilltribe villages and the lush scenery of the Truong Son Mountains.
Pleiku is for the adventurers, who want to see a part of Vietnam that hasn't sold out to brochures and tourist-luring gimmicks. Though this clean, uncluttered town of some 40,000 people is connected to Saigon by air (via Danang), you'd never know it, and once you get out of town, more than likely your accommodations will be a stilted longhouse, courtesy of the generosity (and curiosity) of a nearby extended ethnic minority family - which include the Jarai, Sedeng, Rengao and Bahnar groups.
There was an American military base here in the mid-1960s that came under a heavy Viet Cong attacks in February 1965. At the time, there were only about 25,000 U.S. military "advisers" in Vietnam, and the assaults on the Pleiku base were used as an excuse to escalate the presence of U.S. troops in Vietnam, which later in the year arrived in Danang en masse.
These days, there is little testament to the savage fighting seen here 35 years ago. Foreign tourists are, instead, treated to ethnic minority cultural shows and elephant rides in the nearby village of Nhon Hoa. And, frankly, the experience trekking through the jungle astride an elephant here is far more authentic and scenic than the elephant tours offered in Lak, about 50 km south of Buon Ma Thuot. As well, the Pleiku area isn't nearly as deforested as the ridgelines ringing Buon Ma Thuot. Though in the dry season - between November and May - the mountains can look pretty brown and thirsty, the region around Pleiku is heavily forested and possesses a lot of the wildlife that has been driven away (or simply killed and stuffed) by the encroachment of humans in places like Dalat and Buon Ma Thuot.
About 50 km north of Pleiku, Kontum is also populated mainly by Jarai, Sedeng, Rengao and Bahnar ethnic minority hilltribes. Even farther off the beaten track than Pleiku, Kontum attracts even fewer foreign guests and is generally a side or day trip from Pleiku. During the war, Kontum was virtually blasted off the map by continuous B-52 strikes and intense fighting between ARVN and NVA troops in 1972. Formerly, foreigners needed a permit to visit here, as much of the population on the area, hilltribe folks trained by the CIA and American military, still hadn't quite accepted Uncle Ho's hostile takeover of the South. But the area's not out of bounds these days, which allows visitors to Pleiku and Kontum to experience not only elephant treks in Nhon Hoa but the beautiful Gia Lai forest and mighty Yali waterfalls of Pleiku and the towering, 40-meter Jrai Li waterfalls 20 km southwest of Kontum.
------------------------------
Hotels
------------------------------
Yaly Hotel
Address: 89 Hung Vuong Street
Pleiku
Tel: 84-59-824628
Room Type Rates From $30
Rated - Superior
This is the choice of most travelers, save for the backpacking set. Your choices are pretty limited in this region, and the Yaly is the best bet, particularly the higher-end rooms which come equipped with private bath, hot water and air conditioning. Bare bones, but clean and attractive.
---------------------------------
Getting There
---------------------------------
By air, Pleiku is reached via Vietnam Airlines three days a week from Saigon (Mon. Thur. Sat; VN 342) and Danang (Mon. Thur. Sat; VN 343). By road, minibuses and hired cars make the trip from Danang or from Saigon, the latter which almost always include visits to Dalat and Buon Ma Thuot, via routes 20, 27 and 14. Kontum is most often visited as a day trip from Pleiku and is offered on most tour package itineraries to Pleiku. Accommodations are also far more extensive and comfortable in Pleiku. Kontum cannot be reached by air. If Pleiku/Kontum is your only stop in the Central Highlands (and there's a good argument that it should be if your itinerary is relatively short) the best bet is to either fly or drive from Danang. Pleiku is about 550 km north of Saigon and 50 km south of Kontum. There is no rail service in the Central Highlands. There's an express bus service to Pleiku from Saigon, but it's a grueling 15-hour trip. The best time to visit is between November and April. Contact WorldAdventures.com to book transportation.