It borders Gia Lai to the north, Phú Yên and Khánh Hòa to the east, Lâm Đồng and Đắk Nông to the south, and Mondulkiri of Cambodia to the west.

Some other spellings such as Dak Lak, Daklak, Đăk Lăk, Đắc Lắc, and Darlac (in older French texts), among others,[6] have also been used.

When Champa was conquered and annexed by Vietnam in the 15th century, Đắk Lắk was brought under loose Vietnamese rule.

Resistance to French rule was strong in Đắk Lắk, with various minority tribes leading a number of significant rebellions.

The Jun people take advantage of the small tourist trade that passes through, giving elephant rides through the village and across the lake.