Possessing a cool atmosphere, filled with trees amidst vast pine forests all year round has helped Mang Den become an ideal resort destination in the Central Highlands. The wild, simple beauty of nature and the friendliness and simplicity of the people always make tourists curious to set foot in this land to explore.
Mang Den - a small town isolated from the hustle and bustle of the outside world
Alba-ra homestay is located at 1 Dinh Bo Linh, Mang Den, Kon Tum. This place is uniquely designed in the style of a Northern wooden house in the middle of the vast Central Highlands.
“I am a member of the first generation of the 80s, originally from a Law school, but I am extremely passionate about jobs that require creativity. Before starting a homestay, I worked for many years in the fashion and restaurant industry. My husband and I are the same age, from the same hometown, and share the same hobby of traveling and wandering around the country. Every place we go, we see good things. Perhaps from these trips, it is also a chance for me to dream up a place to entrust my interests and childhood memories of a peaceful, close and friendly midland region,” said Loan Phan, owner of Alba-ra homestay Mang Den.
Alba-ra was born as a solace, a peaceful place in a small town separate from the hustle and bustle of the outside world.
Ms. Loan Phan added that she came to Mang Den right in the year of the Covid epidemic in 2021, when the restaurant in Hanoi was closed, a friend introduced her to the land of Mang Den. At this time, Mang Den was almost invisible on the Vietnam tourism map and was also a place she had not been to, so the couple decided to pack their backpacks and go.
“At that time, Highway 24 from Pleiku airport to Mang Den was not yet finished, the road was very dusty and bumpy, traveling more than 100 km from the airport, I honestly felt discouraged. But when I stepped into the gateway to Mang Den, I felt like I was bursting with joy. It was just a small town but still kept its wild, clean, extremely cool and well-planned appearance. Mang Den conquered me like love at first sight,” Ms. Loan Phan recounted.
Alba-ra homestay Mang Den brings Northern architecture in the middle of the windy and sunny plateau
During her days of rest in Mang Den, she deeply felt the peace of the space, the closeness and simplicity of the people here. For her and her husband, businessmen in a bustling city like Hanoi, Mang Den has a great soothing value, a small town separate from the hustle and bustle of the outside world. Mang Den is truly like a sleeping princess in the forest.
Just because she missed Mang Den, after a month of returning to Hanoi, Ms. Loan returned to this place. After struggling with life for nearly 20 years, she suddenly thought: Why don't I choose a second home here? And this idea was supported by her whole family. After that, she and her husband decided to build Alba-ra to the surprise of their friends, many of whom did not even know which province of the Central Highlands Mang Den was in, only that it was very far away.
Space covered by nature
Northern wooden house located in the middle of the Central Highlands
When discussing the idea, the couple was fortunate to be born in the midlands, and subconsciously reminisced about wooden houses with typical architecture, although many are now being lost. As expected, the wooden houses under the canopy of old pine trees, like a Vietnamese fairy tale, are very suitable for the space in Mang Den.
Next was the process of buying old houses in Hoa Binh, Phu Tho, Son La... there were houses built in 1971, 1973, 1982... even older than Ms. Loan. The rustic houses brought the breath of time, feeling the preciousness of many generations born. After that, she brought these houses to Mang Den and had them restored by the Muong people.
Alba-ra is uniquely designed in the Northern style located in the middle of the vast Central Highlands.
The old wooden houses were bought by the owners from Hoa Binh, Phu Tho, Son La... Some houses were built in 1971, 1973, 1982...
Explaining the question many people have about the name, Ms. Loan said: “Alba-ra is a name that many people have asked about. Alba in Italian means dawn, the first ray of light at dawn. Like my idea of this place, suddenly flashing bright and full of energy. Alba-ra is like a joyful shout, full of vitality and surprise.”
The entire construction period was enthusiastically worked on by the workers, Ms. Loan's brothers, and completed in 3 months, from wood construction to landscaping. 3 months of real passion, dedication and enthusiasm for a total of 750 m2Wooden house. “Building a wooden house, if done carefully, will be very expensive, even one and a half to double the cost of a house built with the same function. Luckily, Alba-ra's business is quite effective,” said Ms. Loan Phan.
Alba-ra was built based on the real needs of the experienced homeowners, who wanted a cozy place. The small houses all face the garden, like families of four or five generations living together, sharing a yard, seeing each other, so that no one is alone or lonely.
Alba-ra has many room types suitable for groups of 2 people or large families.
Alba-ra is a residential area in the middle of a garden with a communal house. Anyone can go there to make tea or coffee, the house always has bunches of ripe bananas hanging in the early summer to offer guests, and in the evenings you can organize a BBQ. Or you can sit down and play a few songs, blending with everyone, even if they are strangers, they will become close together like a family.
At Alba-ra, the room types include: 10 rooms for 2 people, 2 small closed family houses (5 people), 3 houses for large families (10 people). Each room or private house at Alba-ra is minimalist but has the typical Northern wooden house style, cozy, friendly, open space and absolutely clean. Guests will be able to sit on the balcony watching the mist drifting in the pine forest right in front of them or listening to the sound of pine trees that is rarely found anywhere else.
Sitting on the balcony watching the mist drifting in the pine forest right in front of me
Since starting to operate Alba-ra, what Ms. Loan Phan has “gained” the most is friends from all over the country. When choosing Alba-ra, most of them are nature lovers, who like simplicity. She has learned a lot from visitors when coming to Alba-ra, each with their own interesting story, thanks to which life becomes more colorful and caring, tolerant.
“After nearly a year of operating Alba-ra (from mid-August 2022), every day I see the branches and blades of grass changing, seeing the new flowers blooming brightly, the smiles of tourists or the love, care and attachment of the staff to each other... all show that I have chosen the right land and model. I hope Alba-ra homestay Mang Den will be like a second home for everyone to return to,” Ms. Loan Phan added.
The space around Alba-ra
