Independent travel to Mang Den: what do you need to prepare?

Overall, traveling to Mang Den is quite affordable, but getting there remains a challenge. Tourists wishing to visit Mang Den often have to travel in multiple stages or spend a considerable amount of time before reaching the town.

1. How do I get there?

The fastest way to get to Mang Den from Hanoi or Saigon is by flying to Pleiku Airport. There are approximately two flights daily between Saigon and Pleiku. From there, you can take a taxi, limousine, or bus to the center of Mang Den town, a journey of about two hours. The one-way cost for a taxi from Pleiku Airport to Mang Den is approximately 1,200,000 VND, a limousine 350,000 VND, and a bus 80,000 VND.

This way you can save about 10 hours compared to taking a bus – which takes about 14 hours for the Saigon - Mang Den journey, but the travel cost will be higher. A round-trip plane ticket from Saigon to Pleiku costs around 2,000,000 - 3,000,000 VND, while a bus ticket directly to Mang Den town costs around 800,000 VND.

Upon arriving in Mang Den, my group rented motorbikes to explore the area, with rental prices ranging from 150,000 to 200,000 VND per day depending on the type of bike. This is the most suitable means of transportation for traveling in Mang Den; it's affordable and easy to get to various destinations. Especially, perhaps only by riding a motorbike can you truly experience the atmosphere of the Mang Den mountains and forests.

2. What time?

Winter in Kon Tum lasts from approximately October to December, which is also the ideal time to visit Mang Den. The temperature varies significantly from Kon Tum city to Mang Den town. I visited Mang Den in early November; the daytime weather was sunny and warm, with a cool temperature of around 24-26 degrees Celsius. However, at night and in the early morning, the temperature drops quite low to 17-19 degrees Celsius, so you should prepare extra warm clothing.

3. Where?

The most popular type of accommodation in Mang Den is homestay. Homestay prices range from approximately 400,000 to 800,000 VND per room for two people. For me, homestay is a suitable and easy choice. When visiting a place like Mang Den, I want to have the closest possible connection with nature and the people. Choosing to stay in a homestay is one of the first ways to get closer to the culture and people here.

Furthermore, homestays offer plenty of space for guests to experience and connect with each other. Most homestays also provide food and BBQ services right at the property. At night, gathering around a campfire with loved ones, listening to the crackling of the embers and the sizzling of pork belly releasing its delicious aroma... what could be better?

4. Where are we going?

Pa Sy Waterfall

The Pa Sy Waterfall eco-tourism area is located in Kon Tu Rang commune, covering an area of ​​approximately 25 hectares. It includes a system of roads, communal houses, handicraft workshops, a cultural exhibition house, and a vegetable and flower farm. It takes about 20 minutes to travel from the town center. The road is quite rough with many potholes, so visitors should control their speed to ensure safety.

The waterfall is formed from the three largest streams in Mang Den, hence its name Pau Suh (meaning three streams converging into one). Here, visitors can stroll around, admire the scenery, visit the flower farm, and don't forget to try wading in the stream to feel the cool water. Many people often stand on the floating bridge to take photos with the waterfall, but the bridge surface is unstable and slippery, so you need to be careful when standing there.

Kon Bring Village

This is one of the four major tourist villages in Kon Plông, home to a number of M'Nâm ethnic minority people. Kon Bring presents a simple, rustic beauty with scattered wooden houses weathered by time, standing out against the endless green of the mountains and forests.

There aren't many activities here, so visitors can stroll around the village and explore the architecture of the Krong house by going inside the Kon Bring cultural center. From a distance, it looks like a giant handbag with a majestically pointed roof. According to the locals, the Krong house is built with such a high roof to gather the sacredness of heaven and earth, as a place connecting humans with the gods.

Mang Den Market

The Mang Den market has only been operating for over a month but is already a very attractive destination for visitors. The market is held from 2 PM on Friday to 3 PM on Sunday every week. It features approximately 23 stalls, 9 communal houses where communes and towns showcase local products, and 15 stalls run by individuals and organizations displaying and selling OCOP products, medicinal herbs, agricultural products, etc.

The market is nestled within a pine-covered hill on Hung Vuong Street in Mang Den town, with stalls arranged, designed, and decorated in a unique and interesting way. Besides delicious food and local produce, it also offers exciting cultural and artistic activities for visitors. You should visit the market in the afternoon, around 3 PM, when the sun starts to subside and the weather is more pleasant.

Mang Den Walking Street & Food Court

The Mang Den pedestrian and food street is located on Vo Nguyen Giap Street in Mang Den town, featuring a system of hotels, restaurants, and food stalls stretching along it. Notably, from here visitors can enjoy a complete view of the sunset over Mang Den town, hence its nickname, "Sunset Boulevard".

In the late afternoon, visiting the food court, quickly buying a hot baked potato, and then standing in the magnificent sunset view is probably a wonderful experience in itself.

Text and photos: Bi Le