I arrived in Mang Den on a winter day, the more than 12-hour bus trip almost exhausted the travel enthusiast. Although I had prepared in advance, I did not expect the cold of the Central Highlands to be so bitter. But because of that, this place became much more beautiful and warm.
Sunset at Kon Bring village
The first few laps of the bike took me to Kon Bring, the village of the Mo Nam people. I never expected the people here to be so lovely and friendly. While walking around and looking at each house and field, an old man took us all into his house and happily told us stories about life, about Tet, about what we had experienced, were experiencing, and would experience in this land.
The cups of wine, the strange snacks, all led to a long and interesting story. The smoke from the kitchen, the bowls of noodles, the cozy atmosphere of smiles made the cold wooden house on stilts that day much warmer. As for me, I kept my eyes glued to the children, the children born in this remote mountainous area, I don’t know why they have such beautiful eyes and sunny smiles, they make a silly person like me absent-minded forever…
Leaving Kon Pring village, we drove quickly on the long road back because it was starting to get dark. While we were still thinking about filling our hungry stomachs, the sunset of Mang Den suddenly captivated us. We decided to stop by a field to admire the brilliant sunset in the freezing cold. The sky of Mang Den quietly turned red and slowly darkened, we watched until the sky turned completely dark before leaving.
In the weather of nearly 5 degrees Celsius, with hungry stomachs, we went to Xuyen Tieu hot pot restaurant at the suggestion of the homestay manager. Entering the restaurant, we immediately felt the cozy atmosphere, completely different from the cold outside. Now, thinking back, I still find the restaurant's lovely rules interesting: "No drinking alcohol", "No swearing in front of children",... And I have to admit that the food here is extremely delicious! Although there are only about 4-5 dishes, each dish is of high quality.
Peace in Kon Tu Rang
Starting the day with a few cups of hot coffee, we continued on our way to Kon Tu Rang village. Seen from above, the tiny houses on the other side of the cable-stayed bridge looked like a tiny village in the middle of a vast forest. Later, when talking to the forest rangers, we learned that these were just warehouses for people to store rice. A little unlucky was that when we arrived in Mang Den, the rice season had passed, and the fields were a bit barren; if we had come here at the right time when the rice was ripe, this valley would have been a "masterpiece" of the Central Highlands.
Standing on the bridge, we welcomed the cold wind, looking down at the clear Dak Bla River, flowing gently through the fields. Children lined up to play along the riverbank, smiling and waving to me. The atmosphere was filled with peace, permeating every breath of the mountains, forests, rivers and people here. Playing around by the stream, chatting a few small stories, and suddenly it was afternoon. The roads of the 37-household area kept holding the young people - a few small wooden houses on the hill, the vast burnt grass fields glowing red in the afternoon sun falling on the highlands...
The fire in the middle of the quiet space, a few flickering lights shining through the smoke made this place even more magical. In the late winter air, this place was very humid, but with the strength of youth and stubbornness, our campfire burned. The warmth radiated from the fire in the Central Highlands, from the cup of coffee and from the hands and smiles of friends, suddenly somewhere, echoed in the chest a whisper "I love this country, this homeland a little more...".
More information
Move:From Ho Chi Minh City, there are 3 main means of transportation to Mang Den: sleeper bus (230,000-270,000 VND); luxury sleeper bus (500,000 VND); plane to Pleiku then take a bus to Kon Tum, then take a bus to Mang Den.
Accommodation:In Mang Den there are many homestays, motels, and hotels, but you should still book in advance to ensure room availability.
Cuisine:
- TCAs cafe: cute and airy decor, friendly staff, delicious drinks; especially the shop has a fireplace and many dogs.
- Ms. Sinh's grilled chicken and bamboo rice restaurant: located right along the main road; sticky, fragrant bamboo rice, delicious chicken, and delicious grilled meat!
- Xuyen Tieu Hot Pot Restaurant: reasonable prices, enthusiastic staff; the restaurant does not sell alcohol or allow drinking, so the atmosphere is very cute and cozy.
