Kon Tum
The Kontum Province shares borders with Laos and Cambodia. Forests cover 50% of its territory, hosting rare tree species (teak, sandalwood, bassia, etc.) and a wide variety of medicinal herbs like ginseng, angelica, and cardamom.
This is an exceptionally fertile region with numerous agricultural productions, including rice, corn, cassava, sesame, mandarins, pineapples, rubber, coffee, tea, and cotton. Its wildlife is diverse, with many wild animals residing in these forests, such as elephants, tigers, and leopards.
This region is primarily inhabited by ethnic minorities, including the Bahnar, Xe Dang, Jarai, and others.
You can also find thermal springs (Pakto) here, which bear witness to ancient volcanic activity in the region. You have the opportunity to visit Yaly Waterfall, the Sa Thay virgin forest, and Mount Ngoc Linh, which rises to 2,598 meters.
Things to see and do
- Wooden Church of Kontum
- Visit villages of ethnic minorities and explore their rich culture: the Bahnar, Sedang, Giarai, and Romam
- Visit the tomb house
- Discover the culture of coffee, pepper, rubber, and cashew farming
- Mang Den Eco-tourism Zone
During the French colonial era, Kontum was an important center for training missionaries tasked with evangelizing the Highlands' ethnic minorities.
The first missionaries entered these mountains in 1850, with François-Xavier Nguyên Do pioneering the way for evangelization and the arrival of more missionaries.
In 1913, French priest Giuse Decrouille constructed the magnificent wooden church in Kontum, blending Romanesque architecture with the style of the Tay Nguyen communal house.
Visitors appreciate the precious wood decorations, the majestic bell tower standing over 20 meters tall, the raised wooden floor for ventilation, and the colorful stained glass windows depicting passages from the Bible.
In the Bishop's exhibition room, numerous objects related to the life of the Ba Na, the most prominent ethnic group in Tay Nguyen, are displayed, including gongs, drums made from elephant skin, stone axes, and more. The Cathedral is located next to a traditional longhouse (nha rong).
Kon K'lor Village
This is a Bahnar village located on the banks of the Dak Bla River. Authenticity is preserved thanks to the presence of many traditional houses and the production of traditional handicrafts. The most impressive building in this village is the Kon K'lor commune house.
The rong is not only the place for traditional rites and festivals but also a kind of more or less sacred space that gathers the entire village community.
It's a traditional house of the Bana Ethnic Group (for gatherings and traditional festivals). It's the first commune house of Kon K'lor and its location is near the Dak Bla River.
This commune house is decorated with great care because it holds immense symbolic significance for their hearts and souls. The Kon K'lor commune house is among the largest and most famous commune houses in the Kon Tum province. Due to an unexpected fire in 2010, the commune house was seriously damaged, and reconstruction began in 2011.
Tomb House
It is part of a tradition for the funeral ceremonies of the ethnic groups in the Kontum Province.
According to tradition, when someone dies, a small hut is built covering the grave like a shelter for the deceased.
After three years, the hut is removed to make way for a larger, sturdy house enclosed by a wooden fence decorated with statues depicting daily activities.
Ethnic Minorities of Kontum Province
Kontum is also home to several ethnic minorities who still preserve their fascinating ancestral culture: the Bahnar, Sedang, Jarai, and Romam. They continue to live in their traditional villages, speak their languages, maintain their customs, and have their own music and architecture. They engage in agricultural and livestock activities, mainly cultivating cassava, sugarcane, bananas, and rice.
The Bahnar Ethnic Group is the majority in the region. In the Bahnar language, "Kon" means village and "Tum" means the water feature, pond, or lake, which gives us "Kontum," the village surrounded by water features.
The Bahnar people primarily live in stilt houses decorated with horns at each end. They are known for their spectacular communal house (nha rong) where all public activities, such as ritual ceremonies, take place. During these events, the Bahnar people bring out gongs, dance, sing, and consume jars of rice wine.
The nha rong is a magnificent traditional structure with a steeply pitched thatched roof that reaches a height of about twenty meters, usually located at the heart of the village. It symbolizes the power and prosperity of the village for all to see.
The Sedang people are characterized by their long wooden and bamboo stilt houses. In the late 19th century, French adventurer Marie David de Meyrena managed to unite some Sedang tribes into a confederation and proclaimed himself the King of the Sedang, under the name of Marie.
Mang Den Plateau
Situated at an altitude of 1,300 meters and 50 kilometers from Kontum's city center, Mang Den still maintains its wildness and pristine beauty with evergreen pine forests, wild waterfalls, colorful flowers, and a mild climate. It's also called "3 lakes, 7 terrestrial waterfalls," linked to the history of the deity Pling, who created this land. The best times to travel are in April and May or from October to December. Each season offers a different allure.
Kontum Coffee
Like Buon Me Thuot, coffee cultivation introduced by the French colonists has become one of the pillars of the Kontum Province's economy. You can easily visit small family coffee plantations and learn about the entire coffee bean harvesting and processing process.
Former Battlefields
During the Vietnam War, the Central Highlands were the stage for intense battles between American forces and the People's Army of Vietnam, including:
The Battle of Dak To from November 3 to 22, 1967. This battle was one of the most fierce and bloody conflicts of the war.
The Easter Offensive in May and June 1972, during which the People's Army of Vietnam captured the city of Kontum, the provincial capital.
Good to Know
When to visit?
- December: Tay Nguyen ethnic minorities' festivals and sunflower blooming season.
- February to March: Coffee flower blooming season.
- Access and Transportation:
Access
- By plane: You can take a direct flight from Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City to Pleiku Airport, and then a one-hour, 45-kilometer drive to Kontum. Daily flights, 1-2 hours.
- By car: Located about 280 kilometers from Hoi An, a 7-hour drive.
Where to eat and taste
Robusta coffee
Continuing your journey
- Quy Nhon, a beach resort
- Hoi An, about 280 kilometers, approximately 7 hours by car
- Pleiku, 45 kilometers
- Buon Me Thuot, 230 kilometers, around 5 hours by car
