Kon Tum and Mang Den from Pleiku

Kon Tum and Mang Den sit just north of Pleiku, linked by Highway 24, so it is tempting to squeeze both into one trip. They are very different places: Kon Tum is a riverside town with a wooden cathedral and historic sites, while Mang Den is a cool highland of pine forest and lakes. Is one day enough for both? Only if you have your own driver, and even then it is a long one. Below you will find the distances, how to get there and two plans to choose from.

One note on names first, because older maps and signs still use the old ones. Kon Tum province has merged into Quảng Ngãi province, so the city of Kon Tum is now Kon Tum ward and Mang Den town is now Mang Den commune. Pleiku is still in Gia Lai. We use the new names here, with the old ones where you might need them on a map.

How far Kon Tum and Mang Den are from Pleiku

The trip is two legs of similar length, and the road up to Mang Den is steep with many bends. One source puts Kon Tum to Mang Den at 50 km, another at 60 km.

Coach from Pleiku to Kon Tum

Coaches run between Pleiku and Kon Tum during the day, but times and fares change with the operator and the season, so phone the operator or the station first. Ask where the bus picks up and drops off, so you do not need a second ride into central Kon Tum.

Do not plan the rest of the day until you know when your bus reaches Kon Tum. A late bus leaves you the afternoon for Kon Tum only; Mang Den on the same day needs a private car.

Choosing an operator, a wrong pick-up point and the confirmation call are all covered in our Pleiku coach guide; the Pleiku to Kon Tum leg works the same way.

Getting up to Mang Den

Coaches on this route stop at Kon Tum, so the climb to Mang Den is a separate step. From Kon Tum you can take a taxi, a bus or drive yourself.

If you want to drive, you can rent a scooter in Pleiku; prices and paperwork are in our Pleiku scooter rental guide. Ride in daylight and leave time to come down before dark.

A private vehicle also lets you stop wherever you like, and the Mang Den pass is counted among the most beautiful in the Central Highlands.

Half a day in Kon Tum

Kon Tum is compact. The three sights below are a few kilometres apart, so half a day is enough. Go in this order: the wooden cathedral in the centre, then Kon Klor bridge to the east, then the old prison by the Đăk Bla river.

The wooden cathedral

Kon Tum Cathedral, known as the wooden church, stands on Nguyễn Huệ street in Kon Tum ward. It is built of cà chít wood with walls of earth mixed with straw, in a Roman style blended with the stilt houses of the Ba Na people. The grounds hold the church, a guest hall, a hall showing ethnic crafts and a rong house (nhà rông), and coloured glass panels are set into the straw walls. It is open all day, so drop in whenever suits, and since it is right in the centre it makes a good first stop.

Kon Klor suspension bridge and the rong house

The Kon Klor suspension bridge crosses the Đăk Bla river between Kon Tum ward and Đăk Rơ Wa commune, painted orange-yellow. Type 14 Bắc Kạn into your map app and you will land in the right place.

Kon Tum Prison

Kon Tum Prison (Nhà ngục Kon Tum), in Kon Tum ward, is a national special relic since February 2026. It has been notorious since 1930-1931, when it held more than 500 political prisoners at forced labour, almost half of whom never came home. The site has a memorial house, a heritage house and a group of monuments, on Trương Quang Trọng street, about 1 km in from Hồ Chí Minh street. On the map it is listed as open 7:30 to 11 am daily, so go in the morning and phone to check before you set out.

Mang Den: Our Lady statue, Dak Ke lake and the pines

Mang Den is a commune in Quảng Ngãi province, about 1,200 m above sea level. People like to call it a little Đà Lạt, thanks to its pine forest and cool weather all year.

Mang Den Our Lady statue

The Mang Den Our Lady statue is a Catholic pilgrimage site for the Kon Tum diocese and also a spiritual-tourism stop. It is open all day, so you can drop in at any point on the way up.

Dak Ke lake

Dak Ke lake covers about 3 ha in the middle of the commune, with rowing boats, pedal swans and fishing. Wild cherry trees line the roads, the lake shore and the area around Khánh Lâm pagoda, and bloom late in the year.

The pine forest and Mang Den pass

The pine forest has no closing hours, and the road into the commune runs right through it. Khánh Lâm pagoda sits on a pine-covered hill; you climb more than 200 stone steps to reach it, and a 17 m Guanyin (Quan Thế Âm) statue stands before the main hall. With time left, add the wooden statue garden, which has 100 statues.

Pa Sy waterfall

Pa Sy is the waterfall people mention most at Mang Den, but leave it out of your plan. The commune closed it to visitors from 25 November 2025 after heavy rain caused landslides, with no reopening date given. A landslide about 60 m long below the falls kept visits halted. Ask the Mang Den commune office whether it has reopened before you travel.

Best months and how cold it gets

Mang Den is busiest from October to December, when the air is cool and the sun warm. Mornings and evenings are chilly, so bring a warm layer.

Month by month:

• Around New Year: wild cherry blossom at its peak.
• February: mimosa and ban flowers.
• March or April: purple phoenix flowers.
• After that: purple rose myrtle.

The cherry blossom peaks around New Year, but it can come later depending on the weather.

One day or an overnight stay

With one day, go to Kon Tum; if you want Mang Den too, stay a night. Mang Den alone is a two-hour drive each way, while Kon Tum is only one hour.

One day by coach (Kon Tum only). Ask the operator for the earliest bus. In Kon Tum, start with the wooden cathedral, then Kon Klor bridge, and add the prison only if you arrive in the morning.

One day by private car (Kon Tum and Mang Den). Leave Pleiku early and reach Kon Tum after about one hour. Stop at the wooden cathedral, then take Highway 24 up to Mang Den. Visit the Our Lady statue and Dak Ke lake, then head down; the drive straight back to Pleiku takes about two hours. You will have to skip the prison and Kon Klor bridge.

Two days, one night. Spend the first day on Kon Tum: cathedral, Kon Klor bridge, prison. On day two go up to Mang Den for the Our Lady statue, Dak Ke lake, Khánh Lâm pagoda and the pines. A homestay in Mang Den costs 300,000 to 800,000 VND a room a night (February 2026 prices); book ahead for the year-end peak.

How does this fit with the rest of your Pleiku days? The order is in our Pleiku in 1, 2 or 3 days plan: on the day you go to Kon Tum, move Biển Hồ Lake to another day. Where to stay near Đức Long bus station, where the coaches pick up, is in where to stay in Pleiku. More routes are under Getting around.