Nestled amid the sunny and breezy landscapes of Kon Tum, Mang Den’s various ecosystem and refreshing environment radiates a pure and rustic attract.
Positioned on the Kon Plong District plateur, roughly 60 kilometers away from Kon Tum Metropolis, the capital of the eponymous distant Central Highlands province, lies the city of Mang Den. Mang Den is also known as a mini Da Lat as a result of its primeval forests, lakes, waterfalls, pine forests, and funky local weather.
WHEN TO VISIT
Mang Den is common in winter, which generally lasts from October to December every year. This time of yr, Kon Tum is thought for the chilly, sunny climate and dry situations. New 12 months’s Day marks the arrival of blooming mai anh dao (prunus cesacoides) or cherry-like apricot blossoms, though the flowering time might range relying on the climate.
Mang Den boasts blooming flowers all year long. Guests arriving in February will witness the show of mimosa and bauhinia flowers, whereas purple phoenix flowers grace the panorama in March or April. Past that, myrtle flowers take middle stage.
WHAT TO EXPLORE
Pa Sy Waterfall Ecotourism Space
The Pa Sy Waterfall Ecotourism Space encompasses a community of paths, communal homes, handicraft workshops, cultural galleries, and vegetable and flower farms. The centerpiece of this vacationer space is Pa Sy Waterfall, located at an altitude of round 1,500 meters above sea degree. Shaped by the convergence of the three largest streams in Mang Den, the waterfall can also be known as Pau Suh within the native language, which suggests “three-source stream.”
Dak Ke Lake
Positioned within the coronary heart of Mang Den City, Dak Ke Lake, also referred to as Toong Ro Poong Lake, spans roughly 3 hectares. The lake has undergone improvement to supply a variety of leisure companies, together with boating, fishing, and eating. Guests may also hire buffalo-drawn or horse-drawn carriages to discover the lake’s environment and admire the surroundings. Throughout the summer time, the realm comes alive with the blossoming of purple phoenix timber, whereas mai anh dao grace the panorama in winter.
Selecting vegetables and fruit on farms
Mang Den City has been designated by Kon Tum province for the event of high-tech farms, aiming to supply clear and contemporary fruit and vegetable merchandise. Guests to Mang Den can benefit from the expertise of fruit selecting instantly from the gardens. Oranges, pomelo, avocados, tomatoes, strawberries, cantaloupes, in addition to flowers like chrysanthemums and lilies are among the many hottest produce. These farms don’t cost an entrance charge, permitting guests to reap the merchandise. Nevertheless, if guests want to convey the vegetables and fruit house, separate fees will apply.
Really helpful farm areas embrace E Ban Farm, Orfarm, Biophap, Mang Den Xanh Farm, Tam An Natural Farm, and Hung Ly Backyard.
Backyard of picket statues
The forested backyard of picket statues showcases a group of figures positioned alongside the trail. Picture courtesy of Kontumtrongtoi
Established in 2013, the backyard of picket statues occupies over 1 hectare of pristine forest close to the Pa Sy Waterfall space. Alongside well-paved paths, the backyard options 100 picket statues meticulously crafted by 33 native artisans belonging to ethnic minority teams from the province. These statues depict numerous elements of the every day lives and work of the North Central Highlands, showcasing scenes comparable to males wielding axes, partaking in smoking or searching, girls pounding rice or weaving, and other people enjoying music or ingesting can wine, a Vietnamese fermented rice wine. The gathering additionally contains statues of animals intently related to the native tradition, comparable to birds, canines, cats, pigs, monkeys, snakes, and elephants.
Khanh Lam Pagoda
Khanh Lam Pagoda spans 10 hectares and sits at an elevation of 1,200 meters above sea degree. Guests embark on a journey from the foot of the hill, ascending over 200 stone steps by way of a tam quan gate, a standard Vietnamese Buddhist gateway with three aisles. Lastly, they attain the temple, which nestles amidst the timber. Notably, the principle corridor showcases a three-storey roof construction that fuses conventional pagoda and communal home structure, reflecting the cultural identification of the Central Highlands. The principle corridor is surrounded by a bell tower, a drum tower, a 17-meter statue of Guan Yin Bodhisattva, and a symmetric lotus pond, making a tranquil panorama.
Mang Den Strolling Road
Mang Den Strolling Road showcases a vibrant array of colourful buildings lining its sides. Picture courtesy of Kontum On-line
Mang Den Strolling Road, additionally known as Sundown Boulevard, is located alongside Vo Nguyen Giap Road within the coronary heart of the city. This pedestrian road encompasses a vary of lodges and eating places with superbly designed structure. The ambiance is enhanced by the encircling parts of water, sky, and clouds, making a serene environment for vacationers to unwind and savor the native delicacies.
WHERE TO STAY
Given its small dimension, Mang Den provides restricted choices by way of massive lodges. The Golden Boutique Lodge, a 4-star institution, boasts 63 fully-equipped rooms with massive home windows and balconies, together with a swimming pool. One other selection is the Dak Ke Mang Den, a 3-star lodge that includes 4 villas, a stilt home, and two lodge suites, totaling 45 rooms.
Homestays represent the first type of lodging within the space. Mang Den’s homestays are fairly priced, starting from VND300,000 to VND800,000 per room per night time. Dormitory-style rooms are additionally accessible, with costs starting from VND150,000 VND to VND250,000 per mattress. Some advisable homestays embrace Toki, Paradiso, Could Lang Thang, and Solar Homestay.
WHAT TO EAT
Xuyen Tieu sizzling pot
Xuyen Tieu sizzling pot with pepper is a dish completely suited to Mang Den’s chilly climate. The recent pot is ready with a medley of greens and fruits, infused with flavorful herbs like goji berries and dried pink apples. The broth is simmered for hours, leading to a pure and pleasant sweetness.
Xuyen Tieu sizzling pot is served in a fashion just like Sichuan sizzling pot, that includes two compartments with distinct flavors. One aspect encompasses a sizzling and spicy broth, infused with the flavour of Xuyen Tieu, a wild pepper selection. The opposite aspect provides a cool and wealthy bone broth. The recent pot is served with a choice of dishes comparable to fish, shrimp, hen, or beef, together with mushrooms and contemporary inexperienced greens. To savor the total essence of the dish, diners are inspired to style the spicy broth first.
Dried bamboo shoot hen salad
Dried bamboo shoot hen salad combines two key elements, hen and dried bamboo shoots, with peanuts, mint, onion, and carrot. This dish, although harking back to different salads, nonetheless surprises diners with its mix of candy and tangy flavors.
Banh canh ca loc (Snakehead fish thick noodle soup)
The noodle soup is crafted from rice flour, accompanied by steamed snakehead fish. The fish fillet is separated, complemented by inexperienced onions, coriander, laksa leaves, and chili peppers. One outstanding attribute of banh canh ca loc is the person cooking methodology. Every serving is cooked in its personal pot, making certain the soup stays piping sizzling with a steady boil. Diners can add prostrate knotweed to the soup and relish this mixture. One place to strive the soup is Mang Den Market.
Grilled hen and com lam (rice in bamboo tube)
This conventional native delicacy options free-range chickens, leading to succulent meat. Earlier than grilling, the chickens are infused with wild pepper leaves, onions, lemongrass, chili, and different fragrant elements. The charcoal grill should be sufficiently sizzling, with every batch taking round 20 to half-hour to prepare dinner. Grilled hen is finest loved whereas sizzling, providing crispy golden pores and skin and aromatic meat. The dish is commonly served with com lam, a kind of sticky rice cooked in bamboo tubes, and a dipping seasoning of peanut salt or sesame.
Vacationers can strive the dish at Ga nuong Co Sinh restaurant alongside Nationwide Freeway 24.
Another eating places to strive Mang Den specialties are Mang Den Lu Quan at 55 Ngo Quyen Road, Dak Lengthy Commune, KonPlong District; Tay Nguyen Quan at 35 Truong Chinh Road, Dak Lengthy Commune, KonPlong District.
HOW TO GET THERE
Vacationers from Hanoi are suggested to go for the flight route, contemplating the appreciable distance of roughly 1,100 kilometers. The closest airport to Mang Den is Pleiku in Gia Lai Province, which is roughly 100 kilometers away, taking about 2 hours by automotive to succeed in the vacation spot.
For these journeying from Ho Chi Minh Metropolis, they will take a self-driven journey alongside Freeway 14. The route spans round 600 kilometers, passing by way of provinces comparable to Binh Phuoc, Dak Nong, Dak Lak, and Gia Lai.
Buses departing from Ho Chi Minh Metropolis’s Jap Bus Station provide one other handy choice. Operators comparable to Lengthy Van, Minh Quoc, Phong Phu, and Phuong Thu present companies with fares starting from VND250,000 to VND450,000 ($10.63 to $19.13). The journey length sometimes ranges from 10 to 12 hours.
Inside Kon Tum Metropolis, numerous technique of transportation, together with taxis, buses, and self-driving automobiles, can be found to succeed in Mang Den.
Attributable to its steep and winding nature, you will need to train warning whereas driving on the highway to Mang Den.
Mang Den can get chilly within the early morning and night, so vacationers needs to be ready by bringing heat clothes to remain snug.
Story by Tam Anh
