Neighboring Laos and Cambodia, Kontum is a mountainous province located in the Central Highlands of Vietnam. Home to the tallest granite mountains in southern Vietnam, including the Ngoc Phan and Ngok Linh mountain ranges, Kontum draws climbers.
The local villages are among the province’s most significant attractions for foreign visitors, and though some are deemed out of bounds by the Vietnamese government, others can be freely visited on tours available from the provincial capital.
Tourists can also enjoy the Dak To hot springs and historical facets such as the Tan Canh battlefield, the Kontum Prison and a part of the Ho Chi Minh Trail. Visitors to Kontum are also treated to the rich culture traditions and customs of the local ethnic groups like buffalo stabling and new rice celebrations.
National highway 24 connects Quang Ngai to Kontum while national highway 14 connects the province with Ho Chi Minh City.
Getting There & Away
There are buses to the city from Da Nang (5 hours) and Nha Trang, and major destinations in between. Journeys can be a little unsettling due to the winding mountain roads and drivers’ lack of regard for safe negotiation of twists and turns. Kon Tum Province also has its own airport but it’s a small domestic facility. The nearest international airport is at Ho Chi Minh City but Pleiku Airport, 1 hour from Kon Tum, is a useful gateway.
Things to Do
Kon Tum Province Attractions
- Ethnic villages
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There are settlements in the area of people from the sedang, bahnar, gieh trieng, jarai and rengao ethnic groups.