Kontum is a sleepy small town inhabited by Montagnards including the Bannar, the
Sedang, the Jarai and the Rengao. Though the hill tribes in the central highlands
are nowhere near as colorful as those in the Nothern Vietnam, Kontum is worth visiting
if you are trying to avoid the beaten track. One interesting aspect of the village
life is the communal Rong house, a thatched –roof building on stilt. Accommodations
and dining options are spartan, but the interesting sights are really worth the
journey.
What to do? There are interesting sights and traditional hill tribe villages in and around
Kontum
that you can explore on foot in one or two days. The Seminary, the Ethnic Hilltribe
Museum, the Wooden Church and Kontum Prison on the bank of Dakbla River are worth
paying a visit.
Out of the town, it is the battlefield during the American War.
Remained historical sites including Charlie Hill and Dak To, now denuded peaks,
and a short ride up the now-paved
Ho Chi Minh Trail takes you among some great mountain
scenery and ethnic villages.
Kontum also offers a selection of possibilities including
multi-day trips involving sleeping rough and visiting very remote villages. Accommodations
and dining options are spartan, but are worth the journey, especially if you can
enjoy gong performance and drinking rice wine from ceramic jars.
When to go? The best time to visit the Highlands is between November and January, when the landscape
is lush, the rain is minimal and the weather is temperate. The rainy season begins
from May until October. July and August are the wettest months.
Travel Tips: In Kontum, the police are still a bit touchy. Thus, it is always required a local
guide and permits when you travel to surrounding areas. Please do not offer money
directly to minority people - instead donate to a local charity or offer a small
gift, such as pens. And remember to ask for permission before taking photographs
in minority areas. Accommodations and dining options are spartan, but the interesting
sights are worth the journey.
