Kon Ktu Village

Kon Ktu sits on the Dakbla river outside Kon Tum and is one of the older Bahnar villages of the area, arranged around its rong - the communal house of the central highland peoples, built on stilts with a very steep thatched roof rising to a considerable height, which serves as meeting hall, court, guest house and ceremonial space, and whose height is a statement of the village's standing. The Dakbla is unusual in the region for flowing westwards. Homestays operate in the village and the Bahnar here are largely Catholic, which is common in Kon Tum province and shows in the village church.

What you actually see

• A Bahnar rong house - stilts and a very steep, very high thatched roof.
• The village's meeting and ceremonial space - what the rong is for.
• The Dakbla flowing west - unusual among the region's rivers.
• A Catholic Bahnar village - common in this province.

When to go

November to April, the dry season. Half a day.

Honest expectations

The village is small and the visit is short. Homestays are simple. Entering the rong requires permission. It is a working village, not a display, and behaving as a guest matters.

Nearby

Kon Tum and its wooden church are west; Pleiku is south.