Mang Den

Mang Den sits at about 1,200 metres on the Kon Plong plateau, in what was Kon Tum province and is now part of Quang Ngai, under pine forest planted and natural, with a climate cool enough that the comparison with Da Lat is made constantly - along with the warning implied in it, since Da Lat's development is not universally admired and Mang Den is now being built at speed. There are waterfalls, several lakes, and Xo Dang and Mo Nam villages in the surrounding country. The place is also known for a statue of the Virgin found damaged in the forest and now a pilgrimage site. It was almost unvisited until the 2010s.

What's there

• Pine forest at 1,200 metres - cool by Vietnamese standards.
• Waterfalls and lakes - scattered across the plateau.
• Xo Dang and Mo Nam villages - in the surrounding country.
• Rapid recent building - the Da Lat comparison, in both senses.

When to go

November to April, the dry months. Two days.

Practical notes

Construction is extensive and unfinished in places. Services are limited outside the new resorts. Roads to the waterfalls are rough. Fog and cold are frequent at this altitude.

Nearby

Kon Tum is west; the road continues east to Quang Ngai and the coast.

Key facts