Smack in the middle of Vietnam, at the edge of the Central Highlands, is the city of Kon Tum.
It’s an unassuming place that’s often passed over by people traveling from the north to the south of the country, or vice versa. That’s mostly because it sits inland, while most travelers opt to take the coastal route.
However, it makes for a wonderful stop between the popular destinations of Da Nang and Dalat, if you want to break up a grueling overnight bus journey. Plus, the inland road is a fantastic way to see another side of Vietnam. One that’s filled with friendly people, many of whom belong to the region’s diverse ethnic groups.
My partner and I had an extended stay here due to poor weather conditions, but in the end, we were happy that we got stuck longer than our intended couple of days. Kon Tum is a really relaxed city. It doesn’t get so many foreign travelers, which, when added to its charming atmosphere and historical sights, makes it a true hidden gem.
I’ll share some of my favorite experiences in this post, including the top things to do in Kon Tum. I also give tips on where to stay, what cafes are worth a visit, and an overview of the city’s unique food scene.
Here is my guide to Kon Tum, Vietnam.
Visit Saint Mary's Cathedral of Kon Tum
The most popular sight in Kon Tum is undoubtedly the stunning Saint Mary’s Cathedral.
There are some pretty churches in Vietnam, but this, along with Mằng Lăng Church in Tuy Hoa, is my personal favorite. Its distinct wooden frame, which takes Gothic features and mixes them with Bahnar elements, makes the cathedral feel entirely unique.
If you’re unfamiliar with the Bahnar style, don’t be worried; I was too until I dug into this church a little more. The Bahnar, also known as the Ba-Na people, are an indigenous group native to central Vietnam. They are widely recognized for their famous stilted houses, which I’ll cover a bit later in this post.
This blend of architectural styles was designed by the local French priests in the early 1900s. Despite ongoing conflicts like WWI, the church was finished in 5 years and has been preserved ever since.
The exterior is renowned for its large single tower, high arches, and the dark wooden facade trimmed with gold paint. And while it’s certainly beautiful from the outside, it might be even more so from the inside.
Large wooden columns and custom curved trusses lead to an impressive altar. Colorful stained glass windows run along the length of the building, letting in plenty of natural light. It felt very majestic as I wandered around the property.
Head Over To The Bishop's House of Kon Tum
If you find the cathedral gorgeous, then the Bishop’s House of Kon Tum will feel equally as magnificent. In fact, they were built with the same style in mind.
A mix of French colonial and indigenous designs highlights the bishop’s residence. The most noticeable component is a double exterior staircase that leads to a window-filled Gothic entryway.
The property also has a very pretty garden area, filled with old trees and a handful of monuments and sculptures. This section is often shut, as the main property doesn’t seem to follow the opening hours displayed outside the main gate.
However, when the main house is open, you’ll have the chance to explore a large room that doubles as the site’s museum. There are several unique historical and cultural artifacts from around the region on display here.
Entry | Free
Opening Hours | Wednesday to Monday from 7:30 am – 11 am and 2 pm – 5 pm / Closed on Tuesdays
Dive Into The Central Highlands' History At Kon Tum Museum
If you’re looking to dive into Kon Tum’s past, especially the ancient and tribal history, then the Kon Tum Museum is a great place to start.
Similar to the museums in many of Vietnam’s smaller cities, you should limit your expectations.
The infrastructure isn’t quite there yet, so there is little detailed information displayed, and the same thing goes for translations. But you can also expect to see some cool artifacts and tidbits about the local ethnic groups.
The first floor lacks English texts, but has plenty of photos to go along with some neat ceramics and tools. The pictures give you an idea of how the local tribes used these older tools for work.
The top floor, on the other hand, has everything translated into English. There are a handful of permanent exhibitions that cover the province’s ethnography and natural history.
Entry Price | 10k VND, although I’ve heard that they made entry free recently
Opening Hours | Every day from 7:30 am – 11 am and 1 pm – 4:30 pm / Closed on Tuesdays
See The Prison Relic (Nhà Ngục Kon Tum)
After visiting the Kon Tum Museum, you can walk along the riverfront on the Kon Tum Pedestrian Street (Phố Đi Bộ Kon Tum) until you reach the Kon Tum Prison Relic.
The former prison-turned-museum is dedicated to the revolutionary fighters imprisoned in the early 20th century by French colonialists. The historical site consists of a small building that doubles as a museum and a garden with a large brutalist monument to the revolutionaries.
Inside the museum, you’ll find dozens of pictures, a few texts describing things, and a diorama of what the prison once looked like.
There are also a few artifacts, like torture devices and clothing, spread throughout the rooms. It’s worth noting that the little information that was given was mostly displayed in Vietnamese.
Still, Nhà Ngục Kon Tum is a very important site and worth a visit to see the historical significance of French colonialism in the region, even if it’s a bit daunting.
Afterwards, I suggest grabbing a coffee or smoothie at one of the riverfront pop-up shops along the pedestrian street.
Entry | 10k VND for foreigners
Opening Hours | 7:30 am to 11 am before lunch break and 1:30 pm to 5 pm after
Wander Across The Kon Klor Suspension Bridge
The Kon Klor Suspension Bridge is Kon Tum’s version of the Golden Gate Bridge.
Well, at least that’s my take on it. I don’t think they actually made it a portrayal of anything specific, but I see a bright red suspension bridge, and the first thing that comes to mind is the Golden Gate.
Passing over the Đăk Bla River, it allows the Bắc Cạn road to connect Kon Tum with villages across the river to the south. These towns often have homestays that let you see how the local tribes currently live.
The two closest ones are Kon K’ri and Kon K’Tu. The former is home to the Nhà rông Kon K’ri stilted house, while the latter has the Kon Kơ Tu Community Tourism Village. I’ll cover these both a little more in the ‘Stilted Houses’ section.
The start of the suspension bridge is next to the Nhà Rông Konklor Kon Tum, a historic community house of the Ba Na people. You can grab a coffee or smoothie at one of the nearby cafes and head across the bridge for some wonderful views.
Explore The Unique Food Scene
Regional dishes are definitely a thing when traveling around Vietnam, and Kon Tum is no different. The local cuisine is truly unique, with foods you’ve probably never heard of or thought of eating.
I stepped out of my comfort zone to try some of these while in Kon Tum, and it was a great decision in the end. There are also a handful of decent restaurants serving overseas cuisine, in particular Korean food.
TYPICAL DISHES IN KON TUM
Gỏi Lá Kon Tum (Kon Tum Leaf Salad) | Almost 60 different kinds of leaves served with river shrimp, boiled pork, fermented sticky rice, and other sauces. Considered to be the essence of Central Highlands cuisine.
Gà Nướng Cơm Lam | Special Vietnamese grilled chicken with bamboo rice.
Bánh Canh Cá Lóc | Snakehead fish noodles served in a thick broth.
Hun Khói | This means smoked meats, and you’ll find variations like Bò Hun Khói (smoked beef), Trâu Hun Khói (smoked buffalo), or Heo Hun Khói (smoked pork).
Bánh Xèo | Vietnamese savory pancakes. Bánh xèo isn’t specific to the Central Highlands, but Kon Tum had the best I’ve tasted.
Here are some restaurants worth trying while in Kon Tum:
Gỏi lá Yến Vy Kon Tum | The go-to restaurant for gỏi lá in Kon Tum. The portions are massive and meant to be shared, but are extremely budget-friendly. The taste was good, and the interior is filled with exotic wood sculptures.
Bánh xèo bà 5 | Hand-cooked savory pancakes by a friendly old lady and her family. These were the best bánh xèo I had during my trip. Crispy, well-filled, and with a delicious dipping sauce. They also have good bún mắm nêm, and everything is well-priced.
Pizza Duc | Don’t expect a gourmet Italian pizza, but the cheese was high quality, which is hard to find in this part of Vietnam.
Cơm Nhà Restaurant | A wonderful local restaurant known for their claypot rice. They have good-sized portions and lots of variety.
Chill Out In A Cafe
I happened to arrive in Kon Tum as a typhoon was passing by, so my first few days were mostly spent indoors. I had some rainy walks around town in the beginning, but also a lot of coffee sipping.
Kon Tum sits on the border of Vietnam’s central highlands, an area that’s known as one of the country’s premier coffee regions. The robusta bean, which is quite a bit stronger than Arabica, is what’s primarily grown. This means you can expect some decent cafes serving up a quality roast with a strong caffeine buzz.
Here are a few cafes worth stopping at in Kon Tum:
Eva Café | A gorgeous coffee shop set in a building with all kinds of wooden sculptures created by the nearby tribes. It has been the go-to cafe for quite a few years now.
Chang Coffee | This is a small coffee shop that’s at the bottom of Chang Coffee & Homestay Kon Tum. I stayed here during my trip, so I spent a fair share of time sipping on salted coffees while watching the storm run its course.
Indochine Coffee Kon Tum | With unique bamboo structures and a picturesque garden, this is probably the most beautifully designed space. It’s a nice place to go when the weather is pleasant.
Gieo Coffee & Roastery | Lovely little cafe that home-roasts its own coffee. The baristas are knowledgeable and do several different brewing techniques, like cold brew and the typical espresso machine pours.
Coffee Moi | A large, modern cafe that’s popular amongst local students. It’s not a bad place to get work done if you’re searching out a laptop-friendly location.
Cafe xưa | A retro-style cafe that’s reminiscent of 20th-century Vietnam. Decent drinks at a reasonable price, too.
See The Historic Stilted Houses
If you’re looking for a more authentic or unique travel experience, then seeing a Nhà Rông, or communal house, should be on your Kon Tum itinerary.
Kon Tum is well-known for these historic homes that sit on stilts and have large, steep thatched roofs. The traditional abodes belong to various ethnic minorities in the Central Highlands and serve as communal houses for the local tribes.
I should mention that these aren’t exactly built for tourism, as they are simply used by the neighborhood, as they have been for generations. So, if you want a history lesson, you should seek out a local guide or hope to run into one of the community leaders when you drop in.
But they are interesting nonetheless, and more than worth stopping by when in town.
Here’s a list of the various stilted houses within walking and cycling distance of Kon Tum:
Nhà Rông Konklor Kon Tum | This is probably the most well-preserved of the historic stilted houses. It sits within a gated property right next to the Kon Klor Suspension Bridge.
Nhà Rông KonRơWang | Northwest of the previously mentioned communal house in a small neighborhood. There’s a ‘sacred tree’ next to it, and when I was there, dozens of kids were playing on the property.
Nhà rông Kon K’ri | Across the Cầu Treo Konklor Bridge and a bit up the road. There are a handful of homestays nearby that are worth staying at for a more traditional experience.
Nha Rong Van Hoa | The closest one to the city center, but when I visited, it was gated up. I suggest seeing the others first and stopping by this one on the way back.
TOURISM VILLAGES A LITTLE FURTHER OUT
There are a couple of minority villages around Kon Tum that have these community houses, along with some other cool sights. You’ll need to cycle or rent a motorbike to reach them.
Làng Văn hóa Cộng đồng Kon Pring | Or, Kon Pring Culture and Tourism Village is a popular town of the Mo Nam ethnic group that lies outside of Kon Tum. You’ll need your own transport, but it’s worth a visit, especially since it’s near Pa Sy Waterfall and Khan Lam Pagoda.
Làng Du Lịch Cộng Đồng Kon Kơ Tu | Or, Kon Kơ Tu Community Tourism Village is not far past the Kon Klor Suspension Bridge to the south of Kon Tum. It’s known for having a handful of homestays, a nice community house, and the Kon K’Tu Parish Church.
Find Kon Tum’s Other Beautiful Churches and Temples
While Saint Mary’s Cathedral attracts the most visitors in Kon Tum, there are several more religious buildings worth seeing on a multi-day trip to the city.
I didn’t find out too much about most of these, but if you’re into visiting the local churches or temples during your travels, then these may stand out to you.
Here are a few that caught my eye:
Phuong Nghia Parish Church | I stopped by this church (Nhà Thờ Giáo Xứ Phương Nghĩa on maps) on my way to Saint Mary’s Cathedral. It’s a nice little place with a manmade cave chapel on the property and plenty of outdoor seating.
Bac Ai Pagoda (Chùa Bác Ái) | A small, peaceful Buddhist temple near Công Viên 2 Tháng 9 park. It has some beautiful paintings on the upper-level facade and a lovely little garden with sculptures.
Hue Huong Pagoda (Chùa Huệ Hương) | It’s a modern but picturesque pagoda in the town center. The gate was reminiscent of the famous Temple of Sac Tu Khai Doan in Buon Ma Thuot.
Trung Khanh Pagoda | Another Buddhist temple, this time with a colorful pagoda, gorgeous potted plants, and a serene garden.
Tân Hương Church | A large yellow-trimmed church with a very beautiful centralized tower that has interesting paintings alongside it. The interior archways that lead to the altar are stunning as well.
GETTING AROUND KON TUM
Walking or cycling will be your best bet for getting around the actual town of Kon Tum.
Of course, if you’re riding through on a motorbike, you’ll have no problem reaching further out places like Pleiku or the coffee fields. Motorbike rental will be a bit trickier in the city as it’s not so catered towards Westerners as more popular Vietnam destinations.
I suggest asking your guesthouse to sort out rentals for you if you go this route. The same goes for buses out of town.
You can book online too, but oftentimes it’s easier to have a local do it for you. They can get you transport to the right bus station after you’ve booked. Each company tends to leave from a different establishment around town, and some of the stations are far out of the center.
When in doubt, you can head to Kon Tum Bus Station (maps), and someone will help sort a bus for you.
Most bus arrivals to the city will stop along AH17 highway somewhere in the center between the roundabouts in the north and south of town.
WHERE TO STAY IN KON TUM
Kon Tum has yet to become a mainstay on most people’s Vietnam itinerary, so there isn’t a wide variety of accommodations to choose from. With that being said, I’d check multiple sites like Agoda or Booking for options. There are also a few places that aren’t listed on booking sites, but you’ll most likely need a little bit of Vietnamese to be able to book them.
Only a handful of choices means that searching for a hotel won’t take too long. There are places outside the city center, but without a vehicle, this will make things a bit tricky. However, the vast majority of properties are within walking distance of each other and near plenty of restaurants.
Here are some recommendations:
Chang Coffee & Homestay Kon Tum | This is where I stayed, and I have no issues recommending it. The cafe is wonderful; it’s well-priced, the owner is really sweet, and her English is quite good. It’s not on all the main booking sites, but you can message directly for prices and availability.
Homestay Nang Nghieng | A budget-friendly homestay with a beautiful garden just outside of the city. It’s across Konklor Bridge and in proximity to some of the stilted houses. If you want an authentic Vietnamese stay, it’s a great choice.
Window Homestay & Anh Khoa Hotel | Two mid-range options with nice modern rooms and a range of different room types. Window Homestay has a pool and is in a decent spot between the busier part of town and the bridge and stilted homes. Anh Khoa Hotel is near the main road leading out of town and has plenty of restaurants. They both have all the amenities of a larger hotel.
Friendly Homestay | Modern homestay with a nice variety of rooms for different budgets. It’s near the main road, so if you’re travelling by bus, it’s well-located. It’s also near a ton of food spots and has the amenities of a typical Vietnamese city hotel.
For more options, check here.
MORE VIETNAM GUIDES:
