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Vietnam >> Kon Tum Travel Guides
Kon Tum Travel Guide
Kon Tum Province is perhaps the most remote province in the Central Highlands of Vietnam, and it has far fewer visitors compared to more popular tourist destinations such as Da Lat to the south. Kon Tum Town, on the banks of the Dakbla River, is the provincial capital. The town itself is rather small, and is the base for treks into the surrounding mountainous countryside. The province was the scene of heavy fighting during the Vietnam War, and the remanents of the war can still be seen in the form of rusting weapons and shells.
Ethnic Villages
There are many Montagnard villages in the area around the town of Kon Tum, and some of them are very close to the town, with some even within walking distance. Of course, these villages near the town are used to tourists, and put on dance and music performances in traditional costume. They also know how to entertain with the drinking of wine and lots of hospitality. Tours to the villages close to town are inexpensive and interesting, and are good if you don’t have a lot of time, or if you are in a large group.
However, in the surrounding mountains there are hundreds of villages comprising eight different ethnic groups. It can take two or three days trekking to get to some of these villages, and they are visited by only a handful of tourists.
Conclusion
All-in-all Kon Tum its a busy and nice little town, and there are some decent places to stay and a few good places to eat. It is even interesting to take a walk and look around the town. However, there is one thing that is not so pleasant about the hills around the town, and that is the deforestation caused by slash-and-burn agriculture. These ugly scars on the mountains you can see from the city rearlly do detract from the beauty of the area.
Cambodia
ethnic groups. It can take two or three days trekking to get to some of these villages, and they are visited by only a handful of tourists.