Mang Den and Kon Tum in 3 Days and 2 Nights from Da Nang: Stages and Two Ways to Stay Overnight
Mang Den is about 5 hours each way in the rate table, so three days and two nights is a sensible frame: a day on the road, a day on the plateau and a day for Kon Tum and the return. The guide offers two ways to sleep and flags where the distance has no official reference.
Table of Contents (7 sections)
The road from Da Nang up to Mang Den takes about 5 hours each way in the rate table, so three days and two nights is a sensible frame: a day on the road, a day on the plateau and a day for Kon Tum and the return. This guide splits the plan by two ways of sleeping, points out where the rate table has no reference and lists what to check about the weather at both ends of the trip.
Road references and the gaps
| Leg | Reference and source |
|---|---|
| Da Nang or Hoi An to Mang Den | about 240 km, 5.0 hours (rate table, one way) |
| Mang Den to Kon Tum | about 60 km (VnExpress guide, updated 22 February 2026); no entry in the rate table |
| Kon Tum to Da Nang | about 292 km (English Wikipedia); no entry in the rate table |
Some travel advice sites give Da Nang to Mang Den as roughly 260 to 290 km depending on the road, for example about 272 km by the Da Nang to Quang Ngai expressway and then Highway 24. That differs from the 240 km in the rate table, so treat 240 km and 5 hours as a reference; the real route and driving time are confirmed by dispatch when it receives your schedule. The rate for the leg up to Mang Den is on the page for a private car from Da Nang or Hoi An to Mang Den.
Weather: the two ends of the trip do not share a season
According to Wikipedia, Mang Den lies at about 1,200 m with an average temperature of 17.0 to 22.7 °C, so a light warm layer is useful for mornings and evenings. The VnExpress guide (updated 22 February 2026) lists October to December as the cool, clear period for Mang Den. But, according to newspapers quoting weather forecasts, that is also when storms along the central coast peak (around October and November). If you travel in these months, check the forecast for both Da Nang and the plateau and keep a plan to move the date or drop a stop.
Day 1: up to the plateau
Leave early so that most of the pass roads fall in daylight. Illustration only, not a fixed schedule: leaving Da Nang at 6:30, 5 hours of driving plus about 1 hour for rest and lunch puts you in Mang Den around 12:30 to 13:00, which leaves the whole afternoon to check in and stroll around the town. Anyone prone to car sickness should say so in advance so that the start time and rest points can be chosen.
Day 2: a full day in Mang Den
According to the VnExpress guide, the stops usually put on an itinerary are Dak Ke lake (about 3 ha, in the town centre, with boating and pedal boats), Pa Sy waterfall (at about 1,500 m, formed by three streams), a wooden sculpture garden (about 100 works by ethnic artisans) and Khanh Lam pagoda (with a 17 m Guanyin statue). Mang Den also has a pilgrimage site for Catholics tied to the statue of Our Lady at a chapel built in 1971 (according to Wikipedia). At places of worship, dress modestly and follow the on-site instructions.
Moving between the stops inside the area is not part of the one-way rate for the leg to Mang Den. Send your list of stops so dispatch can quote the waiting time and how day 2 is counted. More about the destination is in the guides to Mang Den by private car and a private car from Da Nang or Hoi An to Mang Den.
Day 3: Kon Tum, then back to Da Nang
Kon Tum is about 60 km from Mang Den. The stop mentioned most is the wooden cathedral at 13 Nguyen Hue street: construction began on 7 April 1913 and it was consecrated on 6 January 1918; it combines Roman architecture with the stilt houses of the Ba Na people and is built mainly of ca chit wood (according to Vietnamese Wikipedia). Ask directly about any visit, including service times, because no official source could be checked.
Day 3 is the one to plan most carefully. Driving straight from Mang Den to Da Nang is about 240 km according to the rate table. If you stop in Kon Tum and then return to Da Nang, the distance is roughly 350 km (60 km plus 292 km), which is about 110 km more than going straight back, and the rate table has no time reference for the Kon Tum to Da Nang leg. If you must be back in Da Nang the same day, consider sleeping the second night in Kon Tum so that day 3 has only the Kon Tum to Da Nang leg.
Two ways to stay overnight
- Two nights in Mang Den, Kon Tum as a stop on day 3: the most time on the plateau and no change of accommodation, but day 3 is the longest driving day.
- One night in Mang Den and one in Kon Tum: on day 2 you leave Mang Den for Kon Tum in the afternoon and on day 3 you have a morning in Kon Tum before the return. You change accommodation once, but the driving is spread more evenly.
If you have only two days, leave out Kon Tum and plan a trip up to Mang Den and back, as the guide to Mang Den by private car describes; your time on the plateau is then under a day and a half.
What to send so the schedule can be settled
- Your pickup in Da Nang or Hoi An (the car can drive through the gates of hotels and resorts to pick up and drop off), where you stay in Mang Den and Kon Tum if already chosen, and the final drop-off.
- The overnight option you lean towards, and the time you must be back in Da Nang if there is one.
- The number of passengers, the number of suitcases, anyone prone to car sickness or older people, and a 4, 7 or 16-seat vehicle.
The base rate table has no entry for the driver’s overnight stay, the return leg or a waiting car in the area; these are quoted separately. A trip needs a 20% deposit of the trip price; cancellation is free if you tell us at least 2 hours before the pickup time, and if later the terms are written in the confirmation. The service scope is on the page for multi-day car rental with a driver.
Frequently asked questions about Mang Den and Kon Tum in three days and two nights from Da Nang
Which province do Mang Den and Kon Tum belong to now?
Since 1 July 2025, under Resolution 202/2025/QH15, Kon Tum has merged with Quang Ngai to form Quang Ngai province; Mang Den and Kon Tum now both belong to Quang Ngai province. Many travel sites still use the old name Kon Tum, so write the address as it appears on your accommodation confirmation when you send the drop-off point.
The rate table says 240 km but many sites say nearly 270 km; which figure should we trust?
Treat 240 km and 5 hours in the rate table as a one-way reference. The real distance depends on the route chosen (for example the Da Nang to Quang Ngai expressway and then Highway 24), so dispatch confirms the route and the driving time when it receives your schedule.
Which month is best for Mang Den?
The VnExpress guide lists October to December as cool and clear for Mang Den, but that is also the storm peak along the central coast. Check the forecast for both ends of the trip and leave a fallback for moving the date.
How is the overnight stay of the driver counted over two nights on the plateau?
The base rate table is a one-way rate for each route and has no entry for overnight stays. How the driver's accommodation is arranged and counted is written in the quote or confirmation before departure; a multi-day programme does not yet have a listed all-inclusive price.
Is it worth going to Mang Den if we have only two days?
It can be done, but two legs of about 10 hours in the car in the rate table leave less than a day and a half on the plateau. If you also want Kon Tum, three days are more comfortable.
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