Da Nang to Mang Den by Private Car

The first thing you notice on this route is not the distance. It is the air changing. Da Nang sits around 32 degrees, and by the time the car tops the National Route 24 (QL24) pass you are breathing pine air at about 1,200 m, where the temperature stays around 15 to 23 degrees. The road runs about 275 to 280 km, and a Da Nang to Mang Den private car covers it in 4.5 to 5.5 hours, from $140 per car, one way, with no deposit.

Mui Ne Private Car is a private transport company with more than 8 years of experience on routes across Vietnam. We run this trip with our own cars and local drivers. Message us on WhatsApp at +84 976 694 384 and we confirm your fixed price before you travel.

The Fast Answers

Three Ways to Reach Mang Den

There is no train to Mang Den, and coaches mostly end at Kon Tum rather than Mang Den itself. That leaves three real ways in, and they differ in one thing: how much of the trip you still have to arrange yourself.

Put the three side by side and the difference is not speed. It is how many separate bookings you have to make before you are standing in Mang Den. The car asks for one. The coach asks for two, and the second one you arrange in Kon Tum, not before you leave. The flight asks for two as well, and the pair together usually costs more than the direct car for a group. That is why the car is the recommended way here for most travelers, with the coach left to the solo traveler counting every dong and the flight left to whoever is already landing in Pleiku.

The Drive: Up the QL24 Pass

Morning Pickup in Da Nang

The car leaves after breakfast, from your hotel or address in Da Nang, with your group and your luggage in one car. If you are landing at Da Nang Airport instead, the pickup works the same way as in the airport section below.

The Climb and the Temperature Change

The road runs north to Kon Tum city first, then turns east onto QL24 and climbs to Mang Den. The final climb is Mang Den Pass itself, a 12 km stretch opened in 2015, gentler than the old road it replaced. The climb is the reason travelers ask about this route. The road winds, the air cools degree by degree, and by the top you need the jacket you packed in Da Nang. A stop in Kon Tum city on the way, for example at the wooden church, can be agreed when you book, at no extra charge. Your driver chooses the best route on the day, based on traffic and road conditions, and stops wherever you agreed when you booked. There are also plain rest stops for food, coffee and a break from the car whenever you need one.

Arriving in Mang Den Town

Mang Den town sits on the plateau, and your driver drops you at your hotel or homestay. He helps you unload your luggage and checks the car with you so nothing is left behind. That is the end of your Da Nang to Mang Den private car trip with Mui Ne Private Car.

Five Questions About the Drive

Is Mang Den worth the drive from Da Nang?
That depends on what you want from the day. The drive is long, 4.5 to 5.5 hours each way over a winding pass, and there is no shortcut around it. The payoff is a highland town at 1,200 m that stays cool while Da Nang stays hot, with pine forest and quiet streets instead of beach traffic. Travelers who want cool air and a slow pace call it worth it. Travelers who want a quick stop do not.

How cold does Mang Den get compared to Da Nang?
Da Nang sits around 32 degrees. Mang Den stays around 15 to 23 degrees through the year, and mornings and evenings feel cooler still. Pack a jacket even in summer, and a warm layer for the evening if you visit from November to February.

Is the mountain road to Mang Den safe in a private car?
The road winds, and it narrows in places on the pass. Our drivers drive this corridor regularly and know where it tightens. The car stays on the paved road the whole way, and the pace is set for the curves, not for the clock.

We get carsick on winding roads. Is this trip for us?
Be honest with yourself before you book. The QL24 pass winds for a long stretch, and that is hard on travelers who get carsick. Sitting in the front seat helps, and so does a stop on the pass for fresh air. If winding roads usually make you ill, the flight to Pleiku plus the shorter road leg is the gentler way in.

Can we stop in Kon Tum city on the way?
Yes. Kon Tum city sits on the road to Mang Den, about 55 km before it, and a stop there can be agreed when you book, at no extra charge. The wooden church is the stop most travelers ask for. Tell us when you book so the start time still leaves you arriving in Mang Den in daylight.

From Da Nang Airport Straight to Mang Den

The airport sits inside the city, and the drive from the airport to Mang Den takes about the same 4.5 to 5.5 hours. This is exactly how the pickup works:

Book for the landing time, not the drive. Tell us your flight number and your landing time when you book, and the car is set for when you actually come out of the airport, not for a fixed hour.

We watch the flight, not the clock. We follow your flight before you land. When a flight is delayed, we see the delay in the tracking and move the pickup to your new landing time, so your driver is waiting when you walk out.

Look for the name board at the arrivals exit. Your driver stands at the arrivals exit holding a name board with your name on it. Your driver stays at that exit, and you can message us on WhatsApp at any point and we guide you to each other.

Drive north, with the pass in daylight. Your luggage goes in the car, and the drive takes 4.5 to 5.5 hours. Tell us when you book whether you want a stop in Kon Tum city, so the day is planned around daylight on the pass.

What Waits in Mang Den

Mang Den is a small highland town, not a resort strip. Older listings still place it in Kon Tum Province, and newer ones place it in Quang Ngai Province after the 2025 merger. The town is the same either way. These are the stops most travelers choose between:

Pine forest in Mang Den. Photo: Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0.

The statue of Our Lady at Duc Me Mang Den. Photo: Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0.

• Pine forest walks. The pine forest is the town itself, quiet paths under tall trees, and the walk most visitors take on their first evening. There is no gate and no ticket, just forest paths that start where the town ends, so this is the easiest stop to fit into any arrival afternoon.
• Duc Me Mang Den. The pilgrimage centre of Our Lady of Mang Den, a calm stop that draws visitors from across the country. Allow about an hour, and expect a quiet atmosphere rather than a tour, since most visitors come to pray and sit for a while.
• Pa Sy Waterfall. A waterfall about 45 m high, about 3 km from the town centre, with an entry of 20,000 Vietnamese dong (VND) per person and open from 7:00 AM to 5:30 PM. Allow a morning for it, since the walk from the gate to the falls runs 300 to 400 m over steps, and the site also holds a garden of wooden statues carved by local artists.
• Dak Ke Lake. A still lake near the town, good for a slow walk and for watching the light change in the late afternoon. Late afternoon is the time most visitors choose, when the sun drops behind the pines and the lake turns still.
• Kon Bring village. A community village of the M'Nam people, where travelers see highland village life up close. Allow an hour or two, and go with a local guide if one is offered, since the village is a living community rather than a staged stop.

The best season is the dry season, from November to April, when the weather is cool and clear. The rainy season, from May to October, brings stronger waterfalls and greener forest, and roads that can run slippery. One honest warning about timing: Mang Den is small, with about 1,500 to 1,600 rooms, and holiday weekends sell out. Rooms for Tet and the September holidays are usually booked 2 to 3 weeks ahead, so book your stay early if you travel on a holiday weekend. Weekdays stay quiet.

One Night or Two?

One night covers the main stops. Arrive in the afternoon, walk the pine forest in the evening, and visit Duc Me Mang Den before dark. The next morning goes to Pa Sy Waterfall and Dak Ke Lake, and the drive back leaves after lunch, with the pass still in daylight. Two nights add the slower half of the town: Kon Bring village, a second forest morning without a schedule, and a spare day if rain changes your plans. Travelers who come for the cool air itself usually take the second night. Travelers who come to tick off the sights do it in one.

Price List – Da Nang to Mang Den Private Car

The prices above are per car, not per person. One Da Nang to Mang Den private car carries your whole group for the Sedan price, while tours and transfers sold per person charge that price again for every seat.

Why Choose Us for This Trip

Modern cars. You travel in a modern car with room for your group and your luggage, so a 4.5 to 5.5 hour mountain drive stays comfortable from Da Nang to Mang Den.

A professional local driver. You do not drive the pass yourself. A professional local driver handles the mountain road, the fog, and the timing, while you rest and watch the pine forest go by.

A support team around the clock. Our support team answers on WhatsApp around the clock, before the trip, during the drive, and after you arrive, so a changed plan or a question never waits until morning.

What the Price Covers

• A private, air-conditioned car for your group only
• A local driver who knows the road north to Mang Den
• Fuel, road tolls and parking
• 30 minutes of free waiting time included
• Pickup and drop-off door to door: your hotel, Da Nang Airport, or your hotel in Mang Den
• Free bottled water in the car
• Free cancellation a few hours before departure

What It Does Not Cover

• Entrance tickets at the stops in Mang Den, such as Pa Sy Waterfall
• Meals and personal expenses
• Your hotel or homestay in Mang Den

Customer Reviews

Mario A (12go)
"I enjoy a private car for the capacity to stop anytime for a picture or toilet break. Cars are always clean and top notch"
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Wichuda S (12go)
"Very good, the car is super clean and driving very smooth. We feel safe and glad to use your services. Thankyou"
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Gethin H (12go)
"Good trip from Da Nang to Hue. Driver was courteous and on time and got us to our destination safely"
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Carol P (12go)
"We booked our ride very last minute and the whole process was so smooth! Driver was great!"
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How to Book

Step 1: Send us your trip details. Message us on WhatsApp +84 976 694 384 or email muineprivatecarservice@gmail.com with your travel date, pickup address in Da Nang, number of passengers and luggage details. Tell us whether you want a stop in Kon Tum city, so the start time still leaves you arriving in Mang Den in daylight. For airport pickups, include your flight number so we can monitor delays and adjust the pickup time if necessary.

Step 2: We confirm your vehicle and fixed price. We reply with your vehicle and your fixed price before your journey, and no deposit is required.

Step 3: Pay after the trip. You pay your driver after the trip, or in advance only if you prefer. We accept cash, Visa, Mastercard, bank transfer, and Apple Pay.

Step 4: Cancel free if plans change. Cancellation is free a few hours before departure. Message us on WhatsApp and the booking is released.

More Private Car Transfers from Da Nang

• Da Nang to Hue Private Car
• Da Nang to Dong Hoi Private Car
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Frequently Asked Questions

What is there to do in Mang Den once we arrive?
Walk the pine forest, visit the Duc Me Mang Den pilgrimage centre, see Pa Sy Waterfall about 3 km from town, walk around Dak Ke Lake, and visit Kon Bring village. Mang Den is a small town, so one full day covers the main stops, and a second day suits travelers who want the forest walks at a slow pace.

Is Mang Den busy on Vietnamese weekends and holidays?
Weekdays stay quiet. Holiday weekends do not. Mang Den has only about 1,500 to 1,600 rooms, and holiday weekends sell out, with rooms usually booked 2 to 3 weeks ahead. Book your stay early if you travel on a holiday weekend, and book the car early too, since the same weekends fill our cars.

Is flying to Pleiku a shortcut to Mang Den?
Partly. A flight to Pleiku cuts the road leg from 275 km to about 100 km, and the drive from Pleiku Airport to Mang Den takes about 2 hours. What it does not do is remove the road leg. You still need a car from the airport, and the flight plus the road leg together cost more than the direct car from Da Nang for most groups.

Is the return drive to Da Nang the same road?
Yes, the road back runs the same QL24 corridor through Kon Tum city to Da Nang. Your driver chooses the best route on the day, based on traffic and road conditions, and a stop in Kon Tum city can be agreed for the return leg too when you book.

When is the best time to visit Mang Den?
The dry season, from November to April, when the weather is cool and clear and the forest paths stay dry. The rainy season, from May to October, brings stronger waterfalls and greener forest, and roads that can run slippery. If you want cherry blossoms, aim for January to February, when they bloom around the town.