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Pa Sy Waterfall

Pa Sy Waterfall (Thác Pa Sỹ) is the centrepiece of an eco-tourism park in Măng Cành commune, Kon Plông district - a roughly 45-metre cascade formed from the confluence of three highland streams near Măng Đen, set at about 1,500m elevation amid pine forest, and tied to the Mơ Nâm legend of 'Seven Lakes, Three Waterfalls'.

Măng Đen HighlightPine Forest HighlandsEco-Tourism SitePhotography
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Overview

Best Time to Visit
Morning (roughly 8-10 AM) has soft light through the forest canopy and lingering mist, cool and quiet; afternoon (roughly 2-4 PM) has gentler light and works well for a return trip before it gets dark and cold, which happens quickly in Măng Đen
Entry Fee
50,000 VND/adult, 25,000 VND/child, per Resolution 52/2026 effective 30 May 2026, with exemptions or discounts for some groups - a notable jump from the previous long-standing 20,000 VND flat rate, and some visitors have found the new price steep for what's on offer
Opening Hours
Open daily
Address
Măng Cành, Kon Plông, Kon Tum

Things to Know

Crowds
Busiest around midday and on weekends, with queues sometimes forming on the stairs. Visit early morning or on a weekday afternoon for a quieter experience.
Difficulty
Moderate - the stairs down to the waterfall base are fairly steep and can be tiring, though manageable for most visitors including some elderly guests. A motorbike-taxi option exists for those who'd rather not walk.
Safety
The access road can have potholes and gets slippery when wet. Wooden structures and bridges on-site should be treated carefully underfoot. Some visitors have reported occasional landslide-related debris on the approach road in bad weather.
Accessibility
The stairs may be difficult for visitors with mobility issues, though the motorbike-taxi service offers an alternative to walking down.
Seasonal
The water is cold enough that swimming isn't a realistic draw in any season. Heavy rains around November-December have caused temporary closures in the past. Roughly September through early December is often cited as a good weather window.

About This Place

What Makes Pa Sy Waterfall Special

Pa Sy Waterfall (Thác Pa Sỹ) is the centrepiece attraction of an eco-cultural tourism park in Măng Cành commune, Kon Plông district, in the highland area around Măng Đen town. The falls drop roughly 45 metres at an elevation of about 1,500m, formed from the confluence of three of the area's largest streams - Đắk Ke, Pau Suh, and Đắk Pne - which is also the source of the waterfall's name: 'Pa Sỹ' is a Kinh-language mispronunciation of 'Pau Suh', a Rơ Măm (some sources say Xê Đăng) word meaning 'three streams converging into one'. The falls are the largest of three waterfalls (alongside Đắk Ke and Đắk Pne, sometimes called Lô Ba) tied to a Mơ Nâm ethnic legend known as 'Bảy hồ, ba thác' ('Seven Lakes, Three Waterfalls') - the story of a wrathful deity, Yang Plinh, who punished seven villages with fire for breaking a heavenly law, the villages later transforming into seven lakes and three waterfalls across the Măng Đen area. The wider tourism park covers about 25 hectares and includes walking paths, a nhà rông (traditional communal house), a Rơ Măm handicraft workshop, a cultural display house, and vegetable and flower gardens, set among pine forest that gives the Măng Đen area its noticeably cooler climate compared to lowland Kon Tum.

How to Get There

Getting There

The Pa Sy Waterfall eco-tourism park is in Măng Cành commune, Kon Plông district, roughly 58km from Kon Tum city and about 9-11km from Măng Đen town centre. From Măng Đen, the drive takes around 15-20 minutes by motorbike or car along a reasonably wide mountain road. From Kon Tum city, the journey takes a little over an hour by car. The site has a car park and is easily reached by any vehicle - no trekking or specialist local guide is required to get there, unlike some of Kon Tum's more remote natural sites.

What to Expect

On the Ground

From the entrance, paths lead through pine and native forest past the park's cultural buildings - the nhà rông, handicraft workshop, and flower gardens - before reaching the top of the falls. A notable stop along the way is a wooden statue garden, where local artisans have carved figures depicting everyday highland life - a mother carrying a child, a man pounding rice, a woman weaving, an elder smoking, young men playing gongs or drinking rượu cần - alongside carved animals like dogs, monkeys, and pigs. Over 180 moss-covered stone steps then descend to the base, where the full 45-metre drop is visible, the water fanning out over the rock face into a pool below. A motorbike-taxi service is available for those who'd rather not walk the steps, particularly on the way back up. The site can get busy around midday and on weekends, with some waiting on the stairs at peak times; early morning is notably quieter. Facilities include food service and overnight glamping options for those extending their stay, along with restrooms and paths that are well-maintained relative to more remote Kon Tum waterfalls.

Travel Tips

Tips

Pa Sy Waterfall is one of the easiest and most developed natural attractions to reach in the Măng Đen area, making it a natural pairing with the region's other 'seven lakes, three waterfalls' sites (Đắk Ke and Đắk Pne falls, along with several of the named lakes), or with nearby Chùa Khánh Lâm pagoda, for a fuller day of highland sightseeing. Measure your visit in a couple of hours rather than a full day - the falls and park grounds don't take long to see properly, leaving time to explore other parts of Măng Đen, whose cool climate and pine forest give it a different character from the rest of Kon Tum province.

Insider Tips

Based on real traveler experiences and commonly mentioned advice from multiple visitors.

Bring a bag for your own rubbish - litter has been an issue at times, and helping keep the site clean is appreciated
Arrive early morning or on a weekday afternoon to avoid the midday queues and crowds
Wear shoes with good grip - the stairs can be steep and slippery, especially if it's recently rained
Time needed: 1-3 hours if you explore the full park grounds
The name 'Pa Sỹ' is a Kinh mispronunciation of 'Pau Suh', a Rơ Măm/Xê Đăng word meaning 'three streams converging into one' - referring to the confluence of Đắk Ke, Pau Suh, and Đắk Pne streams that form the falls
Stone steps lead down to the base of the falls - moderately steep but manageable for most visitors, with a motorbike-taxi option available if you'd rather skip the walk down (and, more importantly, the walk back up)
Visit early morning or on a weekday afternoon - the site gets genuinely crowded around midday and on weekends, with queues forming on the stairs
The site includes a nhà rông (communal house), a handicraft workshop, a wooden statue garden depicting highland village life, a cultural display area, and flower and vegetable gardens beyond the waterfall itself - worth allowing time to explore rather than just viewing the falls and leaving. Camping, SUP paddleboarding on an on-site lake, and coffee are also available if you want to extend your visit
Overnight glamping and on-site food service are available if you want to extend your visit into the evening or next morning
Bring a light jacket - Măng Đen's elevation keeps the air noticeably cooler than lowland Kon Tum, even in the dry season
Outside food is generally allowed on-site, unlike some other Vietnamese tourist parks, so you can bring your own picnic if you'd rather not rely on the on-site food service
Set your expectations accordingly: this is a waterfall inside a built-up tourism park, not an untouched cascade deep in the wilderness - the paths, statue garden, buildings, and other development around it have visibly reduced the sense of wildness, so go for a pleasant, easy day out rather than an off-the-beaten-path adventure
Bring ID (CCCD/driver's license/passport) as a general travel precaution, along with insect repellent and a compact umbrella or rain jacket for sudden showers
The water is cold year-round and swimming isn't really the draw here - come for the views, photography, and forest walk rather than planning to get in the water

FAQ

Common questions from travelers who've visited this place.

What is the entrance fee?›
50,000 VND for adults and 25,000 VND for children, per Resolution 52/2026 (effective 30 May 2026), with some groups eligible for exemptions or discounts - up from a longstanding flat rate of 20,000 VND. There may be additional charges for optional extras like the motorbike-taxi descent.
Is the waterfall safe to swim in?›
The water is cold year-round, which discourages most people from swimming. The stairs to the base are well-maintained, but take care on wet or steep sections.
When is the best time to visit?›
Weekday mornings or early afternoons, roughly September through early December for the best weather, help you avoid both the midday crowds and the heaviest rains.

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