Dak Bla River

Dak Bla River is a major river flowing through Kon Tum City in Quang Ngai Province, in the Central Highlands of Vietnam. It is a tributary of the Se San River and flows in an unusual south-to-north direction through the city center. The river is notable for its scenic riverside landscape, iconic bridges, and its importance to local Bahnar and other ethnic communities.

Visitors can expect a wide, calm river winding through Kon Tum City with sandy banks, vegetated islets and several bridges including Dak Bla Bridge and Kon Klor Suspension Bridge. The riverside offers walking and cycling paths, viewpoints for sunset photography, small boat trips, and views of stilt-house villages and fields. The setting is open and rural-urban mixed, with cafes and seating areas along the embankment.

Dak Bla River has long served as a water source and transport route for settlements in the Kon Tum basin and is historically associated with the development of Kon Tum City during the French colonial period and later expansion of the Central Highlands.

The river holds cultural importance for Bahnar and other Central Highlands ethnic groups, with traditional villages, communal Rong houses and agricultural lands located along its banks. It remains central to local livelihoods, festivals and daily life.