Dalat - the city of thousand of flowers in Vietnam is waiting for you to come and enjoy. This city is an ideal place that will mesmerize visitors with its spring-like weather even in summer, traces of French-colonial architecture from centuries ago, and marvelous sights of nature such as flower gardens, lakes, hills, and more.
Lam Vien Square
Therefore, Dalat tours must be on your travel list if you are going to take Vietnam tours someday because Dalat tourism promises to bring you the best experience ever.
Dalat is the capital of Lam Dong province which is located 1,500m (4,900 ft) above sea level on the Lang Biang Plateau in the Central Highlands region of Vietnam.
The city is home to a local ethnic group named Lạt (or K’ho). So, in Vietnamese, Dalat is called “Đà Lạt”, which is equivalent to the combination of the K’ho language’s “daa” (means water) and “Laac” (means the indigenous people of Dalat), with the meaning is “Stream of the Lat”.
Dalat is a romantic destination
In the late nineteenth century, when Dalat was a French colony, the Swiss-French bacteriologist Alexandre Yersin asked the French governor-general to construct a resort center in the highlands, and the request was approved. Since then, Dalat has become an attraction that appealed to many Europeans who wanted to escape the heat of the lower coastal areas.
Besides, during that time, the city was equipped with villas and boulevards that embody their French charms and uniqueness until these days.
Nowadays, Dalat is one of the most attractive tourist destinations in Vietnam. Dalat city tour has been the choice of various types of visitors, from single travelers, couple travelers, to group travelers.
According to the statistics, Dalat welcomes more than 1,500,000 tourists and about 300,000 foreign tourists each year.
Good morning in Dalat
Taking Dalat tours, visitors will be mesmerized by various breathtaking sights and can enjoy to the fullest a wide range of activities provided by nature.
Below is the list of famous places to explore in Dalat:
Crémaillère Railway Station (or Dalat Old Train Station): Dalat railway station was built in 1932-1938, under the French, this is considered one of the most beautiful ancient stations in Indochina.
The old ambiance of Dalat railway station makes it the favorite check-in place of many young visitors when traveling to Dalat. What’s more, visitors can stop at the café in the station, which is quite famous and has a unique design, and then enjoy a cup of coffee in this ancient, one-of-a-kind pavilion in Dalat.
Crémaillère Railway Station (or Dalat Old Train Station)
Besides, another thing to do is take a train to see the panoramic beauty of this dreamy city. This station operates 1 single line to Trai Mat.
When moving, the train runs very slowly so that visitors can freely enjoy the scenery and take photos along the way.
Xuan Huong Lake: Located in the center of Dalat, the gorgeousness of Xuan Huong Lake gives it another name called “the green gem of the city”. The lake is famous for its romance drawn by pine tree lines, flower clusters, and verdant grassplots.
Xuan Huong Lake at night
Here, visitors can go around the lake with a tandem bike, and visit Thuy Ta or Bich Cau to savor a cup of hot coffee amidst the beautiful natural scenery.
Xuan Huong Lake is considered to be especially romantic at Christmas time when cherry blossoms bloom all around the lakeside.
Dalat Night Market: The Night Market is an interesting place that all visitors would come to at least once when traveling to Dalat.
The Market also called Am Phu (Yin Phu) market, is located in the city center, very near bus stations and the city squares. Dalat Night Market opens from 6 to 7 PM and lasts until the next morning.
Dalat Night Market
Here, visitors can buy souvenirs and specialties at some stalls or kiosks. One of the special features of this market is that many cheap and delicious dishes are sold all around, which makes it a heavenly point of arrival for food lovers.
Elephant waterfall: Elephant waterfall is the most beautiful place in the suburbs of Dalat, which has another name called Lieng Rowoa Waterfall. It is located on the Camly River, in Nam Ban Town, Lam Ha District, Lam Dong province.
The waterfall is about 25km from the city center, its width is about 40m, and is more than 30m in height.
Elephant waterfall in Dalat
The waterfall is appealing to adventurous visitors who would challenge themselves by walking to the top of the waterfall passing through 145 stone steps attached to the craggy cliff while hearing the waterfall rumble beside your ears.
Linh An Pagoda: If you have the opportunity to go to Elephant Waterfall, definitely do not miss the nearby Linh An Pagoda. This is a famous temple in Dalat with impressive and typical architecture.
Linh An Tu Da Lat greets you with a pure white Maitreya Buddha statue with a gentle, peaceful smile. In addition, you will be impressed by the tallest statue of Quan Yin Buddha in Vietnam, standing in the middle of the magnificent space of mountains and forests.
Linh An Pagoda
The Tinh Thanh Garden is home to nearly 500 statues of the same Bodhisattva Kannon, lined up in an extremely dignified way. Visitors can come to Linh An Pagoda to visit, make pilgrimages, and pray for safety and health.
Then, Linh An Pagoda should be an ideal place for Buddhist visitors, especially Asians, to visit during the Vietnam Travels.
Langbiang Mountain: Langbiang Mountain is said to be the heart of Dalat. The mountain is located in the district of Lac Duong, about 12 km from Dalat city, and consists of two tourist areas: Ong Mountain and Ba Mountain.
Langbiang Mountain
Coming to Langbiang Mountain, visitors can enjoy many activities such as picnicking, sightseeing, and exploring nature which attracts young backpackers and adventurers.
In addition, adventurous visitors can try climbing, paragliding, and conquering mountain peaks.
ZooDoo Zoo Dalat: ZooDoo is an Australian-style zoo whose main pavilion is surrounded by a fresh and tranquil pine forest.
The zoo is located nearly 40 km away from Dalat city. This zoo will be the ideal place for families, including Vietnam family tours with children because they will definitely enjoy animals that are gentle and funny such as camels, sheep, ponies, kangaroos, etc.
Experience ZooDoo Zoo in Dalat
Besides, ZooDoo is also a great spot for camping. When camping here, visitors do not need to prepare anything because there are prepared tents, stoves, and other essential items at a fairly low price.
Domaine de Marie Church: Domaine de Marie Church is also called Vinh Son Church, or Mai Anh Church, which is located about 1 km southwest of the center of Dalat City. This is an architectural complex including the main chapel and two rows of St. Vincent's Monastery of Charity.
Domaine de Marie Church
The church was designed and built in the seventeenth century in European style. It has no bell tower, and the lighting system is made of stained glass frames.
Domaine de Marie is famous for its vibrant pink-brown lime color, which stands out among the fairy flower garden that is mass-planted on the church grounds. This could be an ideal spot for visitors who are interested in photo taking.
Palace 1 Dalat (or King Palace): Palace 1 Dalat was built in 1929 by French millionaire Robert Clément Bourgery on a hill that is about 4km from the center of Dalat City.
Dinh 1 Dalat is a destination that contains high historical and artistic significance. With bold European aristocratic architecture, Dalat 1 Palace was the residence of King Bao Dai and the president of the Government of the Republic of Vietnam Ngo Dinh Diem in the period 1949-1956.
Palace 1 Dalat
Visitors can easily find many military buildings here; for example, helipads, gas depots, cannon doors, and bulletproof glass.
Experiencing Gongs culture of the Central Highlands: A fun and worthy thing to do when traveling to Dalat on your own is to experience the unique and vibrant culture of the ethnic minorities here.
Experiencing the Gongs culture of the Central Highlands in Dalat
The sound of gongs echoing in the midst of the jungles, the scent of barbecue that soothes the chilly weather of the Highlands, and the blushing cheeks of K'Ho babies, all make the Dalat travel experience fun and memorable.
Dalat has several characteristics of a temperate climate due to the mountains and pine trees that surround it. This city undergoes South Vietnam's two typical seasons: a dry season from November to April and a rain season from May to October.
Ta Dung Pass
Although the mountainless area to the east of the city occasionally faces very strong winds from the coastline, storms rarely occur in Dalat.
The detailed weather according to 4 main seasons is described as follows:
Given this information about weather, visitors can choose to visit and enjoy Dalat at any time depending on their time preference.
How do visitors come to Dalat? Here are some suggestions:
Go to Dalat by bus: The greatest option for travelers who want to get to Dalat by road is the high-quality bus. There are usually buses available to pick up tourists and take them to the station, and the service is fair.
Go to Dalat by bus
One mile from the city center, at No. 1 To Hien Thanh Street, is where you'll find the major bus station.
Go to Dalat by train: Visitors can also reach Dalat by train from Hanoi and other regions in the country's North and Middle.
Firstly, you should take the train from Hanoi Railway Station (in Hanoi City) to Thap Cham Railway Station (in Ninh Thuan province) for about 30 hours.
Go to Dalat by train
Then, a complimentary bus will pick you up from the station and take you to Dalat at Thap Cham Station for another 3 hours.
Go to Dalat by plane: Visitors can easily book flights to go to Dalat. If you are in Vietnam already, the most popular airline offices are Vietnam Airlines, VietJet Air, Bamboo Airlines, etc. which can provide good flight service.
Lien Khuong International Airport
However, if visitors are not in Vietnam at the moment, you can book a flight to Dalat Airport called Lien Khuong International Airport ( or DLI for short).
This airport is located in the town of Lien Nghia, Duc Trong district, Lam Dong province.
Go to Dalat by motorbike: for adventurous visitors who want to come by themselves.
The most convenient way is to use Google Maps. Besides, visitors can ask the local people for more specific information about the routes.
How to get around in Dalat? Some suggestions for visitors are:
Motorbike: For going around the city, visitors can rent motorbikes. The most intriguing aspect of traveling in Dalat is that you are not required to stop on the road because there are no traffic lights or congestion.
However, you must have extreme caution when riding alone, especially at intersections.
Bicycle: An easy way to go around Dalat is on a bicycle. Bicycles for rent are available outside Lotteria and just down from the town's main markets.
Visitors can take one and head off to explore the town: coffee shops, restaurants, and lots of photo-taking spots.
Taxi: For within the city visitors can use taxis. Besides traditional taxis like Mai Linh, there are now other reliable choices for visitors such as booking on apps such as Grab, Be, etc.
Traveling to Dalat, visitors can choose to stay in a resort, hotel homestay, etc.
Some resorts in Dalat are Ana Mandara Villas Dalat Resort, Hoang Anh Dat Xanh Dalat Resort, Dalat Edensee Resort, and Dalat Cadasa Resort – Complex of French Villas.
Dalat Edensee Resort and Spa
Hotels in Dalat are varied in price and style. Dalat hotels with luxury style can be named SAMMY Dalat Hotel, and Dalat Palace Luxury Hotel.
Homestay can also be a good choice for Dalat travelers. Some homestays in Dalat are Home of Dreamers and Dalat80s.NhàMình, Dalat Lacasa Homestay II, Đợi Một Người, Vanda Garden Hill, Wine Valley Homestay.
Hidden in the alley, Artist Alley Restaurant is different from all other restaurants owing to the cooking method, which is the harmonious combination of Vietnamese and European tastes.
As the owner is an artist, the restaurant's decoration is white and yellow, as the central theme highlights the French style. Sometimes, the space is full of piano or guitar sounds like the background, contributing to success in customer experience diversity. Creamy chicken soup and avocado salad are two recommendations from previous guests.
The restaurant offers a relaxed, chilled, and peaceful space, and it is suitable for an intimate conversation with a wide range of dishes from Asia and Western, as well as for vegetarians by Vcafe Restaurant. Additionally, many imported wines are also served, which is a unique point for wine lovers. If you have a chance to head here at the right time, some live musical performances will impress you.
Biang Dalat Garden Restaurant is considered a place to recharge your energy after a period of Dalat exploration with various mouth-watering dishes. As using fresh ingredients from farming and cooking by the skillful chef in a modern way, the restaurant is an eco-friendly space. Vietnamese and other Asia food is served with a flavor retaining the traditional features.
Located in the center of Dalat, Carrot Restaurant is famous for Western and French food styles. The staff are friendly and warmly welcome all the customers with smiles and bright faces. The dishes are decorated and cooked carefully by the professional chef. Besides, the customer has a chance to experience a chilled and relaxed space in the music background. In addition, Carrot Restaurant is an excellent choice for holding small anniversaries such as birthdays, valentines, or even marriages for couples.
Restaurant Ichi mainly serves Asian cuisine, specifically sushi in Japanese style. The customers can sit along the bars and see how the professional chef cooks the food. Do not hesitate to ask them about Japanese food and techniques. Furthermore, the owners and staff are friendly and ready to provide the best services. Many guests come to Ichi and recommend this place to their family or friends when coming to Dalat, Vietnam.
Come and take a look at a land filled with breathtaking natural wonders and intricate cultural traditions, where bustling cities stand in contrast with tranquil hillside communities. You’ll fall for Vietnam at the first sight!
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