Da Lat

November to April is the dry season and the best time. Days are sunny and nights are cool. December and January are the coolest, so bring a jacket for the evening. May to October is the rainy season. Rain usually comes in the afternoon, and the hills are green.

The Da Lat Flower Festival is the main event. It takes place every two years, around the end of December. Gardens, streets and Xuan Huong Lake are decorated with flowers.

• Hang Nga Crazy House is an unusual guesthouse and gallery with curved, tree-like buildings. It was designed by the architect Dang Viet Nga.
• Ga Đà Lạt is a railway station from the 1930s with a decorated front. A small tourist train runs from here to a nearby village.
• Chùa Linh Sơn is a pagoda with a large white Buddha and a dragon made of glass pieces.
• Governor Palace is a French colonial villa on a hill. It was a residence of the French governor.
• Dinh Bao Dai 2 is a former palace of the last Vietnamese emperor Bao Dai. It keeps rooms in their original style.
• Nhà thờ Chánh Tòa is a pink church from the French period. Its tall tower is a landmark.
• Nhà Thờ Domain de Marie is a quiet church and convent on a hill outside the centre.
• Thác Cam Ly is a small waterfall near the city centre.
• Xuan Huong Lake lies in the middle of town. A walk around it takes about an hour.

• Tourist train ride: Ride the old train from the station to a nearby village, for the ride itself.
• Coffee farm visit: Walk through a plantation and taste local coffee, including weasel-style coffee.
• Canyoning or waterfall rappelling: Da Lat is Vietnam's main centre for canyoning.
• Night market: Eat grilled street snacks and warm drinks at the market in the evening.
• Hot drink in a cafe: Cool evenings suit hot soy milk or a ginger drink at a cafe with a view.

• Datanla Waterfall and Prenn Pass: about 15 min south. A cable car or alpine coaster leads to the falls.
• Langbiang Mountain: about 30 min north. Jeeps run to a viewpoint above the valley.
• Coffee farms and Cau Dat tea hills: 30 to 60 min by car. Walks among the plants, with tastings.
• Truc Lam Zen Monastery: about 10 min south. A cable car goes to the temple above the lake.
• Nha Trang: about 4 hours by road. A common next stop for beach time.

• Coast: Nha Trang is the nearest big beach resort.
• Region: Lâm Đồng is the province around Da Lat, with highlands, waterfalls and farms.
• South: Ho Chi Minh City is the main gateway by road or air.

• By air: Lien Khuong Airport (DLI) is about 30 km south. A taxi or Grab takes 40 min, and an airport bus also runs. Flights come from Hanoi, Ho Chi Minh City and other cities.
• By bus: Buses and sleeper coaches connect Da Lat with Ho Chi Minh City (about 6 to 8 hours), Nha Trang (about 4 hours) and Mui Ne.
• By car: The roads from the coast climb through mountain passes. Allow extra time for fog and rain.
• By train: The old line has no regular service to the rest of the country. There is only a short tourist train.

• On foot: The centre around the lake and the market is walkable, but hills are steep.
• Taxi and Grab: The simplest way to reach the waterfalls, gardens and the Crazy House.
• Motorbike: Common for visitors, but mountain roads are steep and wet in the rainy season. Take care.
• Cable cars: Cable cars serve Truc Lam Monastery and Datanla Waterfall.

• Is a car worth it? Only for day trips to the hills. In town, taxis, Grab and walking work well. A car with a driver is best for mountain roads.
• Parking: Hotels and sights have parking. Space is tight near the market.
• Restrictions: Mountain roads can be foggy and wet. Drive slowly and avoid night driving.

Da Lat is known for fresh vegetables, strawberries, coffee, artichoke tea and avocado. Try banh trang nuong, a grilled rice paper snack, and hot pot dishes for cool evenings. Hot soy milk is a common street drink.

Eat at the night market and on the streets around it. The market is a good place for snacks and local produce.

Da Lat is safe. Petty theft can happen in markets.

• Bring a warm layer. Nights are cool, especially in December and January.
• Mountain roads can be slippery and foggy. Be careful on motorbikes.
• Canyoning and other adventure trips need a licensed operator with good safety gear.
• Heavy afternoon rain is common in the wet season.

The doctor Alexandre Yersin explored the highlands in 1893 and suggested a mountain resort here. The French built roads, villas and a railway to the new town, which became a retreat from the heat of the coast. Ga Đà Lạt and Governor Palace date from this period.

The last emperor, Bao Dai, kept palaces in Da Lat. One of them is Dinh Bao Dai 2. Today, Da Lat is a popular holiday town for Vietnamese visitors.

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