Dalat and/or Nha Trang

Hi

I have 3 days to tour out of HCMC and I am intending to spend it in Dalat to enjoy the sights and chill out. I just went to Phuket last year and Nha Trang sounds similar to me so I am not keen in going to Nha Trang. But alot of visitors seem to be raving about Nha Trang and I am wondering if I should take an overnight train from HCMC to Nha Trang and spend a day&night there before making my way to Dalat for a 2days visit. Anyone has any comments on that? Should i stay 3 full days in Dalat or 1 day in Nha Trang & 2 days in Dalat?

Some more qns:
1) Any recommendations on how to get from HCMC to/fro Dalat?
- Is the open tour bus comfortable and what time do they leave from HCMC and Dalat? I am hoping to travel overnight to save time.
- If by plane, where should I get the airtics and can i get typically get ticket for next day's flight? What's the price?
* Too bad there's no trains

2) From Nha Trang to Dalat, are all buses on the shorter 3-4hr route now? What time does the buses leave and what is the price?

In the meantime, if there's any special recommendation with regards to Dalat/Nha Trang, do let me know.

OP,

Check out a thread I started on the similar question. I'm sort of doing the same route also but coming from the north. Not sure if I'm going to be doing Nha Trang though. Here's the link:

Nha Trang/Dalat/Saigon

You can arrange a tour from Nha Trang, at Highland Tours next to Vietnam Airlines office, in a open air jeep, or on a moto with a guide, or solo moto rental, from Nha Trang to Dalat for a night or 2, temples, highlands etc, then on to Saigon.

You can fly to Nha Trang or Dalat from HCMC, or vice versa...

As of two weeks ago, none of the buses were using the new shorter road between Dalat and Nha Trang (we were told). We took a Sinhcafe bus from Nha Trang - Dalat. It took almost 6 hours and cost $4/ea. Bus was comfortable and only had about 10 passengers, no restroom on board. Still, bus travel can often be tiresome in Vietnam and Cambodia due to the constant honking of horns and endless cell phone use by locals who ride the tour buses. We rode many, many different tour/express buses and soon decided that 4 hours was about all we could easily handle on one. They are incredibly cheap though.

I like Dalat better it,s a good trip by bus from saigon, stay at dreams 1 hotel in Dalat do a 1 day tour on motorbikes the lady at the hotel can easy arrange for you ,have a meal at the art cafe just down the road from ther hotel
plenty to do there i.m going back for a week next year

I didn't like Nha Trang.The front few streets are a collection of hotels and expensive tourist restaurants and the beach seems ok. I found it more interesting to go back towards the railway station where there are some street restaurants. I'd be more inclined to spend all the time in 1 place, 1 night really doesn't give you time to enjoy a place.

I think three days is too short to try and fit both in. That wouldn't really give you much time in either place -- b/c, as mentioned above, the bus takes 5 1/2-6 hours, so you'll waste a whole day there. We spent loads of time in Nha Trang. I think it was largely b/c we had such a great hotel room and also b/c we didn't want to start working yet. The beach isn't that great -- it's more the surrounding islands and area that makes it worth it (for me at least) -- and that's something you'd have to plan ahead, so it would also take additional time.... If you're into diving or snorkeling, there's good stuff to be seen here.

What are you interested in? Beach or mountains? We loved renting bikes or a motorbike and cruising around the mountains, checking out the various waterfalls (in my opinion, that's the best thing to do up there). But, if you're more of a beach person, perhaps Nha Trang is for you....

Whatever you choose, I'm sure you'll be happy -- enjoy your trip!

To #6, I'm definitely more of a mountain person.

With all the responses so far, I have decided to spend all 3 days in Dalat and enjoy the place properly. Explore some waterfalls, take a daytrip with easyrider, try out #3's art cafe, explore the french colonial buildings...

Anyone knows if the buses leave as late as 12midnight for both HCMC-Dalat and Dalat-HCMC?

PS. Thanks for everyone's tips so far.

No problem, fellow sillyporean. Was about to suggest that u stay in one place but anyway, u had made the decision already.

I see that you just joined TTF. have fun in Dalat and eat a bowl of Pho Bo for me! :)

Not sure it's a goo idea to travel from Sai Gon to Da Lat by night . It's a quite winding road for a big part. Best is to leave very early in the morning

Hi Xuan, do you know what is the earliest bus that leaves for Saigon-Dalat and Dalat-Saigon?